BOYS' INSTITUTE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2112, 1 April 1914, Page 8

BOYS' INSTITUTE

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ANNUAL MEETING,

THE BENEFITS OF INDUSTRY

The- annual meeting of tho Boys' In* stitutc was held last night, Sir Robot I Stout (Chief Justice) presiding. Sir Robert Stout spoke, briefly of tho benefits of the work, and aa a practical illustrntion of an institution founded to ii'culcatc- industrious habits, Jip citod . ilio Georgo Junior Ifrpuhlics in America. _ Tho motto of theso societies,, as ho said, was "Nought Without Labour." Ho explained now these intorestrng communities are administered, and how excellent tho results to the young people who went through these icpublics. Many of tho boys who had gono into tho schools very poor had , learned bo well tho lessons of industry 1 and self-help that they had risen 'to , positions of eminence. Recently a similar republic had been established in ■ , T)or»ctshiro in England, strangely enough by a New Zoalandcr, Mr. Liifgo>of Napier. Ho admitted that tho Boys.' I Institute was not exactly such an insti--1 tut ion as most of the Georgo Junior Republics were, and owing to the fact that it was in tho middle, of a city, it could never ho so, Put- he would tiavo lilted to sco tho idea tried in connection with sonic of our reformatory school?. Cor. lainly the people of Now" Zealand migh! wi(h advantage r tako sore thought of tho underlying idea of llic vooigo Junior Republics, for the idea o£ ''nothing without labour" was certainly ono that was likely to inculcate tho habits proper to good citizens. Tho Annual Report. Mr. D. M'Laron moved tho adoption of the report and balance-sheet. The in stituto, ho said, was spreading its activities, a'nd this very largely owing to the generous ,aid of the late Mrs. Rhodes. (Applause.) -Presently the institute would bo housed in more commodious quarters, and then it would doubtless still further extend its activities in tho work of helping boys to become- jrood citizens. Mr. L. T. Wa,tliins i seconded .llio motion, which was carriedElection of Officers. The followijig officers were elected fof Hie ensuing year:—President, Mr. 0. A. Troup; vice-presidents, Dr. J.- S. MncLaurin, Sir. Jf. D. Mcnolaus, a'nd Mr. J. Hislop; lion, treasurer, Mr. .J. G. Smith; hon. secretary, Mr. 11. Mabin; lion, auditor, Mr. R. Wilberfons; ton. physician, Dr. Hogg; hon. solicitors, Messrs, 'Gray and Jackson; committee of monacemont, Messrs. L. T. Catkins, J. M. Morice. C. S. floorer R. Pearson, and D R. Menzies.

Address by the President. Tho piosidont, a acknowledging ih( compliment paid fiim in his rc-cfectioiii said that the past year had rn many re- ■ spects been) tho most impoitant in tlio ■ history of tho institute Referring to what Sir Robert Stout had sain in hia address about the George Junior Republics, he said that it was his keenest wish that some day the institute miclil have a farm to which town bojs. could ! be sent to learn farming, which, after all. was the roost important industry in New Zealand He would litre to sco ihe institute acquire, preferably by gift, a good farm in tho Palnierstoit district They hacr recently come into possession of quilo- a larc'o sum of raonev owing to (he srenoiosity of tlio lato Mrs. S A Rhodes. Ono danger ahead of tho societv -nat that .tho members migliKbo' induce'd by prosnpiitv to take things rnsy. but lio ■would remind them of what must Imo been their experience in Jifc—that the rewmd nf hard work was more a\ oik, and the reward for cam hie responsibility was increased responsibility. Xow"' v ,ith larger lCsouicos tho institute must extend its operations This would mean jiroio responsibility, and more noil:. Another possible dan. ger was that there might'bo a tendency to become extra\ agant. He trustcil tint during tho year tlioy would'oxeicise- greater economy cvcii than in the. j past, and that they would, ne\er lncui one penny of debt on any of their buildI ings. That had been their policy in tho, past, and ho hoped it, would alwaje , .bo their policy 110 spoko in tonus o' I tho warmest appreciation of tho late Mrs Rhodes's assistance to ihe instil tute. Not only her generous gifts o' money, but licj personal aid and on* couragemont had helped tho soeictj im. nionsolv. Ho hoped that during' tho jear they would bo able to connect her iianip peimaiiemly witn the institution, so that ns lone as tho institute lasted liol , naino would not be forgotten. The Work Among the Boys. Mr. VT. J. Bennett, director, spoke of tho wotk ,of tlio institute generally, making a .special point of the \ aiicty of the tjpos of tho bojs coming to film, and the. diveisity of methods to-bo emplo\cd in dealing with them, Tlio results of tho work dono m tho institute ■ would bo appaient in tho futuio, to "■• oieijbnd}, and were nppaient now to any one coming into contact with lln» boys, One of his regicts was thilt it wns impossible at present to- induce tho city-bred bojs to po into the countiy. If tho institute had some control over a farm m tho conntiv this might , be nrhievrd, and it was his dcaipst wish that snmo dav tho institute, would in this way bo able to extend its operations into the countiy. Votes ol ihanks were accoidod to tho oichpstia, tho honoraiy mstruclois, tho Piess, tho helpeis at tlio Pageant and the lmaai, and the chaiiman, Tho plans of the new building were nUilablo fnr thr-inspection of member? at tho end nt the meeting