THE REV FRANK RULE RETIRES THIS MONTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19239, 28 November 1930, Page 8

THE REV FRANK RULE RETIRES THIS MONTH.

HAS SERVED HIS CHURCH IN N.Z. FOR 36 YEARS. The Rev Frank Rule, who has been in charge of the Social Service Association in Christchurch for the past twenty-two years, will retire at the end of this month. Mr Rule has served the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand for thirty-six years, and with the social service work of the church in Christchurch he has been identified since its beginning. Social service work by the Presbyterian Church started in Christchurch in 1909, following a meeting of the Officebearers’ Association in Dunedin in 1908. At this meeting a committee was set up to inquire into the subject in Christchurch, the Rev J. M’Kenzie, of St Andrew’s Church being the convener. One of the duties of this committee was to outline a plan of action, and to suggest ways and means. An agent was needed, and Mr Rule, who was then minister at Patea, was approached with the proposal that he should undertake the work. The Juvenile Courts. Mr Rule went to Dunedin early in 1909 and studied the social service work which the church had started there two years before. lie later accepted the offer from Christchurch, and for the next seven years devoted himself to work in the juvenile courts. ,The work grew rapidly, and eventually a fulltime Government appointee was placed in charge, Mr Rule standing down in his favour. Mr Rule then became parttime Probation Officer, and carried on in that capacity until he was again replaced by a full-time Government officer. Mr Rule’s work was not confined merely to the Courts. In 1911 he was placed in charge of a canvass of North Canterbury and Marlborough for funds for the improvement of Presbyterian orphanages. The result of the campaign was that in a month the sum of £IOOO was raised. Growth of Orphanages. The first home was opened in 1912 in Bligh’s. Road, the number of inmates being seven. The home, grew so rapidly that soon there were sixty children there, and the need for separate homes for boys and girls became urgent. The property in Rhodes Street was taken over in 1916, when it was thought that there were enough institutions of the kind in Christchurch. The influenza epidemic in 1918 added sixty to the total of children under the care of the homes, and a third home in Windermere Road was bought, and arrangements made for the opening of another in Tifriaru. Since its inception the Social Service Association has helped 540 children in its homes. During all that time there has been only one death among the children, and that was caused by an accident at the Tepid Baths. An indication of the popularity of Air Rule with the children he has had under his care may be gained from the fact that almost all who have passed through the homes, and have grown up and gone out into the world, still keep in touch with Mr Rule. Many still come to him for help and advice. The upkeep of the homes has been made possible by the contributions of the members of the Presbyterian Church in the district from the Waitaki River to Cook Strait. All the capital cost of the homes owned by the Association has come from legacies. Mr Rule was born in Scotland, and came to New Zealand in 1894 from Australia, where he had lived since 1883. He carried out itinerant work in the North Island for some time, and in 1896 took up his first charge, at Ormond. He was later stationed at Auckland, Paeroa, Mangaweka, and finally at Patea. During his long work here, Mr Rule has made very many friends, who will be sorry to see him relinquish his work.