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Newspaper-Articles

• 28 Nov 1951: Beaconsfield Keen To Get its New Pre-School Development Centre, COMMITTEE ONLY NEEDS ANOTHER £200.
  ALWAYS KEEN on child development work, Beaconsfield Upper residents are now having plans prepared for a new £1,600 Pre-School Development Centre that will meet the needs of both Infant Welfare and Pre-School children.
  A generous lady, Mrs. Buck has given a block behind the Memorial, containing six acres, as a site for the new Centre. The active committee already has approximately £350 in hand and needs only another £200 to enable it to get a £2 for £1 Government grant to finance the building.
  The new building will mean a great deal to the district, to the rising generation of children, and to those of the future, so do your best to help the committee attain its objective speedily.
  The committee relies on the Government, through the Health Department, and the local council for financial help, but it must still find £200 to make up its quota.
  Members would like publicly to express their appreciation of the support offered by the Upper Beaconsfield R.S.L., and to solicit the active support of all residents for a very worthy cause.¹
• 12 Dec 1951: BAR TO UPPER BEACONSFIELD PRE-SCHOOL GRANT
  REPORTING to the November meeting of the Berwick Council regarding the proposed Beaconsfield Upper Pre-School and Infant Welfare Centre Building the
  engineer (Mr. R. J. Chambers) stated:
  “During the month the secretary and myself met the Pre-school and Infant Welfare Committee at Beaconsfield Upper to discuss a proposal for the erection of a suitable building on land donated by Mrs. Buck. At this meeting it was pointed out to the committee that a grant could be sought from the Government on a £2 for £1 basis and it was promised that a suggested design would be submitted for their consideration and comments at an early date. In giving this assurance to the committee I was not aware that the council's Health Sister did not visit Beaconsfield Upper and that the Centre was being operated privately by a Truby King Sister.
  On ascertaining this fact a check was made with Dr. Meredith of the Health Department who has advised that if the council obtain a grant for the erection of suitable buildings it would be necessary for the Officer engaged both for Pre-school and Infant Welfare training to operate under the appropriate Government Health system. This essentially amounts to the fact that if a grant is obtained the Centre would have to be converted to a Government one in lieu of Truby King.
  In view of this and pending a decision by the council and the local committee the plans have hot been finalised. It may not be possible, even if the local committee are prepared to switch to the Government scheme, for Beaconsfield Upper to be included in the programme while we only employ one Sister. If this is so it may be possible to engage a part-time Sister whose qualifications are approved by the Health Department. With reference to the design a considerable saving in cost could be effected if the waiting room and the Pre-school play room were one. For this to be practicable Pre-school children would have to be dealt with on a separate day to the infants. However, I am told that this would be inconvenient as some mothers have children in both sections and naturally would prefer to bring them all along at the one time.”
  —Referred to Cr. Harris to explain the position to committee.²