ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 8 May 1907, Page 3

ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

j At the adjourned meeting of fit. j Mary's Church on Monday evening, the | wardens' and vestry report Stated that j a scheme was set up to divide the paris.i j into 15 districts and appoint collectors for a house to house canvas in aid of 'the funds by way of regular subscrip'- : ions, or by the envelope system. This, ! had been nobly responded to ; the total amount of subscriptions and donations received totalling tI'JS 10s 7d. The revenue of the church had been 'further augmented by raising the pew rents, wiiich had yielded H 7 "is !kl more th in the previous year, while tlie general olfertories of HI. Mary's amounted jo ;C")87 IS/o, as against C~m7 l(i/'J for the previous year, showing an increase of .UIHI 1 /!'. and spoci-.il offertories and donations also showed an increase of .t'lß llis ltd

jvcr those of the previous year. The hi null balance sheet showed an increase j general offertories of the country cli u :lws, which total ,-cliHi l«/2, or 15 11 more than the previous year, main) lne to the fact th i: To Henui now eoi /Viliut-.'d a larger amount to the stipea >f their Minister. There was, howeve i decrease of C-3 l(>/4 in their specia ill'enories. "Taking it as a whole, however,'' th eport Hated, "we have gt'eav reason t '0 thankful, as we began the year wit; l ilfifiei; of .eo-i 4/8, and ended with , iidit balance at the Haul; of New 7,m and of £B3 10/ it. Against this Iner i re liabilities to special funds amount ng to CIS!)." Tin; expenditure liai wen kept down to the lowest elficicul vorking the parish. During the yeai he Vicar, the Rev. F. G, Kvans, "ami ill's Evans left for a trip to I lie l-loly -flint and ihe Old Country, and he ajiminted .ihe liev. J. a iirocklehurst, ol iHieensland. as his locum tenons during lis absence, which might extend to ajout a year. In the early pari of the year the niem>er* of the To llciiui-ctim BcH Block loi'tion of the. Parish, applied for a stp■ration from the mother Church, and to ie established as an independent Parohial District, on condition that they eceived one-third of the income of the 'aroeliial Endowment, ,tiie Vestry supdementing that amount by such a sum s would make the total payment for lie first year £9O; such .-uni to be. reiueable by .CIO each succeeding year, ill the supplementary amount was exinguished. This was agreed to. subcct to the approval of the General Sytod. The Te iienui Parsonage was retired and handed over to the Commitee on the surrender of the lease. Durng the recess strenuous ell'orts had been iiade to proceed with the enlargement of >t. .Mary's. Mr Mountford's plan in this Lireelion having been snSmiittcd to a mb-committfee of experts to report upon, rlio suggested several alterations, which rere referred back to the architect. -\lr dountfort's revised plans were subse[iiently received and referred to tile ■lib-committee, whose report has bo:>n lent back to Mr Mountfort, meantime he matter remains in abeyance.

A generous benefactor hail contributed £SO towards the extinction of the debt upon the organ, which remained at about £125, and was now due. The Choir had about. • £BO in hand towards the debt.

the report, as was stated in yesterdays report, was adopted, complimentary references being made to the state of the Churche's finances.