SOCIAL SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1483, 4 July 1912, Page 4

SOCIAL SERVICE.

WHAT THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IS DOING. SPEECH BY LORD ISLINGTON. In St. Peter's Hall last night a meeting was held at which adurosses were deliver, ed iu tho interesU of tho Anglican Social hcrvieo X'unu 01 tlio Wellington uiooeso, 'l'no isisnop of Wellington (.Dr. bprott) presided, and among inoso on tile piutlorin was llio UOvornor, Ins Jixceiieacy J-iuru isii.ngi.oii. 'Incro was a iarg© attendance. ■uic .bishop said that tho object of tho luecuiy una >o win;; nciure lutwDors or' tne wuurcu cerium wunits wmcii tno Ciuiren was carrying oin, and wuicu, m a cerium way, eaji.e under 1110 cu.tgory ot social none Tuo Ciuircu Has nut given 10 auyemsuig very imiuu, but a cerium amount iiau 10 bo done. Ai'ciiucacon Harper pmuuxl out that tho urst «urlc ot ~ne kiuu m tlio dioceso was tno loiuuliug of St. Mary's Home, juiron, wnicn nad' teen instituted by Bisnop Wains. Next came tne organisation ior woriiing among tnu (Jnineve. Tho work among tne immigrants, too, »aa very important, and, in audition, thcra were tlio nonies lor children; His Uxcelieiicy tlio Governor said that he tliougnt it litting that tie, in his capacity oi representative of tno Sovereign, should identity himself with this great work oUno Cnurch of Eng.and. Ho had visited St. Mary's Homes, at Karori, and Hud observed tno work which was being earned out there-work which ho commended to tho gathering and to tho pubic. It was an institution which might bo regarded as preventive rather than curative. To get at the root of social problems they had to aim at anticipating trouble, rather than at curing trouble. I'rom tho country's point of view, such work was a Stato economy. New Zenand could ill-afford to have a derelict population, so this kind of work wan of tlio greatest value. And what ho would say of the Girls* Homo he would say with equal foreo of tho Boys' Rescue Home. Any institution which would bring up boys to bo honest, straight-for-ward, and industrious men would not only do a charity to the boys, but inako a great addition to tho sinews of the State. Unfortunately, there were in this flour, ishiiis country social problems. It was stated that slums existed in Wellington, and where there were slums there were, also, those problems of society. And wherever these problems were there was need for institutions to grapplo with thorn. It was of the greatest importance to the child, and its relatives, and to tho State that the child should fce afforded au opportunity of gotting a good up-bring-ing, Tho Missions to Seamen was a splendid institution—ono of tho very finest in connection with tho Anglican Church throughout the Empire Money was needed to keep this organisation going—Jio boJlieved about aJTOO a year—and it was an organisation which all classes of people, whatever their denomination, should cume forward and support. Trade in Now Zealand, continued his Excellency, was dependent upon tho mercantile marine* New Zealand's agricultural products could only find their way to their oversea markets by means of tho mercantile marine, and to the same soureo wo were dependent for our imports. So, any home which could be established to give sailors a happy and comfortable asylum upon (heir finding their way here should have support throughout New Zealand. Jlis Excellency mentioned the good work of soma public-spirited women in connection with this institution,..'aid that it seemed that there were possibilities for developing certain of tho lines upon which the organisation was run, and added that her Excellency and himself would be pleased to assist. Tho organisation which dealt with tho welcoming of immigrants to Wellington -was another organisation of great importance. It was of moment that immigrants should bo given facilities for taking up a useful career at the earliest dato after their arrival. There was no more Christian task that the Church of Englarid,,could, perform than, that cif wcloomin'jf "strangers arriving at these shores. Ho thought that besides .mooting ships at tho ports, the organisation ought to be in touch with people throughout tho country in regard to tho coming of imiiiigrants and the placing cf them. Thcra were two ways ill which these organisations could be helped. First of all, thcra was tho personal help; and then there was tho giving of funds, which could bo given to a. .specific organisation, or to the general service fund. Ho was not suro that it was not wise to advertise these organisations. Tho more the people knew of the good these • societies could do mid the evil they could prevent, the more sovereigns would pour in to assist in wliflt was, after all, not only for the uplifting of tho individual, but, also, for the good of tho State. Tho Rev. H. G. Roshcr (vicar, of Palmerston North and chaplain of the AH Saints' Home), and the Rev. A. L. Hon. sell (vicar of Karori, and chaplain of St, Mary's Homes) also addressed tho gathering. '