CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION, HEAD OF THE BAY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 122, 18 September 1877, Page 2

CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION, HEAD OF THE BAY.

A meeting of the Building Committee of the above Church was held at the Head of the Bay, on Thursday evening- last. Present—Rev. W. H. Cooper (chairman), Messrs. S. Curry, T. Blythenj W. Pawson, And R. Condell.

The Chairman said that before the matter flf clearing off the debt on'.the'Church .vva'a discussed,-.he wisljed to remind the

Committee of steps that had been taken from the fir<t to ere.-'t the Church. In January. 1876, a public meeting was held in the old school-room, when Messrs Shad-' bolt, S. Curry, T.. Biytlien, W. Pawson, A. Scott; and R.-Contlell, who wore all present.were elected* members of the Building Committee.-- Each of the members undertook to canvass for subscriptions. A design for the Church was submitted to the meeting, but was considered too costly, so it was resolved to procure less expensive plan's-from Mr Mountfort. These plans were at a subsequent meeting received and approved of, and tenders were called for. A meeting was then held on the 13th March, 1376, at which he (the laid plainly before the Committee the responsibility they were about to undertake, and that the Church Property Trustees would give £100 ; that the estimated subscriptions amounted to about £90, and that he would probably be able to £20 from a societj' in England, but that there would still be a balance to be raised of about £85. After a lengthened discussion, the Committee concluded that there would be no difficulty in raising either by loan or otherwise the necessary funds. The tenders (three) were then opened, and Mr Shadbolt moved, and Mr Scott seconded. ''That the tender of J. Barwick be accepted at £265, not including windows or painting." This resolution wafv carried unanimously, and the building was erected in a most satisfactory way. £200 was paid on' account to the contractor, and £12 to R. Noonan for painting. He should mention that during the progress of the work Mr Denny kindly advanced £50, part of which was in the Bank, and the remainder he would himself see paid. A meeting was held after the Church was finished, and it was found that the actual liabilities were £95, viz.:— £70 to Mr Barwick and £25 to Jones and Co., for windows. On condition that the members of the Committee each collected £10, which those present agreed to do, he (the Chairman.) undertook to collect £25; rinding he could not collect the amount, he paid it out of his own pocket, and now laid Jones and Co.'s receipted bill for the windows on the table. ' The members of the. Committee had not fulfilled their part of the agreement, and he hoped they would at once do so. Mr Barwick had also given him a list of names of persons who had promised to pay each for a seat. On the faith of this he ordered eight seats, for which he had to pay, with freight, &c, £24 18s lOd, and only one of those who' ordered sittings had paid him, so that, with a few small items, he had out of his very limited income, given £50 to the Head of the Bay Church. He only mentioned this to show that he had done as much as could be expected from him. There was a grant from the S. P. C. K. of £20 lying in the Bishop's hands, so that all that was required to clear the debt was £50. He must say he was much surprised to receive the following letter a few days since :—" Head of the Bay, 4th September, 1877. Mr Cooper, Dear Sir, — I beg to tender my resignation as a member of the Church Building Committee. Yours, &c., B. Shadbolt." He would ask the meeting to consider Mr Shadbolt's letter as the first busines.

After some desultory conversation, it was moved by Mr S. Curry, and seconded by Mr W. Pawson, " That' as Mr B. Shadbolt was one of the promoters of the Church, and one of the original members of the Building Committee, and as he was the mover of the resolution that Mr Barwick's tender should be accepted, the Committee do not think he is justified in resigning until the debt of the Church is cleared off ; a copy of the motion to be sent to Mr Shadbolt. — Carried unanimously.

The Chairman said that in justice to Mr Shadbolt, he must say that he was the largest subscriber to the Building Fund, having given £10, and that Mr Shadbolt had collected a very large proportion of the sum raised by private subscriptions, at the same time, when it was considered that Mr Shadbolt was the largest landed proprietor in the district, and that the Church increased the value of his property, he ought to continue his exertions till the debt was paid

A long discussion then ensued on the best means of raising the required funds. Mr R. Condell said, that although he was only a poor man, with small wages, he was not a landed proprietor in the district, still, he would guarantee £5; he would find it hard enough'to manage this, but he thought the present state of things a disgrace to the Church. Mr S. Curry thought there would be no difficulty in getting the £50, if they had a little time; he would himself collector make up £10 at the end of the year. Mr Blythrn said, he must confess he had been rather remiss in his duties heretofore, but that he intended to be- more energetic for the future, he saw no reason why, if they would all work together, the money could not be raised; he would move "That the Rev. Mr Cooper be authorised to make the best arrangements he could for to raise the sum of £70 for 12 months, on the personal security of the members of the Building Committee."

Mr Pawson seconded the resolution, which was then put and carried unanimously. The Chairman announced that the Lord Primate would hold a Confirmation in the Church of the Resurrection, on Sunday, September 30, at 11 a.m. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.