ST. MARY’S ORPHANAGE

Otago Witness, Issue 3511, 28 June 1921, Page 47

ST. MARY’S ORPHANAGE

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the supporters of the St. Mary’s Orphanage was held on Thursday, the Rev. C. 11. Ritchie presiding over a large attendance Apologies v.etv leceived from Bishop Nevill, l>ean Fitchett, Vcn._ Archdeacon Fitchett, the Revs. Wingfield. \ mceiit-King, Lpniil, Graham Balfour, and E. A. Axelsen, Mesdames W. Lawrence Simpson, J. M. Ritchie, R. Benthani, W. Vivian, and Stanley Batchelor The Chairman, in his opening remarks, sr. d that with regard to the education authorities taking over the orphanages of the various denominations it. would bo a most lamentable prof eeding. The whole beauty was that these orphanages were full of personal interest. Every supporter was personally interested, and this would be lost if the orphanages were taken over by the titate. The two systems could be compared to the difference in l ween law and grace, or be-tween duty and nature. Orphanages should be undertaken by men and women, as it was natural for them to take care of those who were less fortunate. People supported the orphanages because cf this, and ;t was not as a duty but from love that these institutions were maintained. tie cordci sav of the inmates in ihe words of tlie Bible: ‘‘Ye are not under law, but under grace.”—(Applause.) The honorary treasurer (Mr .1. Skottowe Webb), after reading the report and balance sheet, said that during the year everything had gone on well, and that the-io was a balance of £3O. which was most satisfactory.—(Applause.! A sum of £9O had i ce;i received from the Public Subset .p----tir.ns Association. Str George Fenwick, in seconding the adoption of the report, said it was o pleasure to him lo sere the happiness of t!ie children, and this was largely due to the niation (Mis' Farrow), who was a worthy successor to Sister Ern-e-Tit o. Sr. Mary's Orphanage was truly a home and the children realised this and would remember with gratitude.—(Applause ) Mr \Y. r>avid.-on (headmaster of the Mornington School) said that the children of the orphanage had the comtort of a home and the love of a mother With regard to the proposed legislation, although he had not studied the subject, he feared that there wa- something coming. He had i ot seen in any other xrrphangaes the happiness that existed at St. Mart s where the children were much better cared for than 1 tile system of boarding out to families. The Rev. G. E. Mee t ton congratulated the orphanage < n its success, and expressed the hope that the St. Mary s Orphanage and the Memorial Home for Boys would le linked together more closely. Tiie committee s report stated that notwithstanding the tremendous increase in the c. -i r,f living, th? matron, with the gen < unis assistance of friends in town and ■ ■ ntry, had been able to keep within the orphanage's in: ime. Two legacies were illv acknowledged £IOO under the will of the he- Miss Eleanor Bell, and £SO under the will < f the lute Mrs Maude .Tack- - A (li.cath •• • f £lO was teeeived from England : : : ■ . >■ v Ei net line, who maintained a live il l. , -■ in tin- institution over which Hu l wv van: r-T-i harco for t : v years. The commit t,-e pkc-ed on vo d its appreciation of Mb.- Farrow's servin' ?. and *ts thanks to the Inmornrv nmbto- and orchilect and la.lv collectors and all 1 • 1 friends of the orphanage. f ile niatrt o in h ■' i’encii. siate.l tV.;tt If; cliikhen had 1 en d scliargcd. 21 admitted, ai d th: t 3o -remauied in ihe hon e. Their Irh ot he who'e l- d been good. Some 20 your er < hil b n had a slight att i« k of I - i«I i in \itg t last. She extended • f tl nks all wh< bad as isted her ... the year. Tfie annual report was a.loptrd. Th • f'b iirm in mnv .1 that a hearty vote r.f .'.auks be :;(•••■ ’.led to th" committee and r.” i-llrnf.i'i ;r d •• ekers f' >■ the orphan l-.ge. Th:= was carried bv acclamation. \f .-r the n'er*ti;j g visitors were provid'd will) fi: rnooti tea and sliown through the orpin r m it g tin ir atqunintanre with the children.