PARISH MEETINGS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2510, 25 April 1882, Page 3

PARISH MEETINGS.

ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH. The annual meeting of the parishioner* of St. Michael and All Angels was held last evening in the aohool-room, at eight o'clock. The Rev. Mr Harper (incumbent) occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance. The meeting having been opened with prayer, The Chairman said that the short period of his residence in the parish, and his consequent inexperience of its circumstances would not enable him to say much about the parish financially or otherwise. He desired to taks this opportunity—the first he had had publioly —of thanking the parishioners generally for the kindly welcome which had been given to him, and also the church officers and those who were severally connected with churoh work, fcr thiir evident desire to co-oporate with him in his efforts for the good of the Churoh. Looking to the future, he would rely upon reoeiving that hearty co-operation and harmonious working with the clergyman, without which he was pretty well useless, and could do but little. He was happy to say that his experience of the past few months assured him that he would not look in vain for this. Mr Q. G. Bridges then read the annual churchwardens' statement as follows : "From the accompanying statement of accounts it will be seen that, notwithstanding the exceptional circumstances of the put year, the expenditure has been fully covered by receipts. It must be home in miud, however, that this is mainly attributable to the reduced payments on stipend account during the vacancy of the cure and to the absence of any special items of expenditure, and that a similar revenue omnot possibly meet the necessary charges of the current jeir. Foremost among these will be painting the church, which is estimated to cost between £6O and £7O, and which cannot longer be delayed without serious injury to the fabric. Since the last annual statement the back rent of the land at Templeton, ascertained to belong to this parish, has been reoeived from the Ohuroh Property Trustees. £IOO of the amount was applied in reduction of the temporary loan of £4OO ; the remaining £3OO was also paid off and a fresh loan obtained at » lower rate of interest, 6£ per cent, the interest on that account being thus reduoed from €3B to £l9 10s per annum The reoeipts from offertories and rents, which had fallen off considerably after the opening of the Cathedral, have shown a marked improvement for the. last two months, and it is earnestly hoped that these and also the annual subscriptions will be liberally maintained during the coming year. The thanks of the parish are again due to the Lidies' Working Society for much valuable assistance, including the purchase of oassocks for the choir." The statement of accounts showed that the receipts for the year, amounting to £1384 Is 3d, comprised the following itemß : Balance, £ll 9s 6d ; offertories, £531 19j ; seat rents, £271 12s; subscriptions, £75 lis; rent*, £149 10s 4,i ; loan, £3OO ; miscellaneous. £43 18§ lid. Expenditure—Stipend, £359 iss 8d ; choir expenses, £l3l 10a; general ex penses, £207 17s 4d ; loan Recount, £522 13a 7d ; diocesan treasurer, £77 2i 4d ; treasurer Sunday-school fund, £2l 0< 6i ; parsonage repairs, £34 53 4d ; chancel decoration, £8 ; balance, £2l 16s 6d. Total, £1384 Is 35. Mr Bridges explained several items in the aocounts, and compared them with those of the previous year. It was not to be supposed that the reoeipts had not been affected by the opening of the Cathedral, but the accounts came out so well because of reduc'io s in the expenditure. He moved —"That the state ment of accounts as printed be adopted." Mr Brittan said that in spilo of the trying period through which they had passed—the rather sudden los3 of their in;umbent, and the parish bek'g left for three months without a head, as well as the opening of the Cathedral —the accounts were exceedingly satisfactory. They were gradually reducing the debt incurred for building the church, and oould look forward to extinguishing it altogether at no very distant period. The prospects of the parish for the current year were hopeful, but there was still a great necessity for keeping up the special_ fund started about four yeirs ago—eubs-ciptions to general expenses. With the present returns from seat rents, and the amount of the off 3r tories —even supposing they kept up to the present average of £ll every Hui.day—it would be necessary to raise by means of this fund about £IOO to enable them to pay their way for the current year. Motion for the adoption of the accounts agreed to. The meeting then proceeded to the election of officers for the ensuing year. Mr W. G. Brittan was appointed incamI bent's churchwarden.

