PRESBYTERIAN GIRLS' COLLEGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16120, 8 July 1914, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN GIRLS' COLLEGE.

REPORT OF 'fflU COMMUTER INCORPORATION LAST MONTH. NAME OF COLUMBA CHOSEN. At tho meeting of the Dunwlin Presbytery yesterday morning the Rev. A. Whyte submitted the report of the committee stt up in connection with the Presbyterian Girk' College, which is to be dedicated in September. Tho report was as foUowe: — "It will be romembored tlwt this cornmittoe was set up on Oetobcr 7 to consider an offer mado by Miss Ross, the principal of Oirtou College, in this city, and Mis Nisbet, tho Jiead of the boarding eetabjiehnipnt of iiie same college. These ladies offered their services to establish a Presbyterian Girls' College in Duncdin, the. second of its kind in Now Zealand and tho first in this island. In NovcmrxT tho Presbytery unanimously adopted a report of tho oommitteo recommending "tho establishment of a Presbyterian college, which, while giving a higher education within the atmosphere of tho Church, would accommodate girls of other denominations besides the Presbyterian, allowing them liberty to attend their several churches. The committee reported that no more suitable ladies could bo found to preside over the college, they believed, than those who had offered themselves.

"In December the committee published a scheme involving the collection of £2000 and the purchase of the property of Biehopscourt. In February the convener received leavo of absenco to raise the money, a hearty verdict having already been received from representative parishes in the Presbyteries of Clutha, Mataura, and Southland. In April tho Presbytery authorised the committee, when funds were sufficient, to establish tho ooliege under a board of 15 governors. On the same day the Synod of Otago commended tho college to all presbyteries and sessions.

" Already the sum of £2219 haa been promised, including over £500 from the Presbytery of Oamani and about £900 from the Presbytery of Southland. About £1550 may be regarded as in hand. Almost every inetalment due has been paid. Money an debenture has been so freely offered that it eeems possible to comprise, even from the first, all tlie"~ liabilities of the ooliege under debentures held pari passu by a number of sympathisers.

/" Tho committee, deeming , the sum in hand sufficient for a beginning, has proceeded to incorporation. Tho constitution, dated June 27, has been signed by tho following 15 governors:—The Rev. Messrs Balfour. Barton, Cairnoy, Gray Dixon, Kilpatrick, Spance, Sutherland. Whyte, with Messrs G. M. Thomson, M.P., W. 8. Fitzgerald, C. R. Richardson, P. G. Prydc, W. Downio Stewart, Walter Gow, and J. B. Waters. Three members of the committee were absent from the district when called upon to sign the constitution. The committee recommends that these three (the Rev. Messrs Aitken, Davies. and Kinmont) be added to the board. The - , title of the hoard is 'The Ota'go Presbyterian Girls' College Board of Governors, Incorporated.'

" The constitution provides for a eollcigo or colleges in Otajro. Governors may be appointed at any time by the Presbytery of Dunedin. It is possible for a committee, sitting with powers at Oamaru or Invercargill, to carry on a college there. In thie way the successful finance of one college may contribute to the promotion of another college. Over each oollege there is to bo a principal, having the control of all the internal arrangements of the college. The Moderator of the General Assomblv is ox officio a visitor of the college.

"The committee has resolved to purchase Bishopscourt. It has the architect to use all diligence to have the colle°ge ready for dedication in September. To-day the committee intends to open tenders for alterations and additions. It has agreed also to accept the offor of the Missee Miller of the goodwill of Braemar House School. It has asked tho Misses Miller to act as principals till the end of the year. It has further resolved to offer'the permanent appointment as principal to Miss Frances J. Ross, M.A., and tho* office of lady superintendent to Mrs Nisbet, ae from January 1, 1915. ".On the suggestion of the Missee Miller, the committee has decided that this first of the colleges under the Board be called ' Columba Girls' College. , " Mr W'hyto said it seemed to him that the report, covered all it was oeceeasry for him to say at that time, except that one member of tho committee had suggested to him that he should point out that the name of tho college had been adopted by tho committee after full and thorough discussion. Ho submitted the report, and moved: " That the Presbytery thank the other Presbyteries of Otago for their generous help to this Presbytery's scheme"; thank tho press of Otago for the earnest advocacy of the scheme; thank tho office-bearers of the congregation of Port Chalmers for their hearty assistance, and tile committee of Presbytery for their labours, appoint the Rev. Meesre Aitken, Davies, and Kinmont additional members of the Board of Governors ; and commend the college to the favour of the great Head of the Chnreh arid to the support of sessions and congregations."

The Rev. W. Gray Dixon seconded the motion. They must all fcol, he said, that Mr Whyte was to be heartily congratulated on hie scheme havi-ng matured so well. Those of them who were on the committee recognised tlie strenuous, self-sacrificing work that Mr Whyto had dona He had been ably supported by the busin«s men on the committee, but hnd proved himself one of the most businesslike among them. Mr W. H. Adams expressed regret that a notice of motion he had given at the previous meeting of the Presbytery had been ruled out of order. He felt he had boen unjustly treated. It was a pity, he wont on, that the committee had not taken, the Presbyery more into .its confidence. It had purchased not only Bishopscourt, but had also purchased the goodwill of Braemar House, and, speaking not only for himself, but for a very large number of laymen, ho said the price being given for that goodwill was fabulous. He was at one with the committee that they could not get a better principal than Miss Rcaa. He understood that no goodwill was to be given for Girton College, but it seemed to him monstrous that they skmkl givo hundreds of pounds for Braemar House and nothing for Girton College. He hoped the college would be a success, but it seemed to him that the business men and thoso who carried out the matter had not gone about it in a very businesslike manner. The- speaker went on to criticise the financial position and prospects. He thought tho committee had gone about tho matter too hurriedly. They were having great difficulty in raising tho necessary money, and the amount now being raised would be raised at tho expense very largely of other schemes of the church. They should have put St. Margaret's College on a sounder footing before going on with the Girls' College scheme. It was a very expensive matter now to belong to the Presbyterian Church, and he felt they were overburdening their people. The present scheme would benefit mainly the wealthier people, and he thought that fche wealthier people should pay for it. Ho was very glad to have had 'the opportunity of saying what he had said, but had he had the opportunity before he mig'ht have been able to save hundreds of pounde. Ho wished Mr Why to to understand that thero was absolutely no personal feeling in tho matter. There was no reason that because lie (Mr Adams) had spoken as ho had ho should be considered averse to the echeme. Ho was not—it was only the .way the schrmo had been managed. Tho motion was carried, after which Mr Wliyte feelingly referred to tihe way he had been helped by tho Presbytery and tho members of the committee, and the sympathy accorded to him in his efforts, and expressed his gratitude and indebtedness to those associated with him for their unfailing loyalty to their aim and theJr unfailing courtesy to himself.