ST. MARY'S GUILD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1423, 25 April 1912, Page 9

ST. MARY'S GUILD.

.\N.\T.U, MKITI.NU Tin l annual meriting of SI. Mary's Guilil was held in Die J)icii'f.-nu Oflico ycMtcnlay afternoon, I lie Bishop of Wellington, Dr. Sprott, presi.ling. The annual reporl mid balance-sheet, pitblislictl in an earlier issue, was read by tin; chaplain of SI. Jlarv's Home.-, the Hov. .Mr. Hansell. In moving; (lie mloplion of Ihe report. Dr. Knrott congratulated I lie lnombrrs upon tin- H-'U'k which had been (lone (luring llie year, and hoped that: ilv.nild he even greater Uu> year. He txmlil like lo act upon a suggestion by .Archdeacon Harper, who proposed dial, during the, meeting of Synod, which liikos place shortly, its consent lie asked for holding n meeting in the Concert. Cliamof Die Town ITall, fo place before their people all the social work in which the Church is ensured—all the various agencies through which it is being done. Owing to the dislike of the Church of England for advertising its work, they did not perhaps realise all thai was actually being done. St. .Mary's f'luild occupied a prominent; place among these activities, and he hoped Hint a large amount of interest and support would be gained by ail extended knowledge of ils work. Before seconding the adoption of tin; report and Ixiliince-shect, Archdeacon Harper thought that it would be as well to make plain the fact that, in Iho ±.'lO2 which stood to the credit of the guild for the yenr just ended, was included the grant from the Government for the year just entered upon. This was owing to the fact that it had been leceivtid at nil early date.

Archdeacon Harper then went on to say that, knowledge of Wclliiigt.iii made him realise more and more the importance of the work done by the ,;-!ild. it had been said that we were living in ;'ii enlightened, wonderful country—a country without slums. In parts of Wellington where his work called him at Ini-.es there were slums—slums of so liad a nature that the conditions of life were exceedingly bad. Tho work in connection with St. Mary's Homes only touched the fringe of a great problem. Much J more was wanted. It wns not intended ' by this work to get at the hardened, vicious people, but to fry to prevent those who were in danger of falling uver the precipice from being destroyed. Tnoro had just been opened at the Hull a I'lint for Boys, conducted upon the same piinciplcs as St. Mary's Homes. It was unnecessary, because- boys who were not criminals, nor lit for reformatories or industrial schools, needed special care to help them to grow up decent men. It would bu well not to remain satisfied with tho work which had Been accomplished. There were wider puss'- , lhties yet, though, upon what lines or in what ways they could pursue it, were possibilities that were not yet clear. Archdeacon Harper also spoke of the admirable work which was done by tho r. atron of St. Mary's Homes, Miss I'arlAiid, and how'fortunate they were to have her conducting them. Tho need for sicial work in this city, concluded the .speaker, was great—not only in connccti'vi with tho danger of immorality, but also in connection with another danger, drunken' ness among women. A vote of thanks to Mrs. Hayes for the .valuable work sho had accoinpli«hi'd as treasurer, and also to those vim had assisted her, wns proposed by Miss Coatcs, and carried.