Rescue Work in Victoria.

Thames Star, Volume XLV, Issue 10421, 14 May 1909, Page 2

Rescue Work in Victoria.

LBCmUiRB BY THE RiEV. COLE

Ajn audience, that! wsoiuld prove sin inspiration! to my, speaker erected the Rev. Cole at St. Joules' Ball last night. The seating ammimodjatkra was severely taxed, a number ;of juveniles having to be ,put on the stage mi order 1 to get a .glimpse of the pictures, while the recital- was listened to with much attention -und interest that proved the sympathy of one and! all was with the speaker and his work. His Worship the Mayor (Mr iF. (EF. CLaxton) presided., and representatives of the local churches were also present.

Mri Cole, who has been created. Sergeant of Police under the Destitute. (&ridren'js.A|ot. J in recognition of tihe value of his service to the State h»f,,mia)de a special study of child life, and his work of reactue among the slums of Melbourne is one which dieservies the sympathy and support of all true paitrlots. Kecpgnising the sacredness and "vylue of human life Mr Cole-and his noble wife set themselves to the conditions of those who, tandioapped fitam. their very iniaincy, were sinking in degradar tion and] sin. It was reoognisedl that to do this, and put their feet in the paths of reotitudo wias no easy task, bait to db it they were determined. The work 'b^gan by Mrs Cole tnki".ig the children, into her own home, | feeding them and elothimig; them, but it was found that, on returning to their former haunts they soon lap^d into their old halbi'ts. From this BmaU beginning sjuranig \vp the work thnt ie. beinig oarried on a* -the wunrwood Farmi, where, so nnuoh is being now dlone for the downtrodden and sinful. Mir Colie^ showed pictures of some of tihe slums -where a whole family is huddled together in one roam', of the boys as found, the various' institutions in connection, with the mission,' inoiudaing' soup kitchens, home for fallen* women, etc., and the farm where the boys are happily engaged, first aft school, then ait work, and afterwards «b equipped to enter the world.. iMir. Cole's"worE is not ooqftned to the juveniVe9, but anyone who isi in need of a meal or assistance can have the samio by applying on condition that he is prepared to show his genuinenese by doing a little i wood cutting and the like. Hie does not 'beliieve in idleness, but considers industry is a panacea lor many of the ills that surround the human ! life. He traced' the history of. many ;of tihe 'boys and told 6t the ■*- nob'e struggles for «i ibetter life miade fey j them. 'People of New Zealand and espeiaiaityy Tnajnies cam soaiitely oonc)eive of a boy 7 years of a.fljei beii),g drunk several times, and of the snfferiißg and mi?Je(ry of these Tittle nc<?le©ted; waite, but when such stories do reach ua they touoh in sympathetic chord and the appeal for help is not. in vain. A& the rei?iult of ln,.rt niicjbiti's leotuire w© fbal suirfe pratetianl assistanioe will be) forthoomiinpr, and thus the financial bulrden lightened.

Ihnrinj? the evening Mr W. Bns«>r saniz "The '£»aist Milestone" very affectively, thie Sonio; 'being 1 jbteaiutifully illustrated by limieliigint riowis.' The Rev. Cole tJMnikied' the Pres- [ byteriiam Church officials for the ust of the Kaff and lanterni, and said the j pictures hadl newer been so w»ll preRinted before; also all who had assisted im mjakiing tiha mfeeting 1 a success. This "Rbv. Hintiom; proposed and Dr. Lapraik! sedondledi. a vote of thanks to the 'Rev. Cole for his exwelleilt address:, and B«v. Dr. O'Callaghan proposed: a similar vote t» Mr Ola,xton for presiding. ißev. Mi&e seciahd^d, flind it iWasi oairriod wiith aiacilaimiation. The sinking of tHe Dorology brought a most siuocessfuJ meeting to a close.