THE GREY INSTITUTION, NEW PLYMOUTH. (From our Correspondent )

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 303, 25 April 1849, Page 3

THE GREY INSTITUTION, NEW PLYMOUTH. (From our Correspondent )

Tub prppiratory building in connexion with this Institution, being nearly completed, a Meeting of the friends of Education was held on the 27th of February when about 200 of the settlers sat down to tea in the upper room, betides 60 sabbath scholars in the Lectarcroom below. In the evening a Public Meeting was held, Dr. Wilson, J. P., being called to the Chair. After n few remarks from Mr. Schnackenberg ot Mokan, J. Flight, Esq. J. P., addressed the meeting, expai'ating at considerable length, and with his accustomed clearness and energy, on the beneficial icsults, both to the Aborigine! and settlers, which might be : •ntiripated from the successful working of In*tuu ion* like ihesc ; and especiaUy in this ca»e, where the pro- j minent feature of it* Industrial operations wi.l be that of Apiculture. He concluded un effective fcpecch by ; observing, that from the religious education which the scholars would receive, and from their being brought into contact with English arts, ideas, and haluts, an Institution with such objects in view ought to meet wiih support and encouragement from every claw of the """"address was then deiirfcrcd by the Resident Minister, the Rev. H.Hanson Turton, according to whose plan and under whose supervision the building has been erected, after which the Meeting sep r^ted As the day hai been remarkably fine, all parties seemed delighted with tluir ride oat. to the Station, and at the beautiful prospect both of bca and lund which lay expanded at their Icet : indeed, a oie , varied piece of sceuery, is seldom to be fouud in New Zealand. . , „ The Giey Institution is erected on the summit of a.n old Pa, rising from the cetitreof the Webleyan Mission Station, »nd which was once besieged by the Waikatos, during their wars with tlm tribe. The main building is 40 ft. long, by 18 ft. wMo, and rising 46 ft. from the ground plate to the vane . with transepts of 20 ft. by 13 ft-, and containing lee tare-room, dming-room and teacher*,' rooms, with sleeping arcowmodttions for about 40 scholars. The doo.s, and windows surmounted with corbies, are very fair lnuitaHons of Gothic, the worlimauship being good throughout, and very strona; ; indeed, now that it is painted, the building (which may be seen at a distance of five miles) is a very picaresque object, and reminds you of anything but an old Mnori forties. It has breu «• rented under the provisions of the « Educational Ordinance," £200 having been granted by the Government in aid of the Mission funds for that purpose, besides a separate grant for the purchase of a f.w agricultural implements. . , . . The object contemplated by this Inititu'ion is to give a common English idueatlm, on icligious piiueipleg. to such of the Aborig.ual and Half-caste youth of the district, as muy be chosen for that end—^eneml aptiiude and good behaviour being loquinto m Older to selection. Connected with this instruction, tlio 'Industnal system will he pursued, one poi uu ot the time being spent in a K ncultu<al opciations, btc. vi ncco-dance with Europe >n practicp,— some fi'ty ar-res of the Mission Reseive havi ig beeu already brought into cultivation, with th*t specific design, 20 ncreb of which have been turned-up i.y the scholais, during the past half year. The project altogether is goods nn<l if oiriy carried <> wt w^ B pi rvt aaa perseverance, will tend, we trust, to the social and politic il advantage cf both laces of cur population,