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BOARDED-OUT CHILDREN
BALLARAT AND DISTRICT
COMMITTEE.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Ballarat
and Buninyong Districts Committee for
boarded out children was held on Friday
16th inst. There were present :—Mes-
darnes .M. E. Whiteside, I. Brawn, R.
Maddern, E. J. .Havden, J. D: Walker,
W. A. Capell, C. tV. Harrison; Misses
Ronahbon. Eberhard. and Stark (West);
Mesdames E. Meagher, C. W. Growcoti,
M. J. MeJlor, J. McGrath, R. M. Stubbs,
L. Juler. E. I'. Rue, E. Davis; Misses
A. Russell (lady correspondent), E. Stit
lold (East).
Mrs C. Julie Gutmann, inspector
under the infant Life Act, State Assist
ance Pay to Mothers’ Act, and Wards of
State Act, who presided, expressed on be
half of the members sincere regret and
deepest sympathy with Mrs W. D. Hill
in the death of her husband. Members
stood in silence, and later resolved to
send a leter of sympaby to Mrs Hill.
Acting Secretary’s Report.—This stated
inter alia:—“The total number of chil
dren'who were a charge on the State in
December 1919 was 10,754; on December
31*:t, 1»A). 11,608. Mortality, 2.4 per cent.
The Treasurer has approved at' 12/6
being paid for the maintenance of board
ed out infants under eighteen months’
old. Could the correspondent make it
known to foster mothers and others and
see whether she cannot now secure suit
able homes for some of the many such
children m present in the depot 1 ait
Royal Paik- The increased rate started
on Ist inst-F. H. -lenning?. acting secre
tary.’’
The President soid that during her visits
of inspection she had not failed to let the
matter be known. Every mother knows,
and every father ought, to. that until a
child was two years of age and' had cut
its final tooth the greatest care and pati
were necessary. All must recognise
the pre-natal influence on these- infants’
birth, anr the baneful effects on their con
stitutions of half-starved and improperly
fed expectant, mothers, of the frenzied and
all too frequent, use of drugs, so-called
preventives, and the direful results pass
ing on to the .-babes. This matter had only
to bo put in its proper light by the com-,
initfee to have the age extended to two
years for the increased rate of pay. In our
last report attention was drawn to the
overcrowded condition of the depot in Mel
bourne. and it was decided to irj; to find
homes for some of the children in Balla
rat and .districts. Wuh Constable Dunk’s
assistance homes were found tor eight
children in the Smyrhesdaie district, while
in the Leigh Creek and Wnrrenheip dis
tricts homes have been found for 19 chil
dren. in ali, Baiiarat included, 52 chii
dre*i have been placed during the year,
the annual inspection had been made. A
special report sheet for each mother's case,
on which were eleven questions to be an
swered. showed how exhaustive the in
quiries were, and how almost impossible it
could be for fraud to be perpetrated. In
BaJJart East district she had visited one
hundred and two own mother's homes. The
information elicited was as follows:—Fifty
seven were widows. 10 deserted wives;
'here were 14 husbands with minora'
phthisis; one in Home for the Insane, ab
solutely blind: one wuh cancer m Ins
face; two almost blind, serious eye :roub:' .
incurable : one spinal paralysis, almost bed
ridden ; one cun at lire of spine with rheu
matism: one run over by train-, necessitat
ing both legs beipg taken oh; two old
age pensioners, and two had war pension:-.
