ST. MARY'S GUILD.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1736, 29 April 1913, Page 2

ST. MARY'S GUILD.

THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of St. Mary's Guild was held in tho Diocesan Office, Mulgravo Street, yesterday afternoon. 'Tho Bishop of Wellington, Dr. Sprott, presided. Tho fourteenth annual report, presented by Hiss Coatos, stated, inter alia, that tho accommodation of the homo had been fully taxed; tho health of tho girls had been good oil tho whole, and the guild had to thank Miss Blackbttrno for so kindly holding a class for physical culture weekly for months. The conduct of tile inmates had been, satisfactory. Tho greater number of girls had necessitated an enlargement- of tho' laundry, which -before wus inadequate. This was carried out at a cost of JiBG lGs., and. tho guild had to thank friends who assisted with special donations for this purpose, as well as to acknowledge the great ' help of • the Diocesan Social Service Fumf, without which espouses for tho year could not have been met. Tho matrons and girls hold theiir annual sale of work in November, which was very successful, and from tho proceeds they provided a largo .stove to heat the irons, and had the ironingroom match-lined. Tho Governmont Inspector visited the home, and was satisfied U'itli the laundry arrangements. - In tho Cottage Homo thero had not been a vacancy during tho year, and it had been fouiud utcessary tb build a shed to protect the washing boiler, as the high winds made the iiro dangerous. This was dono at tho approximate, cost of ,£lB, for which a special appeal is being made. The children havo enjoyed good health, and look well and happy under the motherly care of Miss Underbill. Many girls passed out of tho homes during the year, and aro doing well, sonic in service and others with their parents. Since tho opening of the Slain Home in 1899, 101 girls have passed through the home—sl turned , out well, 2i are still in tho home, 12 whereabouts unknown, and 11 known to .bo failures. Tho Cottage Home was opened in 1905; 41 children havo been in the home, of whom 14 are in homo at present, 27 haviiig left. Tho members of the guild were fully conscious that tho success of tho homes was largely due to the untiring efforts of tho matrons, whose work has increased with the number of inmates. A grant has been received from the Government of .£2OO, which will go forward towards next year's expenses. Tho debt of .£2BO had not been reduced, as funds accruing from special appeals during the past year were spent in improvements. The report also mado complimentary references to services given-by Archdeacon Harper, Dr. Agnes Bennett, Dr. Kato Hogg, and Mr. Hursthouse. The balance-sheet showed a surplus of assets over liabilities of ,£2Bl(> 12s. Td. In moving tho adoption of tho report and balance-sheet, Archdeacon .Harper stated that those connected with tho homes ought to fool more than thankful that they had ever started such, an institution. Until tho Diocesa.n Social Service Committee brought it before them, many peoplo were quite unaware of t.lio ground covered by Cliurch of England institutions. In regard to the'support given to immigration work, tho sio-n, and St. Mary's Homes, it would not bo untrue to say chat, for every pound, given to their own homes by their own Church people, fivo or six pounds had been given to other homes by them. People sometimes asked whether those homes—tho Children's Home at Palmerston, tile Boys' Homo at Hutt, and St. Mary's Homes at Karon— I were necessary. Those who camo into actual cxperienco with parts of tho town that were little seen or known in tho ordinary course of lifo could be.it say whether they were or wero not. Tho conditions in such places were sometimes terrible, and authority had its limitations. Tho Government did as inucli as it could, and tho Government work in tho Children's Department, under, Mrs. Dick, was, ho considered, very good.There was, however, a certain amount of such philanthropic work which tho State could not'overtake. '

Tho-Rev.-A. M. 1 Johnson, in seconding the motion io adopt the report and bal-ance-sheet. spoke of tho acfinirabl.o work that was done by tho Diocesan Social S'ervioe Committee.

The annual report and balance-slieot were adopted. Miss Coates. speaking afterwards, briefly pointed out to the meeting that of-the eleven inmates whoso whereabouts were ujiknown, it had at least bsen ascertained that some of them had gone to, the Australian States, 1 and it did 1 not follow that they were failures. Miss I'a.rlane, tho matron of the homes, was asked .to speak and slio endorsed what Miss Coates bad said. She also mentioned' that tile girls wore sometimes ashamed of ever having fallen below the standard of life set for peoplo, and in consequence of having been innintes of the home. . Cf the failures, somo wero mentally deficient and their intelligence could not bo reached. So they drifted down. In answer to a question from Archdeacon Harper as to now sho kept in touch with them and knraw of their career after they left the home, Miss Parlane said she invited them to tho homo to sod her. She also wrote to them and arranged when placing then in situations that they should be ablo to como and spend a few (Uiys at the end of each month with her at' the home. Opportunity was take-n then of advising them if necessary, of shopping with them, and of interesting herself in their welfare generally. She frequently visited the girls -when placed in town', and had tea with them, and when they came to tho home for tho few days, gave them a good time generally. The real work only commenced with the girls when they left tho home. Archdeacon Harper moved that the guild exproM is extreme thankfulness at the fact that it continued to retain the assistance of Miss Parlane in carrying out so important a work. The resolution was carried with much heartiness.