ANGLICAN VICARAGE.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 55, 13 November 1924, Page 2

ANGLICAN VICARAGE.

FINANCING 'IHE SCUMS A Generous Offer. The proposals by St. Paul’s (Anglican) Church Committee, Putaruru, for the erection of a vicarage here were endorsed at a general meeting of parishioners of the Church of England held in the Oddfellows’ room on Thursday evening. The attendance numbered close on a score of persons, over whom the vicar, the Rev. W. E. Connolly, of Matamata, presided.

The vicar explained that the committee had revoked a previous decision to purchase a section on .the Glenshee estate for the vicarage, and had now decided to purchase the site in Kensington street near the church. He understood that two parishioners. Messrs. F. C. Barnett and W. Yandle, had offered to undertake the financing of a vicarage on this latter section, which was admittedly the better one, but which was priced at £l6O, as against £55 for the other. When the other was decided on the two parishioners mentioned had considered that thereby their offer was rejected, but he felt certain that at the time the committee did not understand the nature of the offer. On a better understanding of it being obtained the mover and seconder of the resolution gave notice to rescind it in favour of the Kensington street site, which was then adopted by unanimous vote at a committee meeting. The need for a vicarage was obvious. At present the committee had found it necessary to rent a house at Matamata for the curate appointed for Matamata, Mr. O. Chamberlin. This was decidedly unsatisfactory, and, in a way, defeated the object of Mr. Chamberlin’s appointment, namely, the provision of a resident curate for the Putaruru district. The sooner the vicarage was erected the sooner could the district have a clergyman in full orders and be created a separate parish . In reply to questions as to the exact nature of the offer to finance the work, Mr. Chamberlin said he understood that Messrs. Barnett and Yandle were at the time prepared to act as guarantors for the money and take steps to get the amount required, either from the Standing Committee of the diocese or from some other source.

The vicar stated that the secretary of the Standing Conyjiittee had advised that any one parish could have only one loan from the committee at a time, and the Matamata parish already had a loan for the Putaruru church. However, Mr. Connolly added that he would advise the local committee to apply for a free grant of, say, £BO from the Standing Committee towards the cost of the vicar-

age. Mr. Chamberlin added that the estimates and guarantees of offertories from the 12 centres in this district at which Anglican services were held showed income for all the estimated church expenditure, including interest and sinking fund on the church and a vicarage. The estimates of revenue did not include anything that might be forthcoming from bazaars or other entertainments, so altogether the financial prospects seemed very sound. Speakers emphasised that the offer by Messrs. Barnett and Yandle was a particularly good one, removing the difficulty of financing the erection of a vicarage, and leaving the parishioners as a whole to find only the interest and the sinking fund each year.

It was unanimously decided that committee’s choice of the Kensing- ! ton street site be confirmed, and that Messrs. Barnett and Yandle be asked , if they would renew their offer.