THE COLONIST. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1915. THE CAWTHRON BEQUEST.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13907, 13 October 1915, Page 4

THE COLONIST. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1915. THE CAWTHRON BEQUEST.

His last and greatest gift to the public, to which by his will Mr. Cawthron directs .his executors to devote the major portion of his ©state, worthily closes a record of beneficence which has few counterparts in Australasia. There are of course pot a few cities which have reason to remember with gratitude notable acts of generosity and public spirit on the part of their wealthy sons, but the list of Australasian benefactors hardly furnishes a parallel to the systematic, beneficence of Mr. Cawthron, though., it includes, several who have disposed of greater wealth for the public benefit. In glancing over the really inspiring record of the devotion of private wealth to charitable and philanthropic purpoees generally, one cannot fail to be struck by the large proportion of instances in wluch the generous ends of the benefactors attained by way of bequests. That was not Mr. Cawthron's way. Greatly as he shrank from publicity he delighted in witnessing the completion of the beneficial pro-

jects which had in late years so fully occupied his attention, and in the knowledge that the public genuinely valued the gifts he was able to bestow in such number upon them, he had the greatest reward of the philanthropist— the only reward indeed that the true philanthropist expects or desires. The means he sought of marking his affection for the place in which since his boyhood his life had been passed were conceived with the idea of endowing the city with advantages of which it would be unlikely to become possessed but for private generosity, and in the selection of his gifts he always displayed the same far-sighted judgment which is discernible in the bequest which will entitle him to the gratitude not only of Nelson, bnt of the Dominion, and it .jvculd perhaps not be an exaggeration to say of Australasia. Mr Cawthron had evidently formed the intention many years ago to bequeath his estate for the purpose of establishing and endowing an institution to bear his name And to serve most valuable purposes. The will, which wafe drawn up thirteen years ago, does not specify in any detail the scope of the Technical School, Institute, and Museum, but we understand that the Board of Trustees will have no difficulty in possessing themselves fully of the intention Mr. Cawthron had in view. No doubt they will in duo course make an announcement which the public will expectantly await. It is a fortunate circumstance that the trustees upon whom the inauguration of the Institute will devolve should he as competent to undertake the trust as the board.at present constituted by the terms of the will. In the Cawthron Institute we will possess a scholastic and research foundation which will make Nelson a centre of investigation on lines that are not adequately pursued by any technological institution at present established in Australasia. The Cawthron Institute will constitute a. most worthy monument to one whose acumen and courage were richly rewarded, and who employed his wealth with rare unselfishness for the public good. j