ST. BARNABAS'S BABIES' HOME

Shannon News, 10 August 1928, Page 2

ST. BARNABAS'S BABIES' HOME

In view of the local interest in St. Barnabas's Home, the following extracts from the 6th annual report (March 31st, 1928), are forwarded for publication: — The- maximum number of babies considered desirable in our Home by tlu authorities is sixteen, and it has been full throughout the year,, at times in fact there have been eighteen for short perio(ds. /The number admitted has been 19, while 20 have gone out. Of the children sent 6ut ; fifteen returned to their guardian's, many of them representing cases of sudden and temporary emergency; one Avas adopted, one went on to All Saints' Home, Palmerston, one to St. Mary's Home, Karori, one to the Home of Compassion, Island Bay/ and one to the Public Hospital, being a case unsuitable for our Home, owing, to malformation. The health of the children- has been excellent, thanks to the care of the acting-matrons and staff-and to the i honorary doctors'. ';. The experience of the Home since its inception, has made it ; plainly evident that the age limit of three years is too high, -arid that two years should be substituted. Notice of •'motion to that effect is appended to the report, and will be explained to the annual meetings. It has not yet been possible to take actual steps to proceed with the new Home building, our fund is. not large enovgh for/ the whole, but the possibility of a useful beginning has been under consideration. Meanwhile,. and still. with> the precaution referred to in "Hast year's report of not doing work to be afterwards rendered useless by the new building, we have built adjoining the present Home a small playroom and perambulator shelter combined, in a sunny position to meet a need felt by the management for more space for the little ones, who had previously to be confined to one room for play and dining-room without classification of ages. ••'.-..■■

Quite the outstanding characteristic of the year from the, administrative point of view, has been the "difficulties resulting from a seribus accident sustained by our matron, Miss Greig, who fell, when in town, and broke her leg Miss A. Wade, assistant-matron, had also to go into hospital shortly afterwards. The work was carried on by Miss Campbell, and afterwards by Mrs Hanison' as temporary acting-matron till Miss Wade's return.

Miss Greig forwarded her resignation to the executive on account of her consequent ill-health, but at the meeting in February, it wai ' decided to' postpone a permanent appointment- till the end of April, to enable further consideration to be given to her. At this latter meeting, however, upon anxious consideration of the best interests of the Ho,me, Jthe jexeeuitive appointed Miss Wade as matron.

We desire to place on record our ..tribute to Miss Greig's 'work for the Home during the two years and aquarter she was with us. As an expression of sympathy with her in her long illness, the chairman, with the. approval of the executive, made a special appeal to members of the Society, which enabled, a: present of £ll 14s 6d to be made to Miss Greig at Christmas time.

During the year a Gift Day was organised by acting-matron, Mrs Harriand realised a sum of £35 6s 6d. We have received among other sums during the year £lll, our share of the Social Service Board's Street " Day, £165 from the Maearthy Trust, a bequest of £25 from the estate of Mrs A. A. Binney, as well ar3 a gift from the Christmas Treat Campaign, organised by the Commercial Travellers. At its January meeting, the executive received the resignation of Mr E. H. Watts as secretary, owing to the pressure of his private business. The Society is indebted to Mr Watts for his assistance and advice received from him during his tenure of the office. Mr E. G. Ffitch was co-opted to fill the vacancy caused by Mr Watts' retirement.

Many gifts in kind, too numerous to individualise here, have beein fully received by the staff and exeeutime, and have included clothing, fruit and vegetables, etc., and some articles of furniture or perambulators.