WESLEYAN TEA MEETING.

Southland Times, Issue 711, 19 August 1867, Page 6

WESLEYAN TEA MEETING.

A tea meeting in celebration of the opening of their new chapel, was held by the Wesleyan body and their friends on Wednesday evening,' the 81st ult. The attendance was large, although the weather waß boisterous in the extreme, and the meeting was a thoroughly social and pleasant one. Mr Thos Perkins occupied the chair. Mr Buhn (the pastor), Mr Crouch, and others addrebsed the meeting, and the Treasurer read the. subjoined report. During the evening the choir sang several anthems. I am sensible of the honor connected with the position of trust assignedto me in this matter of Church Extension, and I am thankful to say that the matter has received such hearty support on ■11 sides as to make my duty exceedingly light and pleasant. It will be a matter of congratulation and thankfulness to all interested to know that,' in connection with the purchase of this Church and ground, and the cost of the improvements recently made, our funds, except as regards ffumcient ipr "alt. our .rfeqoirßinfenf d? oe xnls "Delfig the .case, we shall also find cause for thankfulness ■when we consider for a moment the difference between our present position and what our prospects were when the matter of more Church accommodation was first considrered by us some •ix breeven weeks ago. Here I feel bound to say, and I amsure you will all agree with me, that the whole credit of tbismovementis due to ouresteemed minuter, the Rev.. Mr Bunn. The matter was suggested and initated by him at a time when we were all greatly impressed with our inability to -dp anything, and not a tittle of encouragement did he receive, and much personal exertion has characterised his efforts all through. Now we are satisfied that Mr Bunn's aim is. infinitely higher than the praise of men ; but you will agree with me that it is only proper to record our'appreciatibn of his action in thi3 matter. It will he in the recollection of many present what difficulties presented themselves for some time. The Committee appointed at the public meeting to provide the additional accommodation, after much careful consideration of several schfemes, including the enlargement of the old building and the erection of a new one, could not see'their way. The old building, by enlargxnent would be rendered unsightly and insecure. The proposed new one (of about the same dimensions 1 as this) would require more money than could' be relied'bn to' complete' it, In passing I may mention that the Committee were favored with the practical ideas of Messrs Fredric and Bonthron who rendered all the assistance in tueir" power. Mr Fredric 'prepared gratutiously for the Committee an elaborate plan and specifications for the proposed new building, for which he ii entitled to bur thanks. Fortunately for us just ; as the difficulties attending the schemes refered to 'were fully Been, the present building and: land (quarter, acre) with the seats, pulpits, and lamps, wera offered to us at a reduction' upon the'-price for some" time asked, and an agreement with 1 the JBahk' of New Zealand for the purchase of -the. whole was' effected at the sum of One Hundred- • and Ji; sixty five pounds. Under this ' agreement- the purchase money is conditioned <to be paid on the execution of the conveyance of the land, which has been forwarded to Auckland for execution by the directors, and is expected back daily. In deciding^tipbn. the' pfesent purchase the Committee were -influenced by a view to the future. It was assumed that we should sooner Or later require BtOlfurtherprovisiou for our congregation, and it was- seen that the proceeds of the sale of either of the ; properties ' would give' us material assistance in the erection of a commodious and 1 substantial building on the other; whereas, in case we had succeeded in erecting the proposed new . building on the old ground, we probably would have got . nothing for it--.on.pulling.it down .to make room for a larger one. On, coining, to a decision a Bub-committe was appointed to .inspect and report what improvements and repairs were necessary before occupation of. this place. Upon the report so. supplied tenders, were, publicly called for, and the lowest, tender (for £113) accepted. The improvements have been completed, with the exception of the lining, which is delayed in consequence of the timber being green. It was considered best to <Wer the painting of the building until finer and <Jrier weather. „_ As to the financial part of this business, our funds have been greatly increased by the energies of the i ladies, -. without whose" assistance it was neither .practicable nor desirable to proceed ; their, services were volunteered without solicitation,'; and. it 'will be seen that .thay are entitled' to our. heartiesf thanks/ when reference is made to: the Targe, amounts collected by ; them*. ■ Besides,', too,, tjtiey. have had the exclusive management of, the drapery fittings, cushions, matting; and other necessaries, it must be borne in ; mind that the whole of the obligations resting upon the trus-i teeß"rKave,rnot. -iyet ; matured,. and consequently havejnpt r been'met. Those /outstanding,, including '/the i purchase money for this property, amount to £232, and against this amount we nave^abalanc'eat the Bank of £147. 9s 2d, ; and reliable* subscriptions (of about, £60) not yet paid— -not being . due— making a total of about £207., : 9s 2d, "and leaving a deficiency of about £25s'. It will be seen that the receipts, with the expected subscriptions) amount to £809, and that the obligations which have been met, with those not matured, amount to £333 10s lOd, leaving the deficiency referred to. Every care has been : taken in the disposal of our funds, and if pos- ! •ible this Balance of debt would have been : obviated. However, it r is trusted that on reflection wo oKoJi to'io otttiofifid.with .our improved position","that the last penny of this small balance! will 'soon he "raised without any difficulty. If not,Tibwever, the ladies will, I am satisfied^ take the. matter but. of pur hands, and find us the money. The annexed account will show the actual receipts and payments to date. I may add that a list of the subscribers and amounts would haveTbeeri read but for a wish expressed by some to tte contrary. V " - War, KussEiL, Treasurer. JxOLj 81st, 1867. : . ; W, BItTSSBIiIi, . TBHASJJBEB, IS ACOOVXT WITH yrssiiSTXK chttbch; (lebt-stbeet) ptod... ":.''['./.''■-. ; ' i)r. .':;[_' ; .' ' ' .. . To Amount received from Collectors—

