THE BOYS' INSTITUTE—AND CINDERELLA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 866, 12 July 1910, Page 3

THE BOYS' INSTITUTE—AND CINDERELLA.

(By Jenny When.)

While one cannot but be filled with admiration of the most generous lady who has lately bestowed such munificent gifts upon the Boys' Institute, gifts that have, been so spontaneously bestowed, one cannot help asking: "What have the working girls of Wellington done that they should be so continually -passed over when these efforts for the betterment of one section of the community are being made? Why should they be made for boys only?" Are not the girls in just as much need of foresight, care, and consideration as they are—even more so when one comes to think how much is in their keeping? And yet—what is done for them?

A girl comes to Wellington from, perhaps, the country, unknown, a total stranger in a busy, unheeding city. She enters an office, a shop, or an enterprise of some kind or other, and, as is usual at the beginning of her venture, she, does not earn a princely salary. Out of that she has to pay for her board, for her clothing (how she does it sometimes is a most marvellous piece of contrivance), and for various odds and ends that will arise. What is left afterwards? Certainly nothing for amusements, for things that will help her on in her career, foi other interests. No girl wishes merely to live and to work—she would sooner die in most cases than live a life that is akin to that of, say, a cab horse that jogs its weary round during the day and then has a little period of rest. What clubs, what institutions are there provided for her assistance, for her pleasure, and for a iittle companionship P True, there are the Y.W.C.A. and the Girls' Friendly Society, but how far do they reach? Their operations are, compared to the ground that is to be covered in Wellington, almost infinitesimal. Their funds are very limited, for no one ever thinks of bestowing a large sum of money upon them to work in a way that will be more effective.

Compare the T.W.C.A. with the Y.M.C.A. The former consists of about one large room, comfortably furnished, certainly, and with papers and books about. Th.it is all. The latter is an imposing building containing among others a billiard room, a library, a gymnasium, and a club room—every possible thing for the pleasure of the young men, their comfort, and their instruction. Not only have they these things, but lectures, concerts, • and displays of various kinds aro frequently being arranged for them, the ladies* auxiliary of the Y.M.C.A. being very kind to them in that respect. Tlio building was the gift of a lady, Mrs. M. A. Williams—for men! And men earn twice as much or three times as much as a woman, and have an infinitely wider range of sports and amusements opened out to them than women have.

Of the gift of .£2OOO in money and laud, with the additional sum of ,£3OO bestowed last week upon the Hoys' Institute for the purpose of providing accommodation foT boys who are out of work or for those. earning not more than eighteen shillings a week, probably only a woman would have thought of such a thing. The odd part of it all is, however, that a woman has not thought of it for those of her own sex, for there are those to be found who earn very little, enough to keep body and soul together, but littlo else, and who sometimes lose even that little. If it is not good for boys to be without a home when they are out of friends and at odds with the world, it is still less so for girls.

Another thing that absolutely forces itself upon the attention of even the most casual 'observer is the dreadful number of young girls who are constantly parading the streets and byways at night, either with others of their own age or with boys little older. Whatever the canse—la.xity of home control, carelessness, unhappy environment, or sheer defiance —the fact is pernicious, and ought to be stopped by every possiblo means. Much could surely be done by way of prevention if elubs and institutions that would provide amusement, as well as something more solid, were brought into existence by those who had a little time and money, and thought for the hitherto neglected feminine working portion of Wellington.