St. Stephen's Orphan Home,

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3125, 27 April 1880, Page 3

St. Stephen's Orphan Home,

The annual meeting of the subscribers to the St. Stephen's Orphan Home was held last evening at the schoolroom of the institution. There was a large attendance of ladies and gentlemen. The inmates of the Home were also present. They were well dressed, and seemed happy and contented, and their general appearauce reflected considerable credis upon the master and matron. His Worship the Mayor of Auckland occupied the chair. The meeting was opened with prayer by Mr Glasson. The hon. secretary (Mr G. P. Pierce) read the twentieth annual report, from which it appeared that the progress of the institutioa during the year had been most satisfactory. There were 67 children in the Home at the commencement of the year, and 17 had bten admitted since. During the year, one boy had been put to business, fourteen children had been taken out by parents, and four boys and threegirls removed to the new Orphan Home at the Tharnds. Perpetua Waitoa, anative girl, daughter of the Jirst New Ziialaud aboriginal ordained to the ministry by Bishop Selwyii, has died of consumption. The number of inmates at present in the Home was stated to be 61, and of these 35 were boys and 26 girls. Henry Poulson, one of the inmates, was third on the list of competitor:! for the Bishop's prizes. The total income for the year was £961 IS<, and the expenditure £959 16a 4d. 'A man has been engaged to attend to the grounds, garden, and outdoor department. A cow has also hsen purchased with a douation given hy Mr Woollams. Two -bequests were acknowledged, one of £100 left, by the late 'lhomas Weston, and another of £20 by the late Henry Keesing. Thanks were given to the United Frtendly Societies for donation, to Captain Logan of the Hero for annual tiip, to Mr and Mrs Rayns for Christmas-tree, to Mrs Judd, superintendent of clothing, and to Dr Goldsdro for gratuous medical services, to Rev J. Bates, the examiner, and to Mr Cranwell for gratuously instructing the children in singing. The report expressed the satisfaction of the board oi Management with the manner in which tie matron and governess had discharged their duties during the yei.r. The balance sheet shewed a balance in hand of £393. The Masonic ac jount was read as follows : Lodge Ara, 358, EC: To balance, April 1, 1879, £95 Is 41; to cash from lodge (treasurer), £30 ; batik Interest to 31st December, 1879, £1 17s 3d; interest ou mortgage to February 7, £9 : riotal, £135

18.' 7<l. Cr,: Invested on mortgage at 10 par cent,. £120 ; balance in Savings Hank, £15 ISs'Td: total, £135 IS* 7il. Lodgo Beta: Balance on the Sis' of March, 1870, £10 ; bank interest to 31st December, 1579 Gs : total, £10 Gil; balauca in bank. £10 ON The Ghairmau, in addressing the meeting, said that while there was much cause fur thankfulness aj tJ^e flourishing condition ot the affairs of the institution, yet on tne o her haud there would be no reas' Q f< i dispondency if an institution of thi character, subject as it was to fluetuatin circumstances, wore not quite so s lccessful in any one year, so long as on the whole, like the inflowing tide, there were, with s-li; = 'bt recession, general progre ; s aid advancement. At the present time, when nieu's miuds were occupied with the secular system of education which we now possess, I there wai a tendency to over-estimate the > public flood from mere intellectual -instruction, lie did not wish it to be thought that he uudor-valued the importance of maintaining the present ellicient system of education. But, if they were to rear a race of jjood men and true —useful and lawabiding citizens —they must educate their hearts, for out of them were tho issues of lite. The speaker, effer referring to the absence of religous restraint aud teaching evidenced in the rapidly-growing rowdyism which characterises many of our Colonial youths, referred to the neutralising agencies, such as Sunday-schools, Chinches, and Orphan Home?, at work in our midst. He then encouraged those who gave their services in conducting the Home not to grow weary iv well-doing, for in due season they would have aa abundant reward. On the motion of Mr F. J. Moss, M.H.R., seconded by Rev. (jla3son, the report and balance-sheet were adopted. Mr F. Larkins moved a vote of thanks to the lady collectors, and in doing so he referred to the ladies who assisted iv making clothing for the children, aud the onerous nature of the collectors' duties. lie said if ho had £100,000 a year, he would rather give £10,000 of it than go about to collect £50. The vote was passed. Votes of thanlcs were also accorded to Mr Bates, the examiner, to Ml Oramwell the the singimg master, to Mes3rs Batgerand Brighara, the auditor*, to Mr Slator, aud St Mary's choir, aud to the Chairman. —Dr Goldsbro', and Messrs O. Alexander, B. Ireland, G. P. Pierce, F. Rawliugs, and It. Walker were appointed to theboard of management for the ensuing yoar. A collection which realised £8 4s 6d viO3 then taken up.—The examiner's report having been read, Hi.s Worship the Mayor presented : prizes to the following :— Ist Cla^s ; Clias. Holmes, Ily, Poulsou, Fanny Nonis, Christina Cameron. 2nd Class: Leonard Sauderao::, John Powell, Joseph Parkinson. ' 3rd Class : Oliver Rayson, Hannah Paulson, Caroline Wiuthrop, Alfred Dyer. 4th : Alfred Kendall, Edward Rayson, George Church. • Prizes were presented by Mrs Cameron, matron, to Mary Evans for peiseverancj in housework, aud to Joseqh Thompson for general good conduct. Ladies prizes for needlework &c. : —lst class : Selina Wiuthrop, Fanny Norris, Elizabeth Frascr aiid Caroline Winthrop. 2ud class ; Hannah Poulson. 3rd class: Elizabeth Korshaw, aud Edith Swift, 4th class: Mary Stevens. Rewards ; —lst class : Mary Evans aud Christina Cameron. 2nd class : Martha Evans, Harriet Glazebrook, Matilda Mellon, AJaude Forshaw, Agnes Walker and Amy Church. 4th class : Blanch Forshaw aud Edith Shires. The meeting terminated with the National anthem. The choir of St. Mary's Church was present, and contributed a number of musical selections during the evening. The children, nnder the direction of ivlr Cranwell, also sang several pieces during the evening, In a very creditable manner.