Alice Burns...A Subiaco Woman's Charity Work (1936).
Alice Burns did a substantial amount of charity work for the local Subiaco community in the 1930's. As there were a number of women who identified as Mrs. R. Burns, the address 178 Barker Road was used in newspaper articles to distinguish her from other women with the same name.
Alice Burns was married to Robert Williams Burns. Robert was a financier and jeweller who had a shop at 82 Rokeby Road, Subiaco. Their private residence was 178 Barker Road, Subiaco. They do not appear to have had any children.
The charity work done by Alice Burns included providing money to buy clothing during winter for children, for 100 children of unemployed men to visit the circus and advocating for the free milk program in state schools and the homes of unemployed men with children. Her work was recognised in a letter by Mr. A. C. Higgs, secretary of the Subiaco Unemployment Relief Committee to the Subiaco Municipal Council published in the Daily News newspaper on 26 January, 1936. The letter is copied below.
William Burns died on 14 December 1934. Alice Burns died on 12 November 1940.
The articles are from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
West Australian, 18 September 1933.
CHILDREN'S CIRCUS TREAT.
A rare treat was given to 100 children of unemployed men at Subiaco on Thursday by Mrs. R. W. Burns, of 178 Barker-road. Subiaco who paid for their admission to Wirth's Circus, and for their transport by special tram from Subiaco and back, as well as providing each child with a bag of sweets. A selection of the children was made by the honorary secretary of the Subiaco unemployment relief committee (the chief health inspector, Mr. A C. Higgs), with the assistance of the head mistress of the infant school at Subiaco (Miss Lutz). The children's enjoyment of the unexpected treat was plainly shown, and an expression of gratitude from parents has been received at the office of 'The West Australian.'
Daily News, 27 January 1936.
SUBIACO WOMAN'S CHARITY IS APPRECIATED
References to the charitable work of a woman resident of Subiaco are contained in a letter forwarded to Subiaco Municipal Council recently by Mr. A. C. Higgs, secretary of the Subiaco Unemployment Relief Committee. The letter tells its own story and reads:-
"As secretary of the Subiaco Unemployment Relief Committee, I desire to bring under the notice of the Mayor and councillors, the excellent service rendered in the municipality by Mrs. R Burns, of 187 Barker-road. From the time the Unemployment Relief Committee came into being in the year 1930, Mrs. Burns has contributed very generously, especially where children would benefit. It would appear that needy children incite her sympathies every winter season. On several occasions she has donated large sums of money to purchase blankets and warm clothes for children. "
"This year (1935) her generosity has been outstanding. Early in the month of June she inquired from me the position of the children of families whose income was meagre. She was anxious that the children would receive the benefits personally and directly. I was able to inform her that there were many children attending school whose parents could not afford to let them get the benefits of the daily bottle of fresh milk during school hours, and after consultation with head teachers at four schools Mrs. Burns instructed me on her behalf to expend £1 per week in providing warm milk and, where necessary, clothes and shoes for children whose parents could not afford it. The scheme was commenced on June 14, and terminated on December 20, a period of 27 weeks, involving an expenditure of £27."
"The results were excellent. Teachers and parents were agreeably surprised at the physical and mental progress made by the children as a result of the daily supply of milk. In fact one head teacher informed me that prior to the distribution, a number of the children showed definite signs of fatigue near the end of the morning or afternoon session, and their studies were hampered as a result, but soon after having the milk a marked difference was noticeable. Her generosity also permitted some children to sit in comfort in school because of having been provided with warm boots and stockings. Many individual cases of development were noted."
Sunday Times, 26 January 1936.
WHOLE MILK ACT THE BOARD'S PROPOSALS
A More Liberal Consumption
Aimed At
Mr. A. C. Higgs, Chief Health Inspector of the Subiaco Municipal Council, writes as follows:
"In explaining the amended provisions of the Metropolitan Whole Milk Act 1932, Mr. Wilson, chairman of the Metropolitan Milk Board, recently indicated his intention to do those things calculated to increase the sale of fresh milk. He is to be highly recommended and should receive the support of all who can assist.
"In my official capacity and also in the capacity of hon. secretary of the Subiaco Unemployment Relief Committee and also hon. secretary of the Infant Health Association, I have had opportunity , of observing how necessary it is for more fresh milk to be included in the diet of a large number of people, especially mothers of infants and children, and how remarkable it is that when people, axe forced to economise in household management that almost the first article to be eliminated is fresh milk.
"Mr. Wilson's plans will prove to be a boost if the people's attention is focussed on the fact that milk is a lifegiving food, and that their health and vigor can be improved and maintained in an improved condition by a more liberal - consumption of fresh milk, and that instead of minimising the quantity of the daily family supply it should be increased in times of adversity and other less nutritive articles of diet eliminated.
"It is to be hoped that every agency and every association which has the health of the community at heart will put the full weight of their influence behind the efforts of the Milk Board to increase the consumption of fresh milk. People in a private capacity may also help, if their help is guided through the right channels.
"Let me quote an example in Subiaco:
"Mrs. R. Burns, of 178 Barker-road, who is continually doing acts of kindliness, especially among children, called on me one day; and discussed the obvious malnutrition of some of the children and how best to combat it.
"As a result of this discussion, I interviewed four head masters and mistresses of schools in the municipality and ascertained how many, children were not participating in the milk supplied to the schools, and what was the effect on the children who were not participating. I found that the parents of a large percentage were not able to find the sixpence per week necessary to give the child a bottle of milk on five days of the week, and that the child suffered, mentally and physically in comparison with the children who were receiving the milk; in fact, at one school no milk scheme was in operation.
"The result of these inquiries was that Mrs. Burns immediately authorised the expenditure of £1 per week to be distributed among the children of indigent parents. A start was made at the school where there was no milk distribution, and the worst of the cases were taken in the other three-schools, and from June 14 till the Christmas vacation, a period of 27 weeks, 40 children received a bottle of milk for five days of each week. In some cases, where a child was too ill to attend school, a bottle was sent home.
"The teachers at the schools entered whole heartedly into the scheme, and in every class glowing reports were received of the decided improvement mentally and physically mode by most of the children who received the milk as a result of Mrs. Burns' generosity.
"By this means approximately 450 gallons of milk were consumed, with good results. Although such good results were obtained we could have done better still If more friends had contributed."
