Abhotsford Home.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XIV, Issue 12, 1 June 1924, Page 403

Abhotsford Home.

The foundation stone of Abbotsf ordt Home, Waipawa, is to be laid by Herbert Melville Rathbone, Esq. (Mayor of Waipawa), as representing: the Rathbone family, on June 4th, at 2.30 p.m. Arrangements are well m hand. Unfortunately the Bishop will be away, but the Dean, as Commissary, will take his place. The public generally are invited to the function^, and it is hoped there will be a large attendance of all who are m sympathy with the Church's work for motherless and fatherless children. The Home has been made possible by the gift m the first place' of six and a -half acres of land m a splendid position m Waipawa by the brothers H. M. and W. H. Rathbone, and secondly by the grant of the money necessary to build the Home (over £8000) by the Lissie Rathbone trustees. .

The Home is designed to accommodate, thirty children and is equipped with every convenience except a chapel. It will be under the control of the Diocesan Chapter, and it is hopeci that a Matron will be found who will make it (as St. Hilda's Home at Otane is) an institution of which the Church and the donorswill be proud. ,When tthey Home, y Home is completed" and opened the Church m this Diocese will have the responsibility of its maintenance* . The reputation of St. Hilda !s,^f,,w€ji as the 3fove which churchmen bear for Christ's children, has won the sympathy of many and •we hope that sympathy will be extended to Abbotsford. Children of both sexes, girls from .3 to 16 years of age and boys up to the age of ten will be eligible for admission. Two more homes are required, one for boys from ten to sixteen years of age, and one for infants. We hope Churchmen will see that such homes are established m other parts of the diocese.