YOUNG CITIZENS

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 102, 30 April 1921, Page 9

YOUNG CITIZENS

ANGLICAN SOCIAL WORK

BOYS' HOME SOCIETY,

The annual meeting of the Anglican Boys' Homes Society was held last night. The Eighty Rev. Bishop Sprott presided, and there was a large attendance.

The annual report stated that the yeaj just closed had been quite the most successful in the short history of the society. For some years past the executive had striven to place the society in such a position as to enable it adequately to house and .train sixty boys! Such progress had now been made towards this goal as would assure its attainment during the coming year, if those interested in the welfare of boye would lend theirassistance.

"Including that attached to the new home, the society now own^ 8£ acres of land. The primary purpose of such land is to provide, as far as possible, for the meede of the horn«, while at the same time giving the boys a general outdoor training, which cannot but be of value to them in after life, whatever calling they may ultimately choose. In the pas* year this purpose has been well fulfilled. Not only has the home been provided with practically at the potatoes and other vegetables needed, but also with milk and butter. In addition to this, it has been found possible, under the good management of Mr.' Heseltine, who hopes to do even more next year, to send about one hundred pounds' worth of surplus produce to" the Wellington market. In addition to the work of raising crops and tending the cows, a beginning has been made with bee and poultry-keeping, both of which are capable of valuable development, and provide greater ecope for the training of the boys. The executive had purchased for £3500 a property" oonsisting~of a tenroomed Jiouse, vinery, and good outbuildings, on three acres of land ideally situated for the purposes of the home, and so close to the five and a-half acres already owned by the society as to make the working of the latter from the home most convenient. The executive paid £1600 of the purchase money, the balance remaining at 6 per cent, on very satisfactory terms ac to payment. As soon as possession was secured, the smaller of the cottages was sold for cash over mortgage to a returned soldier, and a number of the boys had since been sleeping in the new 'home. The necessary additions and alterations to the house on the administrative side for the accommodation of sixty boys were nearing completion. These alterations, which would probably cost something- over £2000, would be- fully paid for when completed; and it would be possible, by ■using the dining-room ac a temporary dormitory, to vacate at once and sell the cottage which was the original home of the society, and was still the administrative headquarters. This would enable the society at once to increase by about 25 per cent, the number of boys being cared'for.

Plans for the dormitory Hock, which would provide sleeping and bathroom accommodation for sixty boys, had been prepared. If no serious, setback, occurred, the society should by the'end of tbe coining financial year, be in possession of a Home in every respect suitable for the accommodation and allround training of sixty boys. Not only was a considerable sum, still needed for capital expenditure, but the upkeep of Uie 'home would cost not Jess than £1600 per annum. Of this amount, probably at least £1100 would require to be raised annually by voluntary subscriptions, the'balance being mot by maintenance fees. . Th« report further dealt with tha progress of the , boys. There were now 27 in residence. The work of the staff was commend«d. Thanks were conveyed':to many generous helpers of (/he society. _ i ,The report was adopted on- the motion of the president (Mr. J. W. Henderson). In moving, the adoption of the bal-ance-sheet, Mr. Henderson said that, ox elusive of £5710 specially Taised by the Re-Houaing Committee and the Ladies' Auxiliary, they had the handsome income of £1750. There was a sum of £2081 in the Post Office Savings Bank, which would, it was hoped, be used for building the dormitories. The balance inthe bank was £1065, which was largely earmarked for the work now in progress. The balance-sheet wae adopted. The officers for the coming year were elected as follow:—Patron, The Right R«v. the Bishop of • Wellington; president, Mr. J. W. Henderson; vice-presi-dents, Yen. Archdeacon Johnson, Rev. A. L. Hansell, Rev. J. H. Syk«e, and Mr. T. R. Lees; non-official members, Mrs. Anson, Miss W. L. Stevens, Miss M. A. Marchant, MessrsjH. Baillie, C. B. Buxton, and-' Rev. H. Walke; Hutt representatives, IV^rs. Barbor, Mr. H. B. Gordon; hon. treasurer, Mrs. M. Anderson ; hon. secretary, Mr. B. H. Ballachey. ] ' • -' . On the motion of Mr. 0. E. Levien, the meeting recorded its appreciation,of j the work done' by the executive. Mr. i Levien, speaking ac financial organising secretary, said that wHerever ho had | been he had found church people ready to take on this social work. Special; thanks were also' extended to the Ladies' Auxiliary and to members of the ReHousing Committee. )