ANGLICAN CHURCH EXTENSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 954, 29 July 1903, Page 3

ANGLICAN CHURCH EXTENSION.

MR DELAUTOUR’S SUGGESTION

ACQUISITION OF CHURCH SITES RECOMMENDED.

At the annual meeting of the Holy Trinity Church last evening, the following lener was received from Mr 0. A. DeD3Utour :

“ I regret that a prior engagement made before the date of the annual meeting was fixed will prevent me being present at the eurly part of the meeting. Should time permit I will endeavor to come round before the business is over. I should venture to urge upon Church members that some vigorous effort should he made in the new Church year to provide for Church extension. Such extension must come from w;

ihin the parish. It cannot now be ooked for from without. Sites upon North Gisborne and Haiti should be secured. Personally I should go further and favor the ereotion of a Church room upon North Gisborne and the engagement of a Curate to aid you in the onerous task of looking after so large a body of parishioners scattered over a unusually large area. When the parishioners were leas able to bear levies for Church work the Church, schoolroom, and parsonage were all paid for, and experience has shown that when money is really wanted it will not be withheld. The Church accounts themselves show a source of supply. The money derived from the letting of the schoolroom should be set aside as a sinking fund for Church extension purposes. If that source of income is treated as normal revenue for normal expenditure the parish is no better off than if it still owed £3OO for the cost of the sohoolroom. I should like to soo a small special committee appointed to night to aid the Vestry in the acquisition of Church sites and development of Church extension. If my programme wore thought to be too ambitious a beginning might to rnftSe in what all must admit is u duty cast upon us as memuers ut the Church of Jinglaud.” Mr Gaudiu thought that the matter of securing a site was rather one for the residents of Whataupoko and Haiti to deal with. In the long run the proposal meant the establishment of a second church in the suburbs.

Ms Symes said the matter was of ruch importance that it would be a mistake to arrive at a hasty decision Ho agreed with Mr DeLautour ; some vigorous effort should he made in the new church year to provide for church extension. lie was pleased to hear the proposal, and he hoped to see it heartily supported. The matter should, he considered he discussed at a meeting to be held later on. Mr E. D. Smith favored the proposal, and was of opinion that it should be supported by the Church as a body. It was clearly their duty to consider the matter. A similar suggestion had been made at the previous meeting. The population was increasing in the suburbs, and there was ample room for extension. He was sure that when the time came their finances would be able to bear the extra strain placed on them. On the motion of Mr Symes it was decided to hold a special meeting in a month’s time to consider the mat-

A Committee consisting of Messrs A. 11. Wallis, L. T. Symes, and C. A DeLautour, was appointed to draw up a report to submit to the meeting.