COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8, 9 January 1908, Page 3

COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTE.

A SuUIAL GATHERING. The Hon. George Fowlds, Minister for Education, presided over an interesting gathering at the Costley Training Institute last night. The Minister, members of the Board, and boys of the institution sat down to a sumptuous dinner, after which an excellent concert pragramme was submitted. Mr Fowlds said they had assembled for a three-fold purpose. The first was i to participate in the Christmas dinner, ' which the boys had missed, owing to their absence on a camping visit to j Kawau. They were also assembled to welcome two new trustees. Last session, the Minister said, there -s-'as an j amendment to the Act under which their institution was governed, which provided for a Board 01 five members instead of three. For many years Mr Hudso:i had assisted the Board in carrying out its work, and would now take his place as a member. Mr Spragg, the other recently elected trustee, was taking his place for the first time. The new members, he was sure, would prove a valuable addition to the Board, and assist in the great work of the institution. The third object of the gathering was to say good-bye to several of the old boys. In referring to the work of the Home, the Minister for Education impressed on the boys the advantages they enjoyed in gymnastic training, and urged them to show _.n appreciation of what was being done for them by putting it to the best use when they left the institution. Mr Arnold, the principal, referred in i eulogistic terms to the work of the six ' boys who were severing their connection with the institution. These boys, he exI plained, had been associated with the ! institution for upwards of six years, and were now earning from 15/ to 25/ per week at different trades to which they , had been put. Mr Arnold gave the boys much advice, especially in regard to the I evils of smoking. Mr Hudson said it was a grand idea that the children in the Home should . have a Christmas treat. He had taken a keen interest in the institution for many years, and was pleased to ba-ve re- | ceived an appointment to the BoardJust now they had some grave problems I before them. It was a considerable I anxiety to see that the boys who came to them as raw material were equipped . for the struggle of life. Of the earnings of every boy in the institution, a certain percentage was set apart for them, so j that when they left the institution they had something to start with. Some boys had as much as £20 to draw when jit came to starting out on their own account. He spoke of the pride taken in the success of past pupils, and said there was no'hing to be ashamed of in having been a Costley boy. Mr Wesley Spragg said that he was particularly interested in the fact that they were that night saying good-bye to six of the boys of the institution. These boys were on the threshold of manhood, 1 and it now remained with themselves to mould their own lives. It was somei times said that men were '"born in cer- ! tain positions, and influences modelled their final character." This was not so. There was something else—the boy's own will. They could make men of themselves, or give way to evil. They had their lives in their own keeping, and it was cowardly to say, "I was born so," or "he made mc so." They should be masters of themselves, and mould theid own destinies. An excellent nrasical programme was submitted, 'Miss E. Fox rendering several vocal items, and Mr F. W. Mackune and Miss V. Mackune pianoforte pieces. Some excellent musical and comical items were given by Mr MeMinn, the Hon. Mr Fowlds paying the artist the compliment of saying that his performance was of so finished a character that it would be well received on any stage in London.