ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 121, 13 May 1908, Page 4

ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

The annual meeting ul j.iii ol St. .Mary's Church wa„ hold la.-L uiglil. Kcv. F. l.i. Jivuns presided. A_\.\LAL lll'.l'ltliT. In presenting tiie report i'«>r iyuT-8, the Vestry regretted the linaiicial position was aut improving. Starling with a credit balance ol xISI ut the hank, alter paying debenture.- lo the amount oi 1:103 and JCI33 as lid to the Uovcltllrown -Memorial Fund, the year liuislied willi a credit balance of JCU'J only. The causes ol this deficiency were ihc decreased amounts received from oli'crlorics, 'which had drooped both in St. .Mary's ""d in the'country districts, .Cbli less' being received Iwin this source than in l'JOli-7. The subscriptions, donations and aiiioiint received from ladies' collections, also dropped from £11)8 lo til!). The expenditure had been kept down as much as possible. The expenses of divine worship showed an increase of .131, principally the cost ol organist during -Mr. Fletchers leave oi absence. The St. -Mary's Parish Fund expenses also showed an increase of.CIl over lust year, consequent on the engagement of ilr. Butler for the western end. and the cost of his passage out. The Hev. JSiockleliurst, who acted as locum teneiis during the Vicar',* absence in Knglanu on a holiday, left just before Christinas. During the time Mr Uiocklcliurst was here, lie gained the respect and affection of all who knew him. and the congregation showed their appreciation of his services by presenting him with a horse, trap, and harness Lor his use in his new district. Tlk' Vestrv congratulated ilr ami Mrs Kvaiis on their -ate return from their holiday, aim desired to express thfir deep sym |.;ithv willi them in the bereavements tliev' sustained during the time they \ were awav. The Vestry regretted that owing lo" the absence of the Vicar in Kiiglaiid. the proposal to make Te Ileuiti a separate and independent district was not submitted to the. Synod last year as had been arranged. The \ estry le U .v on»ly that it was eminently desirable that both this district and the Western one should be made independent of St. -Man's as soon as possible. Church enlargement. The revised plans by ilr. ilounlford 'were submitted lo a meeting of the congregation, and the Vestry were instructed lo bring up another scheme more in keeping with the immediate requirements, and the muds available. This was done, but the plan proposed was also rejected, and it was determined to leave the matter in abewmce till JI2SUU had been raise.. Of this sum X,iW had since been contributed by the tiovett family, anil the sum now in. hand amounted to .Cll-lo !'•> 'd Several improvements in the church were urgently needed. The ventilation was verv bad, and the heat, on suu.uic.evenings" was very oppressive, the substitution of electric light instead ol gas [ would go a very long way to improve ihis. The seats were exceedingly uncomfortable, and many were worm-eat-en, and it was proposed to replace these - t and ultimately all ol them) "J J llo '-, cou.tortable ones, and a sample ol th desi'Ti suggested had been placed in the church, but neither of these matters could be paid tor out ol ordinary revenue, and if the congregation d-ucd them, a special fund would have to uraised for the purpose. AnoUiei ma ter of vital importance was the insiiio cency of the present means ci oxiL In the case of a panic, the pusUU doors were quite inadequate. it was proposed to remedy this by an en argemciit and alteration of the door at piesent leading to the old vestry a, a ~,st of -approximately .t!HI, and seeing the absolute necessity of the work the \,.,trv confidently relied oil the congi.-

■ration to raise this s uin. of the report,made some complaints eonMajor Colemau.speaking to tl.e adoption eerniiig Motnroa and the salary paid t« Uev. Urockleliurst during his term as locum tenens for the Vicar, but tile chairman ruled him out of order, refusing to allow any discission upon a private arrangement made between the Kcv. Mr. Brocklehurst and himself. Several speakers referred to the necessity for improved means of exit from the church building. In answer to a query re the Moturoa mission, Major Coleman again essayed t„ speak, but the chairman ruled him out of order, saying: "'Vou have no right, Major Coleman, to come here and criticise the accounts of tne church." Manv of the speakers considered the gloomy report of the Vestry was not warranted. The report and balance-sheet were I adopted. It was decided to limit the vestry to -even members, and the following were elected:—Messrs C. E. Baker, F. E. Wil.oll. .1. Talon, 11. Pole (Bell Block), H. Fookes, 11. M. Bannister, and L. Frost Mhiiata). -Mr P. C. Morton was appointed auditor. Mr. E. li. Kyngdon wns chosen as Vicar's warden, and Air. S. Lush elected it people's warden for the ensuing yVir. 'i ■