FOR HUMANITY'S SAKE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 991, 5 December 1910, Page 7

FOR HUMANITY'S SAKE.

—— . . . MOTHER MARY AUBERT'S WORK. 1 THANKED BY THE COMMUNITY, PRESENTED WITH A CHEQUE FOB ' OVER £2000. ' \ Long years of tiroless effort for humanity's sake have exali£d tho name V of the Rev. Mother Mary Joseplli ■ ,• Aubert in the eyes of the community,, and tho public has not hesitated to ex- ■ press, many times and often, its approciation of tho reverend rlady's devotion ' to her life's work. It was, however, ro- , served for her jubilee year, to tender the Rev. Mother, publicly and whole- ' heartedly, the thanks of tho .country. Her philanthropy has not been confined \ : to Wellington. In other centres tho, impress of her zeal in the cause of-hu- ' ', manity is represented by endurin" monuments in tho shape of sanctuaries': ■■ ' 1 for the physically helpless and the orphans, and the congratulations andtes-',;. timonials of her jubilee came from all parts of New Zealand. At the Town Hall on Saturday evening the ; Rev. Mother , was publicly honoured in tHa :■ presence of his Excellency the Governor ' (Lord Islington). Tho Rev. H. Van Stavc-rn presided, ' and there were also present, in addition to those in attendance upon Ilia : Uovernor—Captain Hamilton and Mr. K-err-Clarl^— His ' Graco • Archbishop'-" Ivedwood, Lady Ward, Mrs. J. G. Find, lay, Mrs. Reyland, Mrs. T. G. M*Cai> thy, Mrs.. Van Stavern, Mrs.- Grace.' Rev. J. ■ K.Elliott, and - Mrs. : - iilliott, Mr. Martin Kennedy, and Dr. A. W. Izard. ■ " ■ Tfie concert. A' very good concert programme was arranged for tlie occasion, and highly 7 ' - appreciated by the audience, which ex-."'.' acted encores from each of the various contributors'. Mr. I D. A. Kenny" contributed two excellent items on tha -'- vgrand organ—"Tho Doge's MaTch" • (Kossg) arid a charming .•"Andantino"- - from Lernare. Mr. Ernest Partes, who, was in very fine voice, sang ■. "Oberon," '•" in;tho Vest bravura .. style, his item'' .- 'f' being one of the features of. tho cou- '. cert. - Miss Eileen'Ward gave .a charm- ' ing rendition of . Mascheroni'o •. "Avo , , i Maria," the effect being much enhanced! by the vic'in obbligato which was played I' ' by Miss Ruby . Mrs. . Snt- i:!r| cliffe, who gave three recitations,; was ' very successful, the last two' of. tho scr-. . , ies—"The Three Ages" and - "Red Roses" —being particularly ;■ enjoyable,.' ; ; Miss R. V an Staveren Sang very-success- ■ fully "Dear Heart," and Miss L. "Van • Staveren contributed li .recitation with equal success. . A notable contribution . ■ to the programmo was Mr. F. R; John- • - . stone's 'cello, solo, "Serenata" (Mos- % kowski). Other numbers .included. songs ! v by Mr. Jas. Jago (of tho Dujiedin Lie- ! " dertafel), Mr. J. A. Dolierty ("Thal\ Biinderlers"), and humorous r items 1 byj ' ' Messrs. Jas. Dykes and A. W. Newton.';' •• Miss H. Montague and Mr; Kenny, played the'accompaniments. Presentation by His Excellency,. - • On tlio arrival of the rice-regal party,during the interval,.the Rev.: Mother, ' who was greeted with a prolonged burst; of applause, was escorted to a place Of I J". honour on the platform. - The Rc-v. EL. Van Staveren apologised for tho unavoidable absence of tlie .Cabinet-Minis-ters, and went on to say that they had met eor tlie purpose of showing their gratitude to one whose heart was filled:'. with pity for those "who were unable : . look after themselves. The Rev.-,' Mother had just completed fifty years) v ' iofrservice in ■. it was appropriate nowtliat her greaV ; 'rX work should bo thus publicly , ledged. • .. - ' . ' ,• His Excellency said/that he was calletJl, upon to take, part in a' "very-'•'pleasing)'. . and gratifying cereniony.. This public'. ■testimony to the Rev; "Mother, "was re-< ■ presentativo of all-classes,, all creeds,!' • and denominations. Oh behalf,of tins gathering, and of- the : many. thousands ■" elsewhere ,in Now Zealand—for . th<i audienc. represented but a microcosm o® - the Rev. Mother's admirers —he was '■ asked to.present a gift in token of respect and admiration for such splendid. - '... services in the cause of philanthrophy .: . and. for a work which was a monument: /. •', of . sustained energy in_tho cause of hu- : man solicitude, and disinterested devo- .Y tion. Since 1880, a period almost " ' synchronising with the country's development, she had laboured tirelessly with no discrimination.of creed. (Hear,' hear, and prolonged , applause.) In Wellington, Auckland, Wanganui, and Hawko's Bay, she .had established VJ. homes for incurables, and foundlings, -/,' and throughout with characteristic, mod- : .1-,; esty. He had come ,in personal : .con-s . : tact with many inspiring social .' work- i ers in thft Old Country, and tho life and work of the Rev. Mother seemed to him to present a striking parallel to that'of . . General Booth. (Applause.) Ho Avishcd the Rev. Mother many years of - lifo wherein'to extend and increase'her . philanthropic efforts and magnificent^ work. . As an'expression of the univor- !v----sal goodwill and gratitude with which • sho v.is regarded,. he:now. handed her . ' a cheque for over £2000. (Loud. ap« ■■ plauso.) Dr. Izard Responds. Dr. Izard responded'on behalf , of the Rov. Mother, whom he styled "tho . . "Grand Old Lady" of New. Zealand— her parish in the 1 walk of ."humanity. • . The Rev. Mother, he said, wished him' to say that sho was very fully conscious oi tho shavo thit the people themselves ; had taken in her work by their co-opera-tion and practical sympathy. Sho , . wished also to say that tho money .. \.v which had been so kindly presented to " ." her that evening would be devoted to : a convalescent home; to \be known as tho "Jubilee Homo," for convalescent *■ children. (Prolonged applause.) Daring the day an actiro collecting " campaign was carried ont at street •. . corners and in tho hotels by a company of ladies organised bf Mrs. T. (j. M'Carbhy, Mis. Reyfand, and Mrs. Butler, the total amount raised bein" ' £221 14s. 6d. Mrs. li'CarthyV trophy . : for tho largest individual collection was: awarded to Miss Lorraine; Mrs. But- ■■'■"■■■ ler's for tho next largest collection, • waß awarded to Miss Davis.