CHURCH REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1425, 27 April 1912, Page 15

CHURCH REPORTS.

ST. PETER'S. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report to be presented to

the parishioners of St. Peter's Church at the annual meeting on Monday evening next states that tlie year has been iull of progress. Tho Taranaki Street Mission is now fully recognised as a regular part of tiio wort of the parish. A committee has been appointed, cousisting of the 1 vicar and assistant curatc connected with tho mission, tho trustees ol tho property, two representatives of tho vestry, and three others appointed by the vicar—tho committee being considered a sub-commit-teo of the parish vestry. This arrangement is working satisfactorily. The side walls of the Mission Ball havo been lined inside, at a cost of .£22 175., and a working bee was formed to paint the eud walls and oil tho lining, which makes the hall much more comfortable. Tho improvements have been paid for by sales of work, organised by those attending tho mission, the proceeds of an entertainment given by the members of St. Peter's Club, and by donations. The thanks of tho parish are due to all who havo helped in this work. Tho installation of electric light in tho church has been completed, and the convenience and reduction of expenditure are very marked. Tho cost of installing was £79 7s. 6d., and towards this a special offertory 'and several donations brought in £65 3s. 6d. An important work begun during tho year was the Good Shepherd Sunday School, in Holloway Read, Mitchelltown, on which are two cottages, one of which has been altered and enlarged at a cost of .£sl Is. 9d., .£35 deposit has been paid on tho property, and JElll6s. 6d. in legal expenses and rent, which niaKes a total expenditure of JEIOO 18s. 3d. A sum of =£90 was received from the Ladies' Working Party, to undertake the work, also speoial donations from Messrs. H. Mitchell (,£10), A. Longmore (<£s), and J. M. Butt (£2 25.). In response to an appeal made by the vicar on behalf of the vestry for funds to pay tho salary of tho newly-appointed deaconess, the sum of .£l4 3s. had been received up to March 31. The question of funds for this and the extra assessment will require to bo seriously considered by the incoming vestry, for the assessment is gradually creeping up. In 1907 and 1903 it was <£710 in each year, and in 1909 ■£523- In 1910 it fell to .£450. In 1911

it rose to .£570, and in 1912 to ,£745, anil for the current year it will be .£790, if no increases are rnado. If the mission continues to pay oEBO towards the assessment (and they should have little difficulty in doing so, if the annual subscriptions and offertories are kept up), this will reduce the amount to £710, which, with the ,£9O salary for tho deaconess, will make .£BOO for the vestry to find. The balance-sheet for the year is very satisfactory, showing a credit balance of riSll 7s. 6d., but deducting the amount in hand for deaconess fund (.£25 15s. 6d.)

it shows a debit balance of .£l4 Bs. Thero has been an increase of £17_in the offertories for the year, and >£10 in seat rents, a total of <£36. , The report of the vicar (Rev. C. C. Harper) states that there are four schools in the parish, -with an attendance of 216 boys, 247 girls, total 493, and 16 male and 28 female teachers and officers, total 44. There has been a gain of 125, children in the course of'the'ye»r. The Good Shepherd Sunday, School in Holloway Road was opened in June last, and has more than justified its existence, there being now 56 children on the roll.

ST. THOMAS'S CHURCH. The annual meeting of parishioners of St. Thomas's Church, Newtown, was held last evening. . The vicar of the parochial district, tho Rev. W. Fancourt, presided. Tho annual report (already published) was discussed at some length, and it was adopted finally, on the motion of the vicar. Generally, tho tone, of the discussion was one of satisfaction with the work done by the vestry during the year, and the : vicar, wardens, and vestrymen were collectively and individually commended and congratulated upon tho satisfactory stafo of the church ' finances. The election of officers resulted as follows:—Vicar's churchwarden. Dr. J. 0. Kemp; people's warden, Mr. J. W. Salmon; vestrymen, Messrs. Christie, King, J. Bobbins, Bell, • Norn's, ■ and Clifford Smith, Wales, Poole, Butler, W. S. Smith; auditors. Messrs. A. S. Chapman, and M. G. C. M'Caul. On the motion of Mr. Salmon it was resolved that tho vestry'bo authorised to make application to the standing committee to increase the assessment of the parochial district sufficiently to provide for tho stipend of an assistant curate. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to tho wardens, the vestry, the choir, the Sunday School fl'achers, and the ladies who had assisted in decorating tho church on v festivals.