THE DUTIES OF OUR FUTURE MOTHERS.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 42, 30 December 1884, Page 5

THE DUTIES OF OUR FUTURE MOTHERS.

At.the break-up of the Auckland G-irls' High School, Sir G-eorge Grey delivered' the following eloquent speech: — I inns' only sp<-a!c for a very few minutrs, and 1 do -o »ith feelings almost of awe, becHU.-e 1 f.'fl that thi=s is really a very great occasion. I> yr>u will reflect tor n few inome'n'ts you will all admit thut your mo'heis who preceded you in this country have pcrforuictl very jrivat woik. They had none .of tho advantages whinh surround ua now. rhey werr t>i ten expose'! almost to want lof whit ar: ncuriy necessaries of life. They h.-tii to encounter jt^roat perils at a time when it was elievi-il that Auckland was not safe, even fur a few hours, and that they might ■ find' war ami instruction raging around their f but tln:y strung e <l on through all the*-© „ ditficuUies. and have brought the town to what we aow see it, and they have l;dd the fonhdution of that state ot comfort, prosperity, and happiness in which you young ladies all now find yourselves. l<*or you aru'tli r ta^k has arisen. Y<»u will have to try to shape t new nasio?i to the new laws and new custom? which will arise within it — vony different laws and customs to which your , mothers were accustomed in thtir. ■ infancy. Let me impress one fact upon , your minds. When your rnethers were your age religion was pub i<My taught in all ; the schools, and it was supposed, that parents, were •• to a great degree absolved from the,, task of biing''ng up their children with' a ' knowledge of their Maker and His ' lawsStill, i they did honestly instil religion into ' their jchildren from their earliest 'nge; Now- : a peculiar duty rests upon you ; for, in order : that instruction may be giveu to the wattle • I community, no longer is re/ligi .us teaohiug , givan' in our public schools.; and the whoJev future Christianity of this' country .iwiH.' :i! r , depend upon those who I see before, m^—; „. that is. in i his part of jsew Zealand ,it will ", , so ,i«t;end. ;'! hat ■ great' duty, will devolve ■,' u'po'tryou ; and not only that, but to .ybu" we shall have to look for happy 'homes for r those who are to come, for families welt ' brought up.' for every i hing in ' poiiit' ' of ' fact, : ; which can make a nation great aad good' at ••-' the same time, for without : goodness, there ' ' can be no greatness^recollect ihat^-in >auy . . p-.'ople.— (Oheers.) 1 say, therefore, I feel.. this is a peculiarly solemu occasion, and ,it j.a : „ with great diffidence I venture to say.anything at all, but I have ventured to say .that, much to you upon one important subject.^. Now, then, I will pass to another— that is, ' ' those who this day receive prices' will' "be ■ considered to have given a pledge and %6 ■ have accepted a pledge that they will ; ' | endeavor hereafter to render advantageous to the whole public that education whioh ' ' they have received at the Girls' High School ; 'in Auckland. lam sure that you • will ; all strive not to come short of the expectations which we shall this day form regarding those girls who are brought forward to receive so high a distinc ion. But, having said that, let me s;.y another thing, ana that is, God has given us all different endow- • . meuts, and that am in.gst those young ladi?s who I see before me t here may be dome who,, from diffidence or f row other causes, cannut distinguish themselves so much in th* pursuit • of learning as others can. Hut this, all can do : all can endeavor to become Ejodels of goodness, all can endeavor to- determine nowearly in life that hereafter they will endeavor to do that which abore all thin«a adorns the female sex — that is, to be. noted for charity, for kindness, for sympathy, .and . for benevolence ; and that each arid all' of r you will endeavor, not only within -your own : families, to give a bright example in thb>-e : ' ; respects, but you will endeavor, as your mothers have done before you. as I can testify now, to do your utmost to alleviate the wants: ; ' of ail your fellow-crea,twres > and to. give.that sympathy to suffering that the female alone is enabled to give j and having said that, I wish to you all— A Happy Christmas, a Happy New Tear, and a happy life of usefulness based upon the foundation *hich. your country is giving you in this great, school which' your country has established hate, of, which you are now members and pupils. '