One mother without hearing, aun two moth
ers paralysed. Two couples each received
invalid pensions. In tiiese homes 311 chil
dren were reported on. Seventeen were
married. oB were working ami assistamg
mother, and for the 226 under the age ol
.14 years. State assistance pay was given
to mothers. She also visited and report
ed on 6p fester Immes and 11-1 children
wards of ihe State. In Hal la nil AYest
-die vi-dicd every Jicfliif. There were 81
motlieis icceiviug pay. Ul these -IS were
witlows. J" deserted wives, live liu-Lands
had minei'.- pli Hi i.-i>: four husbands
ether eompiai ut >. iwo insane, one mn
ever by goods Main (both legs token eft',
one iveeivetL old ego pension, IVeu
mothers delieatie reeeivcd invalid pen
sion; in one home both roeened pension
and two mot hers were too ill a( present
to interview 0 In these homes (here
v.eie aboui 61 ehiidren ior whom State
assistance pay was given. and 25 uttend-
Mijr_seiio.il where not required: 7(i were
working and assisting mothers, and
seven were married. In , all :h)2.cllil
dren. Balia rat West mothers. She also
visited !- tester homes ami 72 children
who are wards o! the State. All the
wards o! tiie Stale in the Ballarat and
Ruiiinyniig districts were for ilm greater
number ehiidren i rom the depot in Mel
amine. The Imaltii of (lie: children was
excelleid. Not one death had occurred
during tiie 12 months. ineluding all the
babies under the infant Life Protection
Act. hut wjio do not come under the
care ol tile committee. Duelers Gar
diner. bnnvi'ord and Lougden (Btniin
vong) have, been vo:y attentive to all
the children and visited (lie homes fre
quently. Mr <‘asley (dentist) lias never
tailed to give the children relief. The
head (eaehers had all been most solicit
ous tor the children's welfare, and books
and requisites had always been supplied.
They were glad to welcome back Miss
Russell daily correspondent lor Balla
rat East) after her holiday trip to New
Zealand. Thunk* were due to Mrs Alel
lur who acted as lady correspondent in
\iiss Kiis-elk's district during her ab
sence. and to Mrs L»rowero*r, who sir
t luuiglufully p,laced her drawing room af
the disposal i.i the Ballarat Hast com
mittee and provided dainty afternoon
toa fui members. District Nursing So
viet y—.l wish to thank ihe president and
commit tee lor their thoughtful invita
tion to be present at their annual meet
ing and regret being unable to attend.
1 frequently hear of the good work of
this society in the limnos 1 visit. Our'
sinceie thanks are due to Mr E. G.
Jennings. the acting secretary, for lus j
report so kindly forwarded, and giving I
us the fullest iiit'ormntioi!: concerning
the work oi (he department. AVo also
desire to thank the Very Rev Dean
Tucker. Right Rev John Walker. Very
Rev Father Ken-in (Administrator for
Bishop holeyV Rev. J. D. Long fmis
sioiter). Rev Father Reidy, Rev Blen
bassett (Brown Hill), Rev Davis (St.
Raul's), and Rev Fa liter Roper for help
ful co-odo ration and visits.
Thanks were, also due to Sir Alexander
ami Ladv Peacock, the Chief Secretary
(Major Baird), Hons. E. McGregor, T.
Brawn. A. Bell. Mr D. C. McGrath. ALP.,
Mr Hogan, M.L.A., ami Mr Hughes,
M.L.A., to Suprintendeut Nicholson and
has ellicieut officers, to Air Burrow (super
intendent Benevolent Home), to the Bal
larat press.
In thanking Airs Gutman for her com
prehensive and interesting report. Mrs
Whiteside moved—" That a letter be sent
to the acting secretary, and through him
to the Chief Secretary, asking that the age
for the payment of infants be at the rate
of 12/6 a week, shall not be confined to
the age of 18 months, lout extended
to tho age of two years, it being a most
critical time for infant and nurse, the
cutting of teeth, double teeth, and ftnally
the two-year-old teeth/’ Mrs E. J. Hay
den seconded the resolution, and it was
not only carried unanimously, but every
member present attached her ‘ signature to
tlie_ requisition.
A seoond resolution, moved by Mrs K.
Maddern, and seconded by Mrs' Brawn—
"That_ overcoats for all the children, boys
and girls, sent from the depot to Ballarat
and surrounding districts be provided. \Ve ;
Oeeire that this request will commend itself
to you. In many parts of the State such a
request {may not be necessary, owing to
different climatic conditions/’ Carried j
unanimously. i
The meeting then closed with an inter-1
change of the season’s greetings J
$