Y.W.C.A.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 85, 16 May 1914, Page 11

Y.W.C.A.

NEW BUILDING OPENED THIS AFTERNOON.

; This afternoon the new Y.W.C.A. building was formally opened, his Worship the Mayor (Mr 11. Holland) performing the ceremony. The formal opening was prefaced by a dedication service held in that portion known as the Choral Hall, and pre- | sided over by Mrs Kayo, president of 1 the association. With her on the platform were the Mavor and Mayoress, the Revs. Dr Erwin, D.D., S. Lawry, P. J. Cocks, H. E. Bellhouse, .J. J." North, Mr W. Goss (president Y.M.C.A.), Mr K. 0. Brownelt (secretary Y.M.C.A.), Miss MacNeil (secretary Y.W.C.A.), the meiXbers of the Y.W.C.A., and a number of ladies and gentlemen who are interested in the work which it accomplishes. Proceedings opened with a proces-! sional hymn, during which the members of the association, all dressed in white, marched two by two into the hall and took their seats on the platform. After prayers and a Scriptural reading, a number of addresses were given, the first being by the president, Mrs A. Kaye. She prefaced her remarks by reading a message of congratulation from Mrs Closs, who was one of the first movers in having a Y.W.C.A. established in Christchurch, and who, although now .far. away, still kept it in mind. Messages of congratulation were also received from many who were unable to be present, including tlie secretaries and associates of kindred organisations. HOW IT DEVELOPED. .Airs Kaye detailed something of the commencement of the . Y.W.C.A. here, how a little group of women had first taken the matter ,in hand, and rented two rooms, at a rental of £:»(> per annum. The work expanded and grew, and later on they took premises, the rental for which was £IOO per annum. The next move was the house in-Madras'Street,-which they were just about to vacate in favour 'of the new building. She spoke of the good work accomplished by Mrs Carey, Mrs .John M'Kenzie, Mrs Berry, Mrs Cullender, and the different association secretaries,; also Miss EarnshaW (who has been in charge of the lunch room for the past seven years), and Miss Smith, the house secretary. She also touched upon the promising work of Miss Owen, the new association secretary, who, although only a month in Christchurch, gave iwdications that she was going to be of immense assistance to Miss MacNeil, the general secretary. Mrs Kaye spoke of tlie urgent need for the Y.W.C.A., • and said that it was doing a work amongst the young Avonianhood of today that was badly needed. The public" pwed it to t.V.-ir girls to support the work which the Y.W.C.A. performed on their behalf, and while the Association was deeply grateful for all the assistance the public had vouchsafed it in.the.past, its gratitude was mingled with a lively sense of favours to come. She felt sure that they would not appeal to the public in vain for help to remove the debt which they were compelled to incur-in launching out as they had done. Mrs Kaye paid a high tribute to the architects, Messrs England Bros., and the - contractor,. Mr Straw, who had executed their work most faithfully and capably, considering the difficult task they had to: face in connecting the old with the now building, and making a satisfactory job of; it. ■-.

AT SPRINGS OF NATIONAL LIFE. Rev. 11. E. Bellhouse heartily congratulated the Y.W.C.A. *on its new building. The association, he said,, was standing at the springs of national.life in their training and teaching the young women of the town to become good women and good citizens. He wished them every success possible; in the future, ami a happy and prosperous time in their new home. '..-.:..'■■.■■.

Mr Goss, on behalf of the citizens, added his congratulations .'.to those of Mr Bellhouse- Reverting to' Mrs Kaye's remarks, he stated that there vyxis one lady who; had-done .more for the Y.W.C.A. than all whom she had mentioned, and that was Mrs. Kaye herself. Fprthe, last fourteen years she had been president,- ; and during that time she had not spared herself in her efforts to promote its welfare.

CHANCE FOR PUBLIC GENEROSITY

Regarding" the financial'aspect of the association, he stated that the net cost of the new'-place had been something like £9900, including building,,., hall, furnishing, and land. Of this they had £5400 in hand, and the promises* which tliev-had just" vacated were valued at £2300. Even if they only got £2IOO for them, the debt would be-reduced ■consider-ably, but there Avould still be a deficit of £2OOO. Now, tAVO donors had promised to give £.IOO each if the other £IBOO could be .raised, and he thought that if the public only realised something of the good: work that Avas being done, the amount -Avould soon be forthcoming. It (the association) Avas* building up and developing character, and turning out women that Avould be creditable to any state or any society. ~ Mr BrownelJ, secretary of the Y.M.C.A., gave congratulations "from the sister Association's big brother" as he humorously put it. Miss MacNeil (general secretary of the Y.W'C.A.) spoke of Avh.it the Association hud been doing in the past, an 1 what it hoped to do in the future, Avhen a more coherent work Avould be attempted. She gave high praise to the members, ami said she was just as proud of them as she could be. In concluding a splendid, little speech she thanked "the citizens of Christchurch for their assistance in providing for the ncAv building, and promised them a successful Avork in it, if thought and prayer and labour could accomplish it. One of the girls of the Association also returned thanks on behalf of herself and her felloAv-members. FIRST-CLASS IN VESTMEN T.

Mr Holland then made a brief speech in the course of which he said that no one could ask for a better investment for their money than to put it into the Y.W.C.A. In the girl who had just spoken, they had an example of the work it was doing amongst the young women of to-day, and what better investment could a man ask for his money than to promote the welfare of the young life of the community? He felt sure that when the Association made its appeal for the money that they required to extinguish the debt on the building, the public of Christchureh would not be found wanting in its response.

Mrs Kaye then presented Mr Holland with a gold key, presented .by Mr Shand, the contractor, for which his Worship duly returned thanks. He then opened the door of the new building (a description' of which appears elsewhere in this paper), and many of those present made an inspection of it. Despite the inclement weather a. good crowd attended. . dust before entering the Hew .). .). North, in a short prayer, asked God's blessing on the building.