EASTER PARISH MEETINGS

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2229, 20 April 1881, Page 3

EASTER PARISH MEETINGS

ST. JOHN’S. The annual meeting of St. John’s parish was held last night in the schoolroom. There was a moderate attendance, and a sprinkling o£ ladies. The meeting was opened with prayer, and after the minutes of the last annual meeting had been read and confirmed, the chairman (the Rev. H. O. M. Watson) congratulated the parishioners on the increased activity and interest in the parish. The accounts would show that the ordinary increase was considerably in excess of that of the previous year, and that it was over a hundred pounds in excess of the ordinary expenditure. Daring the year a branch of the Church Work Society had been formed in the pariah, in connection with which a Ladies’ Work Society and a Church of England Temperance Society had been established. The accounts would speak for themselves, and would show the very great loss which the parish would sustain in the loss of the present churchwardens, os they, under the new regulations of the General Synod, wore no longer eligible for the office of churchwarden, they living outside of the bounds of the parish. Mr 0. W. Bishop, clergyman’s churchwarden, then read the report and balance sheet. The report was as follows : The Vestry beg to place before the parishioners the accompanying church accounts for the year ending 31st March, 1881, showing the receipts from all sources, and how the same have been appropriated ; also a statement of the assets and liabilities at the same date. Not noticing here the debt of .£9OO (incurred for enlargement of school and certain other works), which is being provided for by means of a sinking fund, but dealing with the other back debts, the churchwardens found, on assuming office, instead of the arrears being ,£66 Os Bd, they amount in reality to £IBO Vs 2d. By necessary economy in the church expenditure, and with the assistance of a kind liberality in donations, these back debts are materially reduced. Another statement is appended, showing the church’s income and expenditure for the precise year from March 31st, 1880, to March 31st, 1881, by which it will be seen that, bat for the necessity of paying towards the back debts above referred to'the income would have been in credit to the amount of £3l 11a 3d. The churchwardens desire to inform the parishioners that a very great Improvement has been effected in the ventilation of the church, the cost of which has been borne entirely by Mr S. Manning. H. Hobdl?? P ’ } Churchwardens. St. John’s Vestry, Easter. 1881. After the adoption of the balance sheet, the following officers wore elected for the present year—Mr B. Westenra, clergyman’s churchwarden; Mr H. R. Webb, parishioners* warden ; Messrs Bishop, Hobday, Caff, Manning, Thomson, Gee,. Williams, Weston, Bose, and Kiver, as vestrymen. The following votes of thanks were passed unanimously—to Mr B. Manning, Messrs Bishop and Hobday, and the outgoing church officers, the organist and choir, the superintendent and teachers of the Sunday school. The Chairman mentioned in the course of his remarks that one gentleman, Mr T. Bruce, hod offered to contribute £SO towards the fence ronnd the church and parsonage grounds if four other persons would do likewise. Ho hoped that the officers of the church might be able to accept this very generous offer. The meeting then closed.