THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 1911. AFTER FOUR YEARS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15101, 25 March 1911, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 1911. AFTER FOUR YEARS.

Nearly four years' have elapsed since, with truo American enterprise, the citizens of Dunedin were pledged to contribute £15,000 of the £17,000 then required to make provision for the erection of new and suitable premises in which the work of the Young Men's Christian Association might, worthily be carried 011. And only ycsteiday the foundation stone of the new building was laid by the Minister of Education amid the pomp and ceremony inseparable from sucli an occasion. Doubtless the trustees were possessed of the very best intentions in desiring to have the full amount required in hand before they should begin to build, but ii may be suspectcd that the delay in commenting operations has to some extent militated against the complete success of the effort to collect the balance of the sum for wliich an appeal has been made. The age in which we live is much given to symbolism, and people are greatly influenced by visible signs and tokens. It often happens, therefore, that policies that are perfect in theory have to be departed from in order to arrest the attention of the populace. The greatest incentive to additional "liberality will be the sight of the gradually-growing edifice, and we see 110 reason to doubt that as this approaches completion the effect will be to supply the stimulus to a public generosity commensurate with, the'need. The fact that the people of Dunedin have already given so large a sum towards 'the Y.M.O.A. building fund shows that the force of the figures and fads with wliich the speeches at the demonstration yesterday were «j bountifully laden are not generally disputed. Here and there may bo found a critic or a carper, but, generally speaking, the need of a Y.M.O.A. building of the dimensions that are projected in tliis city is admitted, and an appreciation of the work accomplished Mider the ajgis of this world-wide organisation is widely to be found. As Mr Fowlds succinctly expressed it, tlie business of the Y.M.O.A. is to produoe bettor men, and the boys and youths brought under its influence show the betterment by becoming cleaner in their speech, more Christian in their character, healthier from the physical standpoint, and morally better owing to the inculcation of nobler ideals l . In short, the movement makes for good citizenship, and as such ii

deserving of public support. We are not, in expressing this judgment, to be taken as committing ourselves to approval of Mr Sargood's bold claim that the State should niakc an annual grant iii aid of tho work of the Y.M.C. A. organisations. Mr Sargood believes he can cite precedent- in favour of such, a claim, and doubtless he can point to numerous grants to various -associations "which may colourably be said to justify, by analogy, the proposition he advanced yesterday. Yet any proposal for the State endowment of what is undeniably, in an important sense, a religious work must bo viewed doubtfully, if not rath actual coldness. In the past we have frequently expressed our approbation of the aims and work of tho .Association, and w© again reiterate ouv conviction that tho day wihiioli sees tho new building opened, fully furnished ■iikl equipped in every particular, will mark a turning point in much, of the young life, of our community. It is said lliat when completed according to tho approved design tho new buikliun wij l •*ud£ as tit ,«sj\plete oi iia kind

in ibe Southern iHemisphero. In any case the city of Dunedin, which-ltas reason to bo proud of tho substantial -solidity of its buildings, will possess yet another monument of the EbaraKty of its- people. And, baying dn this manner .put (.heir hands to the plough, we are-satisfied that there will bo no turning back until a f splendid enterprise is crowned with success in being freed from financial liability. Once this pecuniaiy pressure is removed the promoters of the movement mil be enabled to devote all their energies to the task they have m view of laying hold of the-boys and the young men of Dtmedin and persuading then* to turn their lives to the very best account by diverting their thoughts and ideas into the highest and noblest ohannels.