ST. MARY’S HOMES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11224, 1 June 1922, Page 9

ST. MARY’S HOMES

Annual Meeting Of ovnii, Bishop Sprott presided at the annual meeting of St. Mary's Guild, * control .mg St. Mary’s Homes at K-arori, which was hold in the Diocesan Library. Muigrave street, yesterday afternoon. He was supported by Mr* Sprott; t titerpreshdent. l!k@r6 Itas & good aueiidaiibS df*faismb'erj and associates present, also ministers m the different parishes. The report stated that at present there are thirty girls in the main Home and twenty-four cl} 1 !* dren in the Duncan Home. The third house is used for isolution purposes and for the overflow from, the big homeEighteen new girls have been admitted during the past year; ene left f&v a situation fifid ileveh retiimea td their homes. One girl, Itene, -died on AugUst 23ra. She had been in the home five years, end had been ill for three months; the elder girls gave great assistance in nursing her. The aim of the home is to train the girls to be thoroughly _ domesticatedThey have a thorough, training in ell branches of housework, cooking, sewing, and laundry work. The laundry work this year has been more interesting, as not only table linen but also a small amount .of. private laundry has been d'one, which pleases the ginlS, as it is more advanced work. The laundry earnings for the year amount to <£465 139 Ifid, the expenses including the laundry matron's salary, <£22o. As usual, the girls, directed by llie matrons, have grown almost all their own vegetables. One special feature of the home i& the very fine needlework done by the girls. They have had many orders during the year, including one from Her Excellency Lady Jellicoe. The usual sale of work was held on November 10th, <£lol bfeihff ihade^ Her Excellency paid an official visit to the home on September 23rd, and was received by the committed. She 1 expressed herself as being very pleased with the homes. The Rev. G. Y. Woodward holds et service at the home every week, and each year several girls are prepared for confirmation.

The committee regrets . Mrs Sydney Kirkcaldie's resignation from the secretaryship, and wishes to thank her for her very efficient work during the last four years. Mrs Wilson has accepted the position, but owing to her absence from. Wellington for the next three months, Mrs Howden 'has consented to act. The thanks of the committee are due to Miss Wilson, who kindly undeitook the duties of treasurer during Miss Shirtcliffe's absence. Mrs Ginn continues to’ take a keen interest in the girls* welfare, and to give them singing lessons, which are greatly appreciated by both the girl® and the committee. The committee gratefully acknowledges the medical services given and the great interest shown by Dr Agnes Bennett, also the dental services rendered by Mr Hoby, Mr Hursthouse, Dr Litchfield, and Mr Fairchild. Thanks are also due to Messrs Watkins, Hull, Hunt, and Wheeler for auditing the accounts. The guild gratefully acknowledges the Government grant, .£'3oo; the MaCarthy Trust, .£80; a legacy from tne late Mrs J. Blundell, .£100; the late Mrs Hales, <£10; the late Mrs Rlathbone, £ls; and <£so given anonymously. Thanks are expressed to the verv large .number of friends who have, donated meat, clothing, monthly donations, groceries, and supplies :o , enerally> and also monetary gifts. The Commercial Travellers gave £65 for Christmas cheer, and many smalL sums from friends were received. An extra picnic to Plimmerton was due to this generosity, v*W&. Mrs Hayes and ladies from Kafaka Bay and Seatoun provided food for a picnic at the bay. The ladies of Eastbourne also provided a picnic, for which the grounds of Croydon School were kindly lent. The fund for. upkeep of homes shows a total of £783 18s 3d, the matron's superannuation fund a balance of £ISBO 12s sd, the balance on the income and expenditure account being £254* 12s Sd. Subscriptions received £123 17s 7d, donations £144 5s 10s, salaries paid totalled £336 10s sd, and maintenance-£lOlO 19s 6d. T • The Ven. ArehdCaoon- J'Ohnfeoh, in pfbposing the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, congratulated the ladies of the guild on their self-denying, self-

sacrificing work. The guild was building up tho character and true ideals and umbitions among the girlß, and the example handed to them by the matrons was one of their greatest assets. Ho regarded Sfe, Mary's and the Home at tlie Hutt &s the strongroom of the diocese, in which the church placed its most valuable goods—the young life. Mentioning the staff, Mr Johnson e»aid it would be good news to many to hear that while in Auckland he had seen Miss Parlane, the late matron, and she was so far recovered from her recent illness that she hoped to return to her worh at ICarori at the end of the year. The Rev. G. Y. Woodward, in seconding the motion, paid a tribute to the present staff, mentioning especially MiS9 Telfttf liiid Miss Hanniter. The good conduct of the girls was due to tne splendid example of the matrons. Ho referred to the Childrens Hoine, ,saying the headmaster at Karon School, and also the Sunday School superintendent,- stroke well of their intelligence, conduct and discipline. There was a crying heed for children to receive sound training* £nd he hoped the guild would consider turning tho middle home into another Children's Home, as there were a great many more applications than the present home could accommodate. The cost would not be very great The report and balance-sheet were officers were- elected:— Warden, bite Ven. Archdeacon Johnson; visitor, the Bishop of Wellington; chaplain; the Rev. G. Y. Woodward, trustees Mctiri’S W.. Bethune, E. Hadfield, and <3. .Shirtcliffe; Miss Coates; Mrs Sprott Mrs Sliirtcliffe, Mi« Kemp Miss Baber; lion, treasurer,. Miss Shirtclme, hon. secretary, Mrs Wilson. . ~ At the conclusion of the meeting the members were entertained tO aiterpoo tea at Bisliopscoujt hy Mrs SpiC tt -