SOCIAL SERVICE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 181, 2 July 1936, Page 9

SOCIAL SERVICE

BY CHURCH OF ENGLAND

OPERATIONS REVIEWED

WELLINGTON, July 1

A record of much good work accomplished for orphans and others was disclosed in tho annual report of the Wellington Diocesan Social Service Board presented to tho Synod yesterday by Mr H. A. Huggins, who drew attention to the very low overhead cost of maintaining tho services.

“The Church of England doesn’t talk,” said Air Huggins, “but we should be proud of the fact that there are more children in our orphan homes than in those of any other denomination, except the Roman Catholics, to whom wc take off our hats.”

The president of the Synod (Canon Pcrcivnl James), who is also president of the hoard, made an appeal to all parishes to give greater tangible recognition of the work the Church’s homes were doing. Ho regretted that the Lenten collections for social service work during 1965 were the lowest since tho inception of the hoard. In the first full year (1922) the Lenten collections were £676. In 1930 they reached £Bl7. Since then there had been a steady decrease, and last year they amounted to only £266. Canon D. B. Alalcolm (Hawera), in contending that Lent was not the best season for an appeal to church people for money for the social services, suggested that the Advent season and Christmas Day be the timo for special appeals on beliali of tho orphanages. His motion to that effect was lost on the voices, and the Synod reaffirmed a resolution of last year making Lent the special season for collections and appeals for tho social services. The Anglican Boys’ Homes Society this year completes its first quarter of a century. To-day 63 boys are in residence and over 400 have passed through the homes. The homes, land and property are now valued at £15,455; invested capital and cash, £16,206. Excess of income for last year amounted to £lO9. The St. Barnabas Babies’ Home is full, and has a waiting list, showing that its establishment is fully justified. This year showed a credit balance of £lO7, hut it must be borno in mind that £ISOO had been borrowed from tho now building fund, £7OO of which had been absorbed in maintenance and £BOO in paying off a mortgage, said the report. This must he repaid. All Saints’ Children’s Home, Palmerston North, it was stated, had seen 30 years of usefulness, had 30 inmates, owned property worth £7268, and owed only £337. Tho excess of revenue for the year was £94.

The annual report of the Wellington City Mission was a revelation of continued anti many-sided activity. Two items, 88,097 meals, and 24,9-12 beds given by the men’s shelter, wore impressive. The debenture-holders had gratuitously cancelled £OSO of the debt. To repay tho balance of £7300 and rebuild the old mission houses, a campaign to raise £4OOO per annum for five years—£2o,ooo in all —had boon inaugurated. The first year was hardly three months old, and £9OO had come in.

The amount expended in the upkeep of the diocese’s service institutions during tho year was £13,005. This was only one side. The work for Christ, and...the showing forth of His love could not be measured. It was of far greater and more lasting value, tho report concluded.