£100,000 GIFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 160, 10 July 1933, Page 5

£100,000 GIFT.

"PRIDE IN AUSTRALIA. ,,

GREAT TEMPLE OF YOUTH.

SIR 3MC ROBERTSON'S PLAN.

Tb express Ms "pride in. being an Australian," and particularly Ms pride in the achievement of hie own State, Victoria, Sir Macpherson Eobertson has placed £100,000 at the disposal of the State for use in projects to mark the centenary. Sir Macpherson said he wanted to benefit the State and the nation in a practical way by making the centenary celebrations the success they should be.

"I do not agree with thoee who eay that this is the wrong time to think about celebrations," he said. "On the other Ixand, I feel that this is just the time we 6hould be doing something of this nature. "Every Victorian has reason to be proud of what has been accomplished in this State during the past 100 years, and it seems to me that every Victorian is morally < bligated to do everything in Me power to assist those entrusted with the running of tihe centenary celebrations, eo that people may be attracted from abroad to see for themselves the resources of our country. If these celebrations can be. brought up to the standard that is fitting for such an occasion, largo numbers of people should be attracted; and, if proper facilities are provided for them to see our z-ural districts, to which the State owes its progress, these people will return to their own countries advertisers of this State, and ite productive qualities., "Melbourne, after all, is only t!he ehop window in which one «ees something of what stands behind, and because Melbourne is euch a wonderful city, one automatically comes to the conclusion that that which, k> behind—the country —mnst indeed be & marreUooe land,"" .

Girls' High School. Sir Macpherson has suggested that the £100,000 should be expended in the building of a Girls' High School, the erection of a Temple of Youth, the building of a bridge across the Yarra, the placing of a fountain in the Domain, with whatever money that was left over to be expended at a little later date in a way that would then be considered most beneficial. To be privileged to assist education, he said, had always given him pleasure/The need for the erection of a suitable girls' high school in Melbourne must be obvious to everyone. No effort on his part would be spared to produce a building worthy of such a splendid cauee. "This must be so because girls coming from families not blessed with too much of this world's goods, but keen to reach the highest state of mental equipment for their fight in life, deserve the best one can give them."

The Temple of Youth, as represented to him, said Sir Macpherson, should be a great boon to the children of Melbourne. The building which ho proposed to have erected would house a library of all books most suitable for the instruction, amusement and recreation of youth. In addition to the library, there would be a hall with stage and necessary effects for the screening of educational films, and for the production of plays adapted for youth and childhood. A splendid opportunity presented itself for Australian artists to decorate its walls with suitable pictures, and if someone would give the cinema apparatus there should be no difficulty in obtaining a constant supply of suitable films. "A Great Institution." "The Education Department is strongly behind the project," said Sir Macpherson, "and it is proposed that relays ot children from the various schools Will be taken to this Temple of Youth for work which will be part of the school curriculum. It is further proposed that this building will be used for the exhibition of constructive hobbies taken up by school children in Victoria. With a strong representative- committee taken from men of various walks of life. 1 not only hope, but expect, the Temple ot Youth to become a great institution that grow with the years." . „