CARE OF THE CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 1760, 27 May 1913, Page 3

CARE OF THE CHILDREN.

THE PRESBYTERIAN ORPHANAGE.

The fourth annual'meeting of the Pros-' byteriau Orphanage and Social Service Association was held in St. John's Hall last evening. The Rev. J. Oibb presided over/ a largo attendance. The annual report stated that the main event of the year had been the occupancy of the new orphanage building on November 16 'last. During the year 11 dhildren were cared for in the home, 3G beiDg housed at present. _ Of thsso 23 were boys and 13 girls. _ Since the inception of the work GG children had passed through the committeo's hands. The religious nurture of the children continued to be the chief concern of those responsible for their welfare. The other branches of tho committee's activity had been well maintained, eontinuod the report. Some part of tno time which Mr. Mills usjially devoted to the hospital, gaol, Ohiro Home, and Home for the "Aged Needy, had beon given to visiting the rural districts in the interests of the work, but frequent visits had been paid to these institutions, with encouraging spiritual results. Mr. Mills' visits to the country had brought him into contact with no fewer than 23 congregations, whose sympathies had been -.xpressed, and he had obtained much-nceded pecuniary help. Mr. Mills had now under his supervision, chiefly in the country, about 45 boys, most of them gathered irom the Juvenile Court. It was worthy of note that there were fewer delinquents than usual before the Wellington magistrate last year, most of tho offences being of a minor character. Of these boys it was cheering to know that almost all wero turning out well, and tho association wa9 under a debt of gratitude ttf the farmers and others who had undertaken Ino oversight of tlie lads. None of these boys had been in the Orphanage,- but had been handed over by tho Court to the association for reformative purposes. "In tho courso of his work," adds tho Teport, "Mr. Mills has been impressed with the number of lapsed Presbyterians, and Hie conviction lias come home to his mind that the association, with the sanction of tho Presbytery, should provide a mission hall service, into which some, at least, of these might be gathered. Many Presbyterians find their way to the halls maintained by other denominations, and it is clearly our duty to look well after thoso who belong to us." Finally, ih.o position of tho association was satisfactory, tho report added, for although a debt of ,£3BOO existed on the property «t Bfrliampore, the amount received for maintenance had increased, and the expenses had been kept as low as possible. There was still need of strenuous effort, however, to liquidate the large debt. The report was [unanimously adopted on the motion of Dr. Gibb. Musical items and brief addresses were given, and the Orphanage children contributed to the programme with several bright numbers.