DR. BARNADO'S HOMES.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1918, Page 6

DR. BARNADO'S HOMES.

THE FUTURE OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. Whilst death and destruction are still rife, there is heard in all the afflicted countries a whisper of the reconstruction and re-organisation which will begin when the horrible strife ceases. It is even now quite evident that far-reach-ing social and industrial changes will come to pass: the most conservative of us cannot assert that justice holds the balance fairly in a country where great extremes of luxury and misery exist together. It would appear that the great rebuilding will mean a vast extension of trade and manufacture, calling for an army of men and women operatives, and the healthier these men and women are —mentally, physically and morally—the better it will be for the nation. A computation, made some months back, of the men, women and children actually killed during the war, placed the number at between nine and ten millions. To these must be added, not only the permanently crippled 'and unfit, but the natural loss of population through the absence from their" homes of millions of men in their lull prime and vigor. Small wonder then: that the question how these fearful losses may lie replaced is exercising so majiy uiinnd 10-dav. It poems a terribly complex matter at first, but it really resolves itself into or.o prime fact, the importance of child life Our fallen heroes can only' be replaced by the children in our midst. Letters and articles in the papers and magazines, • speeches by public men and sermons from the pulpit, all point alike to the importance to the Empire of child-life. Yet how prodigal of infant-life the Empire has been hitherto. A baby dies every five minutes in the Old Country, iind in one year of war whilst nine soldiers died every hour no less than twelve babies were lost every hour "Baby Week" drew attention to this and many other startling facts concerning the nation's little ones. Serious as this loss by death is, the permanent injury caused to a great number of children bv ignorance, neglect and semi-starvation is even sadder, for not onlv do many of these children become a drag upon the community, but tlicy are so handicapped that real happiness and the full enjoyment of life can never lie theirs. Only a healthv citizen is of full value to the country in which lie lives.

There arc hopeful signs 1 lint a senf* of racial responsibility lias been aroused throughout the Empire, and that as irior ( ; than half of this waste of infant-' life is preventable, steps to prevent it will bo taken. Yet although there has hitherto been no organised attempt by the State to efficiently tackle this vital matter, a number of institutions have been doing good work in this direction. Chief and best known of those institutions are Dr Barnardo's Homes which, for over fifty years, have been carrying on exactly the kind of work which the organisers of "Baby Week" insist upon as vital to the future of the Empire. At the close of 101" the honorary director was able to state, "with a. deep sense of gratitude," that not one destitute child had ever been turned away. Free meals and clothing had been given to thousands of boys and girls during the year, and nearly twelve hundred new permanently admitted. That the young inmates of the Homes have all that is essential in environment and ea>« is proved bv the low death rate, which in l'Jlli w;-.s only li.4G per thousand, as compared with an average of 15 per thousand for the whole of England. Sir William Robertson, referring to the fact that the homes have received neatly a thousand children of soldiers for the duration of the war. says: "With such a record as this, coupled with the splendid results achieved previous to the war, it is clear that no words of mine are needed to emphasise the great benefit the homes are eonfeririisr upon the Umpire." The war record of the homes is one of which they may well feel proud. Over 10,320 old Barnardo boys are now known to be serving in the Royal Navy, the armv and tlie mercantile marine, and at least thirteen have won commissions.

For some years past Mrs. Dockrill lias organised a yearly collection in Xcw Plymouth in aid'of this popular institution and is about to launch her appeal for the present year. It is lo be hoped that there will be the usual generous response by residents in the districts, for much yet remains to he done. Donors may rest assured that their gifts will lie made good use of. £IS supports a healthy boy or girl for twelve months, whilst £2O maintains a little "handy man" in the Naval Training School for a like period.