FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1600, 18 November 1912, Page 6

FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN.

i « ——— . NEW PRESBYTERIAN ORPHANAGE. - OFFICIAL OPENING. The new Presbyterian Orphanage _at Berhamporo was officially .opened on, Safe urlday afternoon. It was an official opening purely, for the institution is already thoroughly organised, and there are being .cared for in it some forty homeless , children. The'building is a handsome twostoried brick structure, rouEh cast on the, outside, with a red tiled roof. Its situation is about the most pleasant that could be obtained in the locality.. The orphanage stands in a ten-aore block of land oil the hillside lying open to the morning sun, and the spot is not unprotected from the biting winds which sweep up the valley from the sea. In spite of unseasonable weather and an overtaxed tram service, about 500 people, including a very large proportion of members of the General Assembly of the Church were present at the opening. The ceremony ..was partly devotional, the religious exercises being conducted by the Rev. J. Mackenzie, of'Dunedin, the Rey. G. B. Hunro, of Remuera, and the Rev. R. E. Davies, of Dunedin. The Rev. Dr. Gibb, as chairman of the Orphanage Committee, heartily welcomed the people to the gathering, and told' of the chain of endeavour which had .led to the establishment of the institution. Its. object, he said was humanitarian, but also religious, for humanitarianism, apart from the iron of the gospel, was apt to become unwholesome sentimentalism. The finances of'the. committee were perhaps not all that might bo desired, but he hoped that they would improve ■ Tapidly, and 1 that the orphanage would be enabled to carry out its obejets without embarrassment. 0 ; The Rev. A. Cameron, Moderator of tho Assembly, expressed his pleasure to see ouch marked signs of progress in orphanage work in Wellington. He assured them that they ■ need have no fears on the score of finance, for in Dunedin tho orphanage, which had now a flourishing exchequer, had opened with a debt of £3000. He hoped the-orphanage would have a bright future before it. The Rev. Dr. Gibb confessed himself at a loss when required to present to Mrs. Gibb a'silver'key,-presented by Messrs. Littlejohn and Son, with which to open the orphanage. Mrs. Gibb then opened the door, and declared the orphanage open. . Mr. W. M.' Hannay, treasurer, paid a generous tribute to the liberality of the people of Wellington and district, who had subscribed in three years and a half a sum of .£5500. Now they held a very valuable property with a debt of ODly £3500 against it. During the afternoon tho Central Mission Band played suitable music,. and the tea was dispensed to the visitors in the orphanage building.. ' A collection made at the function realised J! 140.