■ . • Wm. -BT7SBHIX, Treasurer. July Slat, 1867.

The following is an extract from a private letter recently received from South America, me writer ia-a gentleman who formerly was a sheep Ser in Southland:-" Monte Video^March 20th, 1867. I cannot recommend people to come out here. All camp men are complaining, but stall there must be a greaffuture before tj« « o^' as nature has done everything j but I tlnnk^moßt any business is better here than s heep.fennmg. Merchants do well ; all da well during tunes of peace oxcept^sheep farmers, jnd the Jow yrice^ of months/ 7 TmtTit' was a camp unimproved ,by cattle, and during the winter I was building and preparing for stock, I- saw the . result of sheep farming on those camps, and what I saw was about 50 per cent dead at the end of the winter from exposure — but exposure nothing worse than a summer sou- wester in New Zealand. But there was too little nourishment in the grass, and they were, therefore, too weak to Btand any hardship. However, my neighbors saw all these things in a different light, and bought me out — 30 horses, coral, rancho, and ; all. I cleared good interest, at the rate of 17 per cent per annum, and am glad I' am out of it. Banks here give about 10 per cent on current accounts. Land speculations pay well here at present, but I am rather afraid of them, as I have seen what speculations in land comes to in New Zealand. The camp I spoke" of where the sheep died so fast, was in Santa Fe, a part of the country only lately settled.' On' camps which have been stocked sufficiently long, 'the grass completely changes, and is then 1 good- for sheep. But droughts are very numerous here, and in nearly all the camps in Santa Fe there isa total absence of wood and water. Large wells are necessary to draw water when the ponds dry up, which always h'appehr very soon after : rain. Gamp Land costs only 7s or 8s an acre, freehold. Mine, in: Santa Fe," only 2s an acre, as it was hard camp." • ■ . . . Arthur Tanner, the collector of rates in Hokitika, has been committed for trial on three charges of embezzlement of the Corporation funds. . ,

! ■*■ Cr. '■■■■ .■<■■■■•■-*■ _■-»" 'By Cash — Eredrie' on account on Contract...' ... ... **. '. i&O. g 0 « By Cash paid, repairs of .Lamps, &o. 3"0 ,1, Gerbes, repair of Organ ... 50 0 „ Drapery and Pulpit Furniture, &c., Matting, Cushions, &o. ... 23 310 „ Balance ih Bank ... ! * ... 147 9 2 £249 0 0

Mrs. Bright and Miss. Brown... £32 10 Mrs. Bunn and Mrs. Saunders 52 12 6 Mrs. Perkins and Mrs. Dainty 19 3 0 To Cash— -Proceeds of Sale of Iron Eoof ... ... ... ... 81 13 6 • To Cash— Opening Services on Sunday" ; ... ','...'. .7,...'.. ... 14 00 To Ca&f-lteceived Donations pro- .',,.-, idlsed at Pubfib Meetihg ... 99 10 0' •£849 0 0 '