ST. GEORGE’S CHURCH, CARLYLE

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 39, 25 August 1875, Page 3

ST. GEORGE’S CHURCH, CARLYLE

A meeting of the members of the Church of England was held at the Court House, Carlyle, on Wednesday evening last, to elect two Synodsmen for the Diocese of Wellington for the Patea district, and to receive the Churchwarden’s report. Captain Wray, who occupied the chair, read a letter from the Bishop of Wellington, requesting him to preside as returning officer for the election of two Synodsmen for the district. Colonel Gorton and Mr J. W. A. Marchant, both of Wellington, were duly elected Synodsmen. The Rev. MrDasent then took the chair, and called upon Mr Tenncnt to read the Churchwardens’ report and balance-sheet for the year ending 30th Jnne, which was adopted. A vote of thanks was tendered to the Churchwardens. The Chahman intimated that he had received a letter from Mr Tennent, resigning his position as Churchwarden. Mr G. W. Williams was duly elected to fill the office vacated by Mr Tennent. During a discussion upon ways and ■means. Captain Wray informed the meeting that the Bishop of Wellington had told him during his late visit to that citv, that if the residents of Patea thought that they could get up a bazaar, he would probably be able to help the undertaking by handing over to them any surplus articles that might be available from a bazaar shortly proposed to be hold in Wellington. This concluded the business of the meeting. The following is a copy of the report and balance-sheet. Church wardens Retort for Year ended 30th June, 1875. In reviewing the last twelve months, the Churchwardens desire first to draw the attention of the meeting to the financial state of the church. We have only had a resident clergyman in the district during the last ten months, and as the subscription lists were opened on the 30th June, 1874, we ought to have fair means of judging the success or otherwise of our endeavours to support a clergyman amongst ns. The Churchwardens are sorry to have to report that nD to the present time we have failed in tin’s object, and that, notwithstanding the Bishop of Wellington paid one quarter’s salary during Mr Kennedy’s residenc. The Churchwardens attribute this to the extent of the district, and the difficulty of collecting the subscriptions promised. There are local collectors appointed in each country district, and the Churchwardens desire to recognise the trouble taken, and the time given to to the performance of their arduous duties, by these gentlemen, still neither in the country districts, nor in Carlyle itself have all the subscriptions been paid up. The sum originally guaranteed amounted to about £193, while only about £125 has actually been paid. This state of things cannot continue, as we are dependent on the subscriptions, joined to the offertories, and pew rents (which latter have hitherto only been collected at Carlyle) for the entire support of the clinch. The clergyman’s stipend is only £2OO per annum, which sum the Churchwardens would like to see augmented, as it is almost impossible for any gentleman to live on such a sum, particularly in such a large district as this, where one or two horses must be kept to do the parochial work. There are of course other expenses connected with the church, such as repairs needed to parsonage and church, insurance, interest on parsonage loan, and other small items, so that an amount of £3OO or over is required yearly to meet the current expenditure. Many of the subscriptions promised to Mr Taylor were not given as annual ones, and some subscribers have notified their intention to discontinue or reduce them; the churchwardens have therefore considered it necessary to make a fresh canvas of the district, and Mr. Cowern has been appointed for that purpose, also to collect subscriptions, and pew rents, both in town and country districts, except in any district where the collectors are still willing to continue their duties. It is hoped by this Ineans to get the subscriptions in more regularly, and as many fresh settlers have lately come to the district, it is also expected that the subscriptions will in future reach a much larger total. The work hitherto necessitated by the ngMent system has been very heavy for t*Churchwardens, and it is Hoped that in future their duties will bo lighter, as otherwise it would prove difficult to get any one to undertake the office. Since the beginning of the year, Mr Kennedy, our former pastor, has left us, and we have welcomed the arrival of Mr Dasent and family... v . In Carlyle the attendance at Divine Worship is satisfactory, and in the country

dis'ricts it is also improving, though owing to the scattered population it is difficult to collect a large congregation at any one place. In conclusion, the Churchwardens hope that for the future more interest will he manifested in church affairs, and at the close of the next year, may bo able to report a more satisfactory state of thin; s R. C* TENNKN’I’. } Churchwardens. Balance Sheet for the Twelve Months From Junk JO, 1874, to June JO. 1875. July 1,1874 £ s. i\ To balance in hand ... ... 5 4 *J June 30, 1875 —To amount received for rent of parsonage 25 0 0 To amount received from Presbyterians ... ... ... 1 9 0 “ amount received from offertories for year ... ... ... 4G 19 8 “ amount received j.ew rents and arrears 2G 10 0 “ Carlyle subscriptions ... ... 57 10 0 “ Country subscriptions GG 18 0 “ Overdraft at Bank on June 30... 4 3 G “ Amount received from Bishop of Wellington on October 13, 1874, towards Mr Kennedy’s salary and travelling expenses GO 3 (! £299 18 5 June JO, 1875 £ s. d. By clergyman’s stipend, 12 months 200 0 0 “ Travelling expenses allowed Mr Kennedy 16 3 6 “ Balance interest on parsonage 113 G “ Insurance on Church 2 0 0 “ Cleaning Church 12 15 0 “ Erecting Church fence ... 17 12 0 “ Fittings in vestry and communion table 4 1G 0 “ Gravel for Church & parsonage 415 (5 “ Repairs to parsonage 19 5 0 “ Sundries (Taplin and Muir’s account, icc.) ... ... ... 20 17 11 £299 18 5 July I—Bv balance ... ... 4 3 G R. C. TNENNET. Treasurer.