OPENING OF THE COSTLEY HOME.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7533, 24 April 1890, Page 5

OPENING OF THE COSTLEY HOME.

SPEECH BY. LORD ONSLOW.

| press association telegram.] ""-- ---: AUCKLAND* The Costley Home ■ for the aged poor; eituated at One TreeßUl,Epsom, -was

formerly opened, to day'by his Excellency the Earl of; Onslow, in , the presence of a large gathering of. the citizens of Auckland and residents 61 the surrounding districts, The Countess of Onslow accompanied his Excellency. .; > ,' < :' »

The Governor'delivered an address, in which he spoke in the highest terms of the philanthropy and generosity of the late Mr Edward. Costley, by whose munificence the home had been built. Lord Onslow proceeded:—" I confess that I agree with a writer to the mortung paper a few days ago, and that as a stranger I am struck* by the absence of the prominent memorial to the noble acts of, Mr Edward Costley, : It is true that everyone entering the public library (and no one visiting your" city, is likely to fail to, enter and admire that remarkably interesting and valuable collection) will see a tablet recording the services of Mr Edward Costley to the library, and it is equally true that this home the nursea' home," and the new school in connection with -Kohimarama will be silent monuments to his deeds, bat one cannot help feeling that. such an action as his ought to be brought prominently before every citizen as he goes to and from his place of business, and be an example to every child as he passed to and, from his morninsf school'—some memorial ■which shall say to every man, "Go thou and do likewise." In a young country hke this : such deed 3of generosity, trom the nature of things, cannot be expected to" be as plentiful as in an older country,' wk'er,e wealth has for generations been accumulating. t .fcarge fortunes have been made here, and I fear in-some instances lost here too; but there are" many men-throughout the'colony who came -to it poor and wtio are now rich. To soma of these it may be a matter of concern how they shall dispose of their wealth. It is not likely that in a democratic country such as this, where hereditary titles are never likely to find a footing, any. man will seek. to found a family by leaving all his possessions to one man, but there are some who look forward to taking away the wealth they have drawn from the fertility of New Zealand soil to spend it in London, or amid the high civilisations of European capitals, or who hope to attain to seme degree of eminence or fame in the Old Country; but, believe mc, among the hundreds who are trampling over each other's heads in the crush to attain to fame in England, few, very few, reach the goal. Some mistake the side paths which lead to notoriety rather than fame, and notoriety often of an unenviable nature. But the great majority fail in all except spending their money. Then the page of history is a long one and there is zoom f«r only & few exceptionally illustrious names to be recorded on it. To-day, here, all is young,: all is new, and the man who renders signal service to his fellow countrymen will find hie name inscribed in the early chapters of the history of a country which is likely to have a great future, not less glorious than the great Mother Country from which we are all sprung." Brief addresses were "given by the Mayor of Auckland, Mr Upton, and by several clergymen, . The Home, is a- fine brick structure, which will accommodate 240 inmatea. Ifc cost about £7000.