On the motion of Mr Palmer, cesonded by Mr H. B. Lane, Mr G. G. Biidgee was elected parishioners' churchwarden. The following gentlemen were appointed vestrymen :—Messrs J. Palmer, B. J. 8. Harman, B. Evans, E. G. Hawley, J. G Hawkeß, Fox, E. Parkerson, H. B. Line, A. P. Farrow, and Captain Temple. Mr Brittan submitted the St. Michael's school account for the year ending Easter, 1882 He referred to the beutfi, which had resulted from the loan for erecting the schoolroom, and suggested that a similar mode might be adopted for raiding £IOOO for a new organ. Ho moved—" That the school com mittee consist of the following gentlemen : —The incumbent and churohwardene, and Messrs Evanß and Hawley." The motion was teoonded by Mr H. B. Lane and carried. On the motion of Mr J. G. Hawies, seconded by Mr Brittan, a hearty vote o' thanks was accorded to Oapt&in Temple for his efforts in beautifying the church. Captain Temple acknowledged the vo'r, and siid he would like to see the decoratioi. of the aide bays finished and a design for a chancel aroh which he had prepared carried out. Mr Bridaes moved a vote of thanks to the choir, the Sunday school tiu;hcrs, and tin ladies' working oommittee. Mr Evans seconded the motion, aticl coupled with it the name oF Mr Brittar, superintendent of the Sunday school. Motion agreed to. The meeting was then closed with prayer. ST. JOHN'S The annual meeting of parishioners took place las'.; evening in the schoolroom, and ra: attended by eight and twenty persons, in eluding a few ladies. The tiev. H. C. M. Watson, incumbent, presided, opening the i proceedings with prayer. Messages of apology

were tendered for the absence of Mr CarruheM. It was alto stated that Mr H.Thomson had gone for a trip to the Lakes. The Chairman said that, after nine years' temporal prosperity, a different prospect presented itself this year, althougL matters had certainly improved during the last two or three months. A hopeful feature in the report was that the ordinary income was in excess of the ordinary expenditure, allowance being made for the sinking fund and interest, by which the schoolroom had been enlarged, the money being borrowed from the Church Property Trustees; and, at the time wheu the loan wa» raised, subscriptions had been freely promised, but money was then more plentiful, so that these promises had not been insisted on. The ultimate eff.-'ct of the Cathedral services would, he thought, be healthy, in that they would tend to draw away from St. John's what might be termed the ecclesiastical waifs and strays, who had no steady abiding place thore, and leave the heads of families. The ladies' work society, established eighteen months ago, had done good service, a sale that had taken place in Mr and Mrs Wynn Williams' grounds having realised £IOO or £l2O, whioh would be devoted to tbe obstruction of a fence round the church property. Mr tl. B. Webb read the annual report and statement of accounts duly audited. The churchwardens (Messrs B. Weatenra and Webb) and the vestry drew attention to the debit balance at the Bank, £l2B 9s lid, owing to the falling off in the offertories since the opening of the Cathedral This falling off, as compared with last year's account, amounted to £9B 5s 43. An income of £33 15s, received from the letting of the schoolroom, was represented by only £3 2s on the credit side of the balance sheet, as the Him had not been used by musical societies, &o. The churchwardens had also paid £4B 18i Bi, liabilities from the previous year. The income not meeting current expenditure, the outgoing vestry urged the neoessity of deviling measures by which those attending the services and not contributing might be induced to bear their share of expenses. The balance-sheet showed the liabilities to be: Ohuroh properly trustees, £900; organ fund, £l4 19s 9d ; and Bank overdraft, £l2B 9s lid. The assets: —Permanent Investment and Loan Association shares, £132 4j lid; seat rents due, £l9 10s ; and hire of schoolroom, £2 2>, Balance of liabilities over assets. £SS9 12s 7d. Mr Webb mentioned that the orerdraft at the Bank of Ausiralasia, £l2B 9j lid, consisted of £7B, together with the back debts incurred prior to the vestry's taking office. The absolute deficit on the current expenses of the church for the year was £7B 19*. The abstract of revenue, amounting to £875 63 7d, included the item of £339 12s to seat rents received. Mr Webb pointed out that no extraneous liabilities had been incurred, except for a few absolutely necessary repairs to the verger's house and some matting. There were some 600 Church of England families in the par Bh, and a material difference in income would accrue if all contributed even small contributions annually. Besides the debit balance of £l2B 9j lid, thete was a moral obligation to recoup the organist in the sum of £44 expended by him, without the vestry's sanction, on additions to the organ. Mr Webb concluded by proposing the adoption of the report and balanoe sheet. The motion was seconded by Mr B. B. Eooke, and carried. Mr T. 8. Weston, M.H.8., also spoke in support of the motion. Mr Westenra (nominated by the incumbent) and Mr Webb were appointed churchwardens. The following ten gentlemen were chosen vestrymen by billot .