DR. SARNARDO'S HOMES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 2, 27 June 1911, Page 6

DR. SARNARDO'S HOMES

AN APPEAL. J The Duke of Somerset writes from England as follows: —The council of Dr./ Burnardo's Homes find it necessary to] ask the public to assist them in coming . to a somewhat difficult' decision. Since tne death of Dr. Baniardo.h'vc years ago, the sympathy of innumerable friends and admirers of his work has enabled us, not only to carry on this work, but even to extend it in accordance with his known desire. Wc have hitherto followed with the utmost .strictness his unalterable rule, tnat no destitute chad shall be refused admission; no votes, no influence, no credentials have ever been required for admission to Dr. Barnardo's Homes. A child's destitution, for which it can in no case be itself responsible, has always been the only test. Now we are faced with this difficulty. Up to the middle of last year the income or the Homes was increasing, as it has always increased, in almost exact proportion to the increase in the number of destitute children who had to be provided fdr. Then there was a sudden fall, and at the? end of the year there was a deficiency of over £38,000. It is not necessary to go into the reasons for this oeing so—they are beyond our control and they have affected other charities in the country, in many cases to an even greater degree.

The same thing is continuing during the present year. Our income would be considered enormous, but it is insufficient to support the 9400 children who are now in the Homes. We have practically no endowments, and for permanent relief we must reduce our expenses or increase our income.

Are wc to do the former? We have endeavored to maintain Dr. Barnardo's tradition of strict economy in everything except the proper plain food, clothing, education and personal training of the children themselves. There are no high salaries to be cut down, no excessive staff to be reduced—we can economise in children only.

This is the question which we have to decide at once. Because we have no endowments, and because the Homes depend entirely on the country's daily appreciation of Dr. Barnardo's work, the matter is urgent; but in six months we could bring our expenditure within our present income, by abandoning the rule which Dr. Bamardo followed for all his life, and which he has left for his successors to follow and maintain.

Is it worth it? Looked at merely as a matter of pounds, shillings and pence, the thousand destitute children who would bo refused admission would, if admitted, be worth to the country in 'the future many thousands of pounds as honest, hard-working citizens. If ] e ft destitute, who can say how much they will cost. Destitute men and women have seldom much future before them—they often have a very extensive past. Destitute children have no past—of their own making—and their future is almost a certainty of an honorable, independent life if they are given the opportunity, which they can seldom make for themselves, and Which the workhouse does not adequately provide. It is a good investment to give it to them, and by every canon of human conduct it is also an absolute

We ask the public to decide for us, and to decide qmckly. If they are in any doubt Wll l they conle and ; ee J

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