"AN IMPERIAL MOVEMENT."

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1909, Page 9

"AN IMPERIAL MOVEMENT."

.MEETING IN THE TOWN HALL. (LORD PLUNKET ON DR. BARNARDO.

There was a large and enthusiastic audience in the Town Hall last night at the second public meeting held by the Rev. W. J. Mayers, deputation secretary of Dr. Bamardo's Homes National Incorporated Association, who is accompanied by a party of boys trained in the institution. The meeting was held under the auspices of his Excellency the Governor (Lord Pkuxket), who was accompanied by Captain Shannon, Aide-de-Cam-p, and the Minister for Education (Hon. <G. JTowlda). As his Excellency entered, the boys played the "National Anthem" on the hand-bolls. The audience eaijg the hymn, "Rescue the Perishing," and the 'Rev. J. J. North led tho meeting in prayer. "The Bells of St. iMalo" was played on the hand-bells by the .boys with a precision as regards time and tune, and a careful attention to the -'light and shade," which was highly creditable alike to themselves and their training His Excellency's address, introducing the Rev. W. J. Mayers, was brief, and very much to the point, and was received with hearty applause. It had given him extreme pleasure, he said, to accept the invitation to preside, and he desired in the first place to express his wholehearted admiration for one of the noblest and most useful organisations in the British Empire. Of the many reasons which commended the Barnardo Homes to public support there were two that made special appeal to him: First, that the work was conducted on the broadest Christian lines ; secondly, that it was a. truly patriotic and Imperial movement. For it was a fact which could not be gainsaid, that of the many thousands of boys gent to the colonies from the&e Homes, there were few indeed who had not turned out excellent men. Tho programme before the audience, printed on both sides, was literally as long as one's arm — in fact, somewhat longer — and contained over one hundred numbered items, giving material for many changes of performance. Judging by tho encores, last night's selection was very gratifying to the audience. It was given under tho direction of [Mr. H. Aaron, the musical instructor, and embraced selections on the hand-bells, on the mandolin, sleigh-bells, xylophone, dulcimer, glockenspiel, tubephone, Highland bsgpipes, and ocarinas. THE LECTURE. The Rev. TV. J. Mayers gave an illustrated lecture on. "The Rise and Progress of Dr. Barnardo 's Wonderful Child-rescue Work." He has been for twenty years associated with the work, and drew largely on his own experience of the tragedy of child-life in certain conditions of modern life, especially in the great cities. Ocr the doors of the great central institution in London was the inscription — "No destitute child ever turned away," and this rule liad been faithfully observed through the history of the institution. Eight thousand children were now being sheltered and trained in these homes, including many blind, crippled, and otherwise disqualified for the active work of life. The history of the philanthropic doctor has often been told in print, but told with the eloquence and feeling of a sympathetic fellowworker it appealed afresh to the auclience. Dr. Barnardo, before his death, had been in&trumental in rescuing sixty thousand children — a thousand for every year of his life. Visitors to the Homeland, said Mr. Mayers, went to Westminster Abbey, they went through St. Paul's, they saw Bumhill Fields ; they sought out the birthplaces of the illustrious dead, and they did well. But it was more profitable +o visit those institutions where work was being done for the living, and to go thoroughly through the group of institutions founded and organised by Dr. Barnardo might easily occupy a month. Pictures of some of these he exhibited — city receiving homes and hospitals, the girls' village with its beautiful church (the gift of a lady), the splendid naval training school, also a monument of private munificence. The building had been erected as a county school for Norfolk, but had proved a failure and stood empty, till a gentleman bought it and presented it to the institute. Not only did he give the property, but he fitted and furnished it throughout. The object of the present deputation was to raise funds for the great hospital so long contemplated by the late Dr. Barnardo. The funds raised in Invercargill would represent the cost of one bed ; Christchurch and Dunedin had each given two, and he hoped that Wellington would do the fame. Yesterday's collections had amounted to about £100, which would go a good way towards the cost of one bed. He had arranged tor a tour of the country districts, and for two meetings in the Town Hall after his return, to be held on 6tli and 7th June. A collection was taken, and the appeal seemed to meet with very general response. An action song. "The Sony of the Sailors," with a hornpipe, was given by lads appropriately attired, and the chorus was full of spirit. "The Shepherd's Dance" from "Henry VIII." was plyyed on the ocarinas, and the closing item was the '"Vesper Hymn," fairy bells and auto-harp. Another meeting will be held in the Town Hall to-night, Dr. Newman (Mayor) in tho choir. There will be % complete change of £>rpg»fflS?g,.