A BUSY YEAR

Southland Times, Issue 21265, 11 December 1930, Page 14

A BUSY YEAR

PRESBYTERIAN SOCIAL SERVICE. . ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Presbyterian Social Service Association was held in the First Church Hall last evening, the Rev. J. Chisholm presiding. The following was the annual report:— The balance-sheet shows that the receipts for the year are not quite up to the average for the past few years. It is a matter for congratulation that they have been so well maintained considering the depressed times in which we are living. Our friends throughout the parishes visited by our superintendent (Mr J. C. Bates) have not forgotten our large family. However hard the times may be, our children have to be clothed and fed and nutured. The committee desires to express its hearty thanks to all the friends, not necessarily confined to the church, who have lent a helping hand whether by their monetary gifts or in other ways. The ladies of the Riverton Church have again sent in a large supply to both homes of made up garments, chiefly underwear, and the Wyndham and Glenham ladies have filled the larders with eggs and jam. Four tons of coal from Mount Linton Station have come in. The committee takes this opportunity of also acknowledging the good offices of the ladies who meet from week to week to do the mending. This makes it possible to carry on with a smaller staff of assistants than would be the case were it not for this help. A considerable amount has been expended this year in renovations; both homes are now well conditioned. It was found necessary to part with the old car. Owing to wear and tear it was proving too costly to run so a new threeseater was purchased in April and is proving very satisfactory. About the middle of the year, we lost the valued assistance of our late chairman, the Rev. J. Lawson Robinson. Mr Robinson resigned towards the end of February in consequence of his acceptance of a call to St. Andrew’s Church, Christchurch. Mr Robinson was deeply interested in all phases of our orphanage work and enjoyed the utmost confidence and goodwill of his colleagues, and his removal was a distinct loss to our institution. The Rev. John Chisholm was unanimously appointed chairman. Miss MacDonald, late matron at Gladstone Home, resigned her position in June. This was for the purpose of enabling the committee to carry out its original policy of having a resident superintendent in charge of the boys. Miss MacDonald had been matron for nearly four years and took much interest in her work. I'he committee suitably acknowledged her worth. Miss Campbell also resigned a few weeks earlier, owing, unfortunately, to illhealth. Miss Campbell was a capable assistant. Miss Russell temporarily succeeded Miss Campbell, remaining for five months, and Miss Calvert was appointed temporarily in her place. Mr and Mrs J. C. Bates took charge at Gladstone as from July 1 last, and the committee is looking forward, all being well, to a long period of beneficent work on their part not only' in providing home comforts, but in training the boys so that they will develop into good and useful citizens. At Cameron Home, which is a girls’ home, but includes the very young boys, Miss Taylor is in charge. There has been no change in the staff under her. Miss Henderson and Miss Penman are both experienced attd capable assistants. The Rev. J. H. Thomson continues his good work as chaplain. He visits the town hospitals both public and private, including Kew regularly and is always an acceptable visitor. V, e still continue our financial support to the Seacliff-Warrington parish, when the Rev. 11. J. Fletcher makes it a feature of his work to minister to certain of the patients in the mental hospital. There are at present 19 boy’s and 17 g.rls in the homes. The numbers necessarily fluctuate, there being times when both homes arc full. In all 14 boys have gone out irom Gladstone Home to learn farming and we are pleased to be able to say’ that almost without exeeption our boys are making good. Two girls from Cameron Home are in domestic service and doing well; in addition, there are a number of young men and young women in employment who having reached a suitable age have gone out to earn a living for themselves. M e always send our children to the seaside during the Christmas holidays. For a number of years the boys have been taken to Colac Bay where there is a fine and safe beach. The one drawback was the want of accommodation. The only available place was the old Colac Bay manse, a fiveiconic 1 cottage which had got into a very bad state of disrepair. With the view of assuring that there wotdd always be a home tor our boys at this favourable resort the committee approached the Church Board o; Property with the view of purciiushig. The price agreed upon was £35 lor the house and section. It has since been renovated and made very comfortable and .-.rnuid serve our purpose for many years to come. We were tort unate in securing a permanent tenant who will, however, vacate tor the time we will require it. 'lhe committee desires to express its appreciation of the work of its secretary and executive officer, Mr R. J. Cumming. The work oi the chairman and committee is con-iderably lightened because of the confcientious interest he takes in the work, and the careful way in which he manages the finances of the association. The committee commends the cause of the orphanages to the sympathetic interest of till members and friends in our congregations throughout the church in Southland. It desires also at this time to acknowledge lhe good Hand of God in the success which has hitherto crowned its labours. “Not unto us 0 God not unto us but unto Thy Name be the praise.” The balance sheet showed a falling revenue, the total receipts including: Maintenance fees, congregation contributions etc being £1705 and the expenditure £1875, a deficit of £l7O. The report andxbalancc sheet were adopted.