-—Messrs O. W. Bishop, IT. Hobday, H. Thorn. 00, E. Williams. U. Ever, S. Manning, T. M. Gee, Alfred Marshal!, F. Hobbs snd W. D. Carruthers. It wis agreed, on Mr Bishop's motion, seconded by Mr Eigle—"That evening service on Sundays should begin during the winter months at half-past six o'clook, at all events until the first Sunday in November." During the debate on this question one or two gentlemen intimated the advisableness of inviting ministers generally to arrive at an agreement on the point. On Mr Bishop's motion, seconded by Mr Gee, it was resolved—" That it is desirable that the offertory should be collected in bags instead of plates." Apropos of this subject, which gave rise to a long discussion, it transpired that, "as a matter of principle," two large families refrained from giving any*, 4 thing owing to the use of plates. Votes of thankn, on Mr Beal's motion, seconded by Mr Booke, were passed to the retiring vestry and churchwardens. On Mr Kivet's motion, seconded by Mr Manning, votes cf thanks were passed to the superintendent (Mr Gee) and teachers of the Sunday school. Mr Gee, in replying, mentioned that the number on the roll was 173 girls and 152 boys, the average attendance being 206. Votes of thanks were also passed to the organic t and choir, and to the Ladies' Work Society. The Incumbent and Messrs Hobd.'.y, William?, and Moffatt took occasion to ooniplimerit the choir on the efficient nature of the musical portion of the service. 0.-i Mr Weston's propoeal, seconded by Mr Hobday, a resolution was carried—" That a parochial fund be established to supplement the ordinary sources of income." Mr Webb, amid loud applause, proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman. This was unanimously carried. The Chairman said he hoped to see the week eight services placed on a better footing, and attended mere fully than at pre-ent. The proceedings ended at a few minutes after ten o'clook. ST. PETER'S, AKABOA. The annual meeting of the parishioners was held in the above church on the 19th, the Rev. H. Stocker in the chair. The meeting was opened with prayer by the rev. chairmen, after which the balance-sheet and the following report were read by Mr A. Westenra, churchwaiden :—Axnual report of St. Peter's Church, Akaroa, for the year ending 31st March, 1882. The vestry, in bringirg forward their annual report for the year just ended, congratulate the parish unon their improved position. Although the offertories do not coma up to last year's amount, more support hxs been given towarde tbe stipend fund, thus allowing the offertories to go to their legitimate use. This we may date from the first of the new year. The general offertories for the past year ending 31st March amount to £93 14a Bd, showing a Hecreafe on tbe previous year's offertories of £3 19i Id. Tbo total reo ipts from Akaroa, French Farm, and .Barry's Bay, are £377 3s 61; expenditure, £355 7s 9d, leaving a balance in hand of £2l 15j 9i, but thore are still a few old deb's vrhich tbe vestry hope ero long to be able to wipe off. During the year the R..-V. H. Stocker has had the offer o£ St. Michael's, Christ church, and other smaller parishes. The vestry take this opportunity of congratulating the parishioners upon being able to retain the R"V Stocker.and they hope th»y will ihow in a substantial manner their appreciation of so valuable a clergyman as he has proved himself to be. By the help of a fyw some very necessary repairs have been done to the pareor.ege, foremost amongst which is a permanent water supply, Mr E. S. being most energetic in collecting subscriptions and superintending this work. The coTe'ery accounts show a balance in hand of £ 6 43 71." The report was adopted. Mr S. Wbtkine. the superintendent, read the Sunday 3 hool repcrt, which showed 112 children on the roll; average attendance 82. The rev. chairman said he could not allow the mee'.ing to close without expressing hia heartfelt thanks for the way in which all had worked together with him for the past year; also thanked the choir for the way in which they had held together and attended the practices, complimenting them on thtir efficiency ; also for the valuable assistance rendered to him by Mr George Wright and Mr E. S. Latter for conveying him across the harbor on Sundays, and to Mr G. H. Siiton for the lire of his buggy, thereby javing him a great an-.ount of labor. Mr H. C. Jacobaon moved a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring churchwardens and vestrymen, seconded by Mr O. M. Meaning. Mr Stocker then nominated Mr A. Westenra as minister's churchw&rden. Mr G. H. Saxton was reelected parishioners' churchwarden. Messrs n. O. Jacobeon, A. Nicnolls, S. Watkins, P. Mullins, Geo. Wright, W. Penlington, H. Fallens were elee'ed vestrymen. A vote o£ thanks to tl e choir, and to Mr Laurance Watkins, organist, brought the meeting to a close.