GIFTS AND GIVERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 254, 24 October 1907, Page 3

GIFTS AND GIVERS.

&N~INTEBESTTNG ARTICLE,

In most cases we hardly realise the extent to which we have benefited by the generosity of fellow-citizens. An incomplete record of Aucklanders' gifts to their town is taken by the Napier "Daily Telegraph" as a text upon which to base a sermon on giving to the residents of Hawke's Bay. The article is appreciative, and will be read with interest.

"The people of Auckland," says the writer, "have every right to feel proud of the benevolence of some of its prominent citizens, and of the solid benefits thereby accruing to the picturesque northern city. It'has been said that comparisons are odious.* Yet they sometimes have to be made. The Mayor of Napier, Mr J. Vigor Brown, indulged in one when he formally opened the "Night in PaHs" entertainment a short time ago. If he had been thinking of the liberality of some of Auckland's citizens that was probably the prompting motive of his remarks. It deserves to be called noteworthy. We may cite, as one example, the munificent gift made by Sir John Logan Campbell. He presented to the citizens of Auckland 350 acres of valuable land for a public park. In so doing he handed over for the present and future enjoyment of residents of that town a property that is probably worth a hundred thousand pounds. There is also the case of the late Mr Costley, who left at bis death £60,500 to be divided equally between six public institutions, one of which was the Auckland Free Public Library- Here, too, it may be said, that for many years prior to this gift Auckland had possessed such a library, owing to an enlightened borough council. Its reading room is open to the public without distinction of class, and although' there, as in other places, there are descendants of the late lamented I.S.A. Poorcreature, Esq., who kowtow to those who have and snarl at those who have not, these have not been able to introduce the sort of thing that finds favour in Napier, and that makes of payers of 8/9 per year a sort of race apart, who may sit in a private reading room at the cost of the ratepayers and sneer at and misrepresent denizens of the non-eight-and-ninepenny-outer-dark-ness.

But to return to our subject of gifts, and for tbe time to ignore the Poorcreature family—in Napier and elsewhere— there is the further instance of the late Dr. Elam, who Bequeathed the whole of his estate to endow a free school of art. There was the case of Mr. Arrowsmith, who gave £11,212 to foupd the St. Mary's Homes at Otahuhu. Mrs. W. H Smith presented Auckland with a convalescent home at EDerslie. Mrs. Boyd presented £1500 to buy statues for tbe Park. Sir George Grey gave his fine libraTy and his collection 'of mediaeval manuscripts to the Auckland Free Library. Mr. W. Leys bequeathed the whole of his estate to found the Leys Institute. Mr. McKelvie gave £10,000 to the Free Library and the McKelvie Art Gallery. Mr. McKechnie bequeathed £2500 to the Auckland Art Gallery and a similar sum to tbe Auckland Museum. Mr .W. Mason bequeathed £10,000 to various Auckland charities — principally the Blind Institute—and in addition to numerous gifts of smaller amounts we have the donation of an organ to the Choral Society by Mr. Brett ,at a cost of £.750, and the same gentleman' 3 undertaking to give £6000 for an organ for the new Auckland Town Hall. There is the Dilworth bequest also. This, valued for probate at £ 100,000, is for the maintenance of an institution, for orphan boys and for the sons of respectable citizens in straitened circumstances. This would not exhaust the list if we had fuller notes or a better memory, but what is given will serve to show how much Auckland owes to public-spirited citizens. Another illustration of a similar tendency may be given. Auckland proposes to build with money given for the purpose a new V.M.C.A. building. It is to cost £ 17,000. A short time ago a "campaign " to get" the money was undertaken. In a few days about £8000 was in hand or promised. That the whole sum will be raised we do not doubt. Of course the population of Auckland is much larger than that of Napier. But on the same scale Napier wouhl contribute £2500 towards a building of the kind. The contributions collected in Auckland towards the end indicated ranged from £ 1000 (three separate gifts of that sum) down to the modest "fiveT." The result is striking as testifying to the liberality of Auckland's prominent men. When considered in connection with the bequests set out above, it must be admitted, we think, tbat Auckland has much to be proud of.