A BIG WORK

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 110, 12 May 1919, Page 10

A BIG WORK

THE BOYS' INSTITUTE

REVIEW OP ACTIVITIES,

The annual report of the executive of the Wellington Boys' Institute and S. 'A. Rhodes Homo for Boys affords interesting reading. Since last May a number of boarders havo been taken iv at very low rates, the object being to help working boys who had lost one or both parents, or who wore living away from home, to live within their pay and in comfortable surroundings. A' tariff was fixed low enough to suit the boy learning a trade and engaged in unskilled labour and getting a wage as low as 15s a week. To such, board and lodging, with washing and mending included, is provided at the low rate of 10s per week. Of course a loss is made, but the Institute is prepared to meet it. "It is evident," says the report, "that an early extension of the building must be made, providing additional, sleeping accommodation for boarders. Boys coming from the country to learn trades in the city are greatly handicapped at present, as there is not sufficient accommodation for them, and the prices asked for board and lodgings are in many cases much more than they or their parents can pay. Many cases are personally known to us of parents tramping Wellington streets for days in a vain endeavour to get their . boys , comfortably housed. In some cases we also know .of respectable working boys having got into disreputable houses, where they had neither the conditions of comfort nor decency in which to live. This should not be, and the Boys' Institute must make an earnest endeavour to meet this great need. Already it has done something, as during the past year the section adjoining the Institute was purchased, and plans have been prepared in which the day boys would be accommodated in the new block, leaviog the whole of the present block for the boarders. Notwithstanding the increased expenditure, the revenue has increased proportionately. The year again closes with our properties unencumbered with debt, and our accounts all paid. For this happy state of things we would tender our sincere thanks to the many friends who subscribe to the Institute funds, and we would commend our collectors, Mesdames M'Whae and Hooper and Mr. G. N. H. Johnstone, to any who may read this report, but who have not hitherto contributed."

The committee takes the opportunity of saying farewell to the director, Captain J. Colville Cook, anH the matron, Mrs. Cook, who have resigned as from May. Both Captain and Mrs. Cook took up the work when all the. young men of the Dominion were at the front or in camp, and have carried it on under considerable handicap.

In his annual report the director states that the ages of members range, from nine to nineteen years, and about 800 have signed on since the new building in'Tasman-street was opened. Of that mimber they had retained about 500, and every night from 150 to 200 boys were engaged in some sort of pleasure of/ a healthy nature, in place of being iri the streets, open to the many temptations. . .

The director also refers in an interesting manner to the various activities of the Institute.» Following are extracts : —The sixth standard class, which has been held for the purpose of enabling ■working boys who have left school to gain the proficiency certificate, has had a. successful year, several boys having achieved the, desired result. A Story Class was started by Mr. C. S.. Moore for the purpose of developing a taste for good literature. At first the meeting were very noisy, but gradually the keenest interest in the subject was taken by the boys, and it was a great sight to enter the closely-packed room and see the boys sitting deadly still with all their minds' concentrated on- the narrative the leader was reading. This work, was tried as an experiment at first, but now it is "one oi* the most successful of cur activities. The football season was a good one; we had sixteen teams playing, and secured two championships and four charity cups, being a record for the Institute both as regards number of teams and results. Indoor practice was held as often as possible in tho gymnasium, which, however, is far too small for the purpose, and was, moreover, often engaged for its ordinary work. Some other arrangements should be made for this during the next season, as each team ought to have at least one practice per week. Other activities include gymnastics, a drum and fife band, a trumpet and bugle band, cricket, hammock work, a stamps club, orchestra and choir, ambulanoo work, Boy Scouts, cadets, the sale of clothing at reduced rates, and an employment bureau, in which every encouragement to seek work on farms is given.