NEW ORPHANAGE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 568, 24 July 1909, Page 6

NEW ORPHANAGE.

_» —___ A PRESBYTERIAN INSTITUTION. OPENED BY GOVERNOR. The Prosbytorian Orphariago at Dr&oklyn, which Jim boon tho happy bomo of over a dozen: children for Bomo weeks past, wan formally oponod by his Excellency tho Governor yesterday afternoon, Tho orpliaimgo was rendered gay with bunting, and Uicro was a largo attendance. Dr. Clbb's Speooh. Aftor tho Rov. J. Kennedy Elliott had offorod pravor, tho Rov. Dr. Gibb, convenor or tho Orphijnagc Committee, ankod tho Governor to porforni tlio , opening nammony. Dr.. Gibb said that tho I'rcsljytorian Church had.always taken n.vfii;y grotifc intorost in tlio wolfaro of tho poor, and tlio condition of orphan arid destitute children ha,d lain at all times'close to itn heart. If tho will of John Knox had boon realised tlio work of caring for tho poor would novcr lrnvo 'gono outsido tho Church. During recent years tho churches, at Home had boon coming more into ovidcnco in this rcapcct. Tho Church of Scotland, had a large number of social undertakings, homes, and farms under way. and orphanages woro'not infrequently established by various denominations. In Now Zealand for a' considerable number of years tho Presbyterian Church, had mado'.no combined effort to cave for its orphan and destitute children,, but a very large percentage of tho funds thdt found their way into various charities camo from tho pockets of Presbyterians. An orphanage had been opened a year or two ago in Duncdin, and its success had encouraged tho Wellington Presbytery to follow its oxamplo. Thoy decided that they would not wait till/thoy had accumulated a- very large sum and then erect a pretentious building and begin work on a largo scalo. Presbyterians in Auckland had £3000 gaining interest for a similar purpose, and every week in tho "Outlook" tfioy saw a pitiful advertisement requesting that further funds should bo. supplied, while all tha time tho Auckland people seemed impotent and incapable of taking any action. Tha Wellington Presbytery, on the other hand, had decided to go ahead with'tho funds at their.command, and.thoir faith' or audacity had boon more than' rewarded. They had never had too much mo new in the exchequer, but thoy-had always enobgli* and moro for their immediate pressing needs. The building would contaiu only twenty children, and already thoy had fourteen,'' so : thai larger accommodation would jqori<bo required. . Dr. Gibb expressed bis appreciation of the Governor's kindness in performing . the opening ceremony, and of his general 'philanthropic zeal. He then banded to his Ecexllency a silver key, presented by Messrs G. and T. Young; for the formal opening of the Wilding. : . , ■ -■ • '• Tho Address. , .... Tho Governor said he desired to ; return thanks for the opportunity given him to tako a prominent' part iii ' so' good a work.; It was not long since he had had tho privilege of taking pitrt in another' work which the Presbyterian Church, together with tho church to which ho' belonged, was conduct-, ing. Ho referred to the' ferdale students' hostel. That had gone ahea'd and flourished so much that they would need to doublethe accommodation, in a short time. Ho hoped that the orphanage would; have tho same experience. liady Plunkot and himself both took' the'keenest ' interest in anything that conoerned the little children. One 'of the most difficult problems to solve was how to deal, with the verjr' small\ children. , The Presbytery. were , helping , in l that - direction, and he' offered thom -his mosthearty congratulations,. v HiB Excellency then formally declared the orphanage open. 1 Tho Mayor on Presbytorlanlsm. After a collection had been taken in aid of the orphanage, the, Mayor (Dr. ,Newma-n)\ made a short speech.,, He. said that he was glad to .be present, among other reasons, because ,it had been his •unhappy-Jot'to try to touch the people of Wellington for subscriptions, ,a.nd. if there, was one church he' liked, to touch it, was St.. John's,; and the Presbyterian Church ,in, general, they always gave generous help. He. had received -67 ;frorii St. John's collections for the unemployed fund, and members of the congregation had sent, forwards other cheques," which made the full amount moro' than £100. . There was no' finer work than that of looking after the young, and tho good that was done to them was continued all their lives, andjoften for generations afterwards.. Ho thought 'that tho way in which' the Presbyterian Church gave to . all , such causes redounded greatly to their... credit. One never appealed to them for aid without getting very solid and substantial help. Mr. Altken Foresees Croat Development. Mr. J. G. W. Aitken said that,,with the growth of the city, the need for an institution of this land had made itself felt, and the*. Presbytery, had..made the beginning'in this, humble way. If tho orphanage continued to grow as it had done in the few weeks it had been open, v in less than three months, they would have ..to find: a much larger, establishment. The ncod. for, the home had been found- to be much more clamant than its originators had at first supposed. ' Ho hoped'that members of the Presbyterian Church in this, province, a-nd the surrounding ■ district;" would-not forget the orphanage, either in their life .time, or when they made, .their, testamentary - arrangements. ' .

A Substantial Collection. . Cheers, were given for his Excellency tho Governor, and also for the' Mayor and' Mrs. Ne.wman., : The Rev. E. Inglis pronounced the benediction. •' • / ■ '' - I .-The visitors then went through' the orphanage, and afternoon-tea was served. The collection taken realised £34 lis Id Mr.. W. M. Hannay is treasurer of tho fund' .and Trill bo glad .to receive' further ' subscriptions. ' . ■ ; . ; '