OPENING OF THE BOYS' INSTITUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 137, 4 July 1901, Page 2

OPENING OF THE BOYS' INSTITUTE.

Os Monday tho r.ioms formerly occupiei by iha Daily News were we;l filled with members and supporters of the Boys' Im-titut?, oo the occasion of its formal opening. His Worship the Mayor (Mr E. D ukrill) presided, ar.rl in his opening address explained tlv ohjecta of the Institu'e, and expresssd his pleasure ht being pre'f-ntto raaugu ra'e such an excellent and much-oefded move nent. He pointed out th>>t it would form the nucleus of a tpchnical school, and advised that now ihe promoters bad gone so far and had secured such a good Btart, npplic<tion should be made to Government for a graut in aid. rie r-.forred to previous unsuccessfu l efforts that had Leon made, «.nd compared thaua with the signal success which had attended the present project. He wish?d the Institute eve-y succes and a prolonged pwear of utility, and concluded amid greit applause by formally declaring the Institution ope*.. Mr. Dempsey was f "he nxb sp aker, and needless to say he was at ooce at homi with the boys. After expressing ihe pleasure he fl". at the way io which the movemeot had caught on, he expressed a hope that it would n-.t «bara the fat-a of nvht projects which o ere taken up, and that it wouM mt only last the year cut but wou'd grow year by year, Addrtssing tbe bojs, he said he would like to see tlr-m growing up manly, and not sneaks, •ind Faid if he could as?i>t in any 'i sarins that vere btiog given he wou'd j d) s) g'adly. (Loud app'aus?), Mr. MacDiarmid congratulated the promoters on their suck's. He<ouM Jo this the mora readily as he had b->en ■ I yea's'i»o eflVts whico hud fiiiUd. He particularly cangra'ulatcd the toys on the spiri l ; with which thev had e >t"rsd into the work, and impressed on them the ne.'essity of always do ng thtir best in wna ever vocition they folio -ed or in any game they rlayed. He reminded them that they should stai t and r form themstlvea in their younger days, and impredsei »n them the reei of discipline and watchfuln. s j , as they con ijtiually would hiv>) to aeainst -omebody or some'hing. (Applans ). ! The Rev. P. O. Ev iiig explained tiiai the objsct in view was to have a pi«.. e where boys c uld meet t faith'ir mutual good and in<t*ad of walking up and do-vn thw s ree's, wearing out their bcots in idle ness. The worst u"iwrsi f y to gradual n was t.he afreet. Hebri fly sketched rho i-iitia'ory s-tep* wh ch were 'ak- n, ind allud' d to the valuable awistanc given by Mr Cochrane, and by ano her friend who had guaran'eed ih ■ first quarter's reut. He was thankful that their efl'rts had prospir.d. Offers had been male to t ach e,hort-

and, drawing, ari'hmetc, and ott-er subject", and as romo of thai e (iff rs <>an>e fr >m Mr De-npsey's pupils, tha gen leman rout get so much tha roor<' '.relit. Toe clfK-s s wh'ch were at work greatly exceeded hisi-xpect-ttinns. A. remarkable fea'ure was ihe good rder that wbs kept, no comprint on th 8 score having yec arisen. No one could tell whit were the po.'S'bilitifm rf c'ie movement now s f ar'ed, aid ho hoped before ling to s e ptrrnanent teachers appointed, and that astronomy and other Bubj?c's of a higher education would be included in the course. They had sow a membership of 80,

with an avenge atreod mce of 40, so that during the week 200 boys wore lc-.pb off the streets. Had they let the matter alone, he felt they would have been punished for their neglect; but the result attained showed that their labour w.is b°ing Wessed. He trusted th it ere long, encouraged by the success at N-w Plymouth, similar Institutes would b" opened in (-very township in thedis'iict, In conclusion he alluded to the exco'.'ejit conduct of the Taranaki cad- ts at Christchurch, and expressed a hope tha 1 a cadet corps wou'd be formed in cmn-ctioa with the Institute.

During Hl9 evening the proceedings were enlivened with sings by MiaHo'dsworth, Messrs Trebilco and Whatford, the latter securing tremendous applaus*, and an ere.r». Mast'r Ha'ry Salt contiibuttd a violin solo. The p-oceedings, which were very enthusiastic throughout, were concluded wiih the National anthem.