BOYS’ INSTITUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10278, 13 May 1919, Page 7

BOYS’ INSTITUTE

PAST YEAR’S WORK

NEED FOE. ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIO'N.

'‘Notwithstandiua: the war with its many fears and anxieties, and its interference in many ways with the work of the institute, including the taking of the director for military service, tho work has noit stood still, but has continued to prosper (states Mr G. A. Troup, president of tho Wellington Boys’ Institute, in his annual .report). “Xu somo directions new branches of work have been, entered upon, and carried out successfully. Bast May it was decided to take into the institute a number of boarders, charging them very low rates, the object being to help working boys who had lost ono or botn parents, or who were living awav from home, to live within their pay. and iu comfortable surroundings. A tariff was fixed low enough to suit tho boy learning a trade or engaged in unskilled labour and getting a wage as low as fiiteen shillings a weok. To such, board and lodging, with washing and mending included, is provided at the low rate of ton shillings nor week. A loss is made by the institute in doing this, aa the food consumed by a growing lad with a healthy appotito costs more at the present time than ten shillings: but tho institute is prepared to moot such a loss. The boy is tanghr to provide for himself, lo buy his own clothes, etc., and is encouraged to save a little of tho small balance of pocket money left him. The boarders have the free use of tho swimming bath, the library, the games room, and other advantages of the institute, while the director keeps a kindly eye on their conduct and is over ready with some helpful advice. The number of applicants has exceeded the accommodation, which at the present time is only fourteen bedrooms with seventeen beds. BUILDING EXTENSION NEEDED. Mar Troup also states that it is evident that an early extension of itho building must bo made, providing additional sleeping accommodation for boarders. Boys coming from tho country to learn trades in the city are greatly handicapped at present, as there is not sufficient accommodation for them, and the prices asked for board and lodgings are in many cases much more than they or their parents can pay. Many cases axe personally known to the committee of parents tramping Wellinglton streets for days in a vain endeavour to get their boys comfortably housed. In some casco they also know of respectable working boys having got into disreputable houses, where they had neither the conditions of comfort nor decency in which to live. This should not be, and tho Boys’ Institute must make an earnest endeavour to meet this great need. Already it has done something, as during the past year the section adjoining the institute was purchased, and plans have been prepared in which tho day boys would be accommodated in the new block, leaving ‘tho .whole of the present block for the boarders.

Notwithstanding the increased expenditure. the revenue has increased proportionately. The year again closes witn the pro_peritiea unencumbered with debt, and the accounts are all paid. "For this happy state of things,” says Mr Troup, “we would tender our sincere thanks to the many friends who subscribe to tho institute funds, and we would recommend our collector*. Mesdames McWhae and Hooper and-'Mi' H. Johnstone to any who mav road this report, but have not hitherto contributed.” DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

Referring to (the membership ol th>, institute, the director. Air J ■ G. Cook, states in. his annual report:—‘Our members range from nine to eighteen years of ago. and about SOO have signed on since this new building in Tasman streot was opened. Of this number we have retained about 600. which speaks 'veil for tbo popularity of the institution. Every night wo-have from 150 to 200 boys engaged in some sort of pleasure of a healthy nature in place of being in the streets open to their many tempttations. On Sunday evenings, at our religious service, from fifty to eighty boys are generally present, many of whom never enter any other place of worship. Ihe tepid swimming baths ore open from o to 7-30 every evening,' and on Saturday from. 8 to 9 a.m., ito institute members, a largo number of whom avail themselves of this privilege. The.value of this from a hygienic point of view is very great., and the majority of ithe boys are now expert swimmers. . . . It is a matter of regret that the baths are not better patronised by the public, as during the past they have been worked at a loss." The institute library contains about 600 books, and the games room is used' by 100 to 150 boys every evening. The activities in connection with the institute also comprise gymnastic classes, educational classes, a story class, a football club, a drum and fife band, a trumpet and bugle band, a cricket club, a hammock work class, a stamps club, on orcbestra and choir, ambulance classes, boy scouts and cadet corps, an employment bureau, etc. ''