SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 82, 3 October 1925, Page 9

SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION

GOVERNOR-GENERAL PRESENTS PRIZES.'

The thirty-second annual rally ■ of the Wellington Sunday School Union was held last night at llio Town Hall, which was packed with a largo number of parents and friends. Their Excellencies the Governor-General and Lady Alice Fergusson with .1 party from Government House were present, His Excellency presenting the prizes to the successful candidates in the recent annual Scripture examination.

UncW the leadership of Mr. W.. B. Howe choruses were sung by a united choir of Sunday school' scholars, whoso singing- delighted the audience. Some 198 boys and girls, all dressed in white, relieved by red. bows and ties, filled the organ chamber, and made a particularly gay sight, which proved as attractive to the eye as their singing to the ear. • Mr. H. D. Grocott acted, as chairman, and in welcoming Their Excellencies, expressed the pleasure that it gave the Sunday ; School Union to havo them present on the night of their annual rally. He spoko of the regret which Earl Jellicoe'had expressed in leaving the children, and he hoped that Their Excellencies' stay in New Zealand would be as' pleasant to them as it was to their predecessor. He spoke of the untiring e f. forts of the extension officer, Mr. W. E. Howe, who is responsible for establishing a number of schools in the backblocks, besides having done many other arduous tasks. The union was established 40 years ago, and during that period the treasurer, Mr. G. Holdsworth, and the secretary, Mr. H. J. -Thompson, havo. been actively connected with its work. The. union now embraces 101 schools, with 1213 officers and teachers and 10,403 scholars, including the schools formed by Mr. W. E. Howe. In conclusion, tha chairman said that the Sunday school movement liad aright place in»tho esteem of the* public, and instruction to tho young in tho Bible was never more needed than it was to-day, in A-der to equip them for their work in the world.

His Excellency endorsed the former speaker's remarks on the splendid work of Mr. Howe, who, it had been ascertained, had established 30 schools in tho back parts of the country, where parents had no chance of getting- proper religious instruction for their children There were now 84 teachers in these schools, with GOO scholars. Within*five weeks Mr. Howe had visited 500 homes in tho back districts, travelling for the most part on foot. Another work which Mr. Howe had accomplished was th'o inauguration of a Sunday school for the infantile paralysis patients at tho Wellington Hospital, which had been goinnfor eight years. In conclusion, His Es> cellency said that material wealth and prosperity were not every thing, and no country, not even New Zealand, could rise to the full height of its greatness and prosperity unless based on a firm foundation of Christian training, and ho appealed to tho public to givo all the support in their power. During the evening Her -Excellency Lady Alice Forgusson was presented with a, bouquet of sca.rlet anemones'by Miss Ehott Wallace. Their Excellencies were accompanied by their' son ami daughter, Lady Marjorie Dairymplc, and Miss Orr-Ewing. Some of the choruses which tho children sans were "Work and Play," "Cradle Song," ."Dancing Leaves," and 'Laughter," "What Game's Best for Haying," and others. The programme opened with the singing of a' hymn ''Onward, Christian Soldiers" and tho Lord s Prayer, led by tho chairman, Mr. H D Grocott. Miss Edna Purdio, Miss Mavis Windsor, and Miss Joyce Dinmson gave clever recitations, much to the delight of the children present. Mrs. Howe was the recipient of a beautiful bouquet in recognition of her services in assisting Mr. Howe in the training of (ho choir. The evening closed v.'ith H)o singing of the Doxolo"y.