PARISH MEETING AT TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1571, 21 April 1887, Page 3

PARISH MEETING AT TEMUKA.

The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Saviour's Church, Temuka, was held last evening. The attendance was Bmall. The Jncumbent, the Rev. T. A, Hamilton, occupied tfre chair ? and after prayers, read hit* annual report, which was to the following effect : incumbent's eepoba. He first recorded his thankful acknowledgements of the services of all who had assisted him in carrying out the work of the parish, remarking that the work of Christ in a parish cannot be effected by the efforts of tha minister alone. He then called special attention to the devotion and ability displayed by Mr E. Pinckney, the Parishioners' Churohwarden (feeling sure that his services would be gratefully acknowledged by tbe parishioners), and to tho great assistance he had derived from j;he counsel and advice of his Church warden, Mr C. J. Rayner. The statistics showed an increase of attendance ut Divine worship and at Sunday Schools, With the assistance pf tbe lay-readers, services had biMfi rsguUrljr ooDduoM at St. Sariour*!

Church (Tenfk ) and St. John the Evangelist's Chu><'i. (Winchester), and monthly r services at Kangitata Islimt, South liangitata aod Waitohi, and at RaDgitira ' Valley since opening of the new school. Quarterly slices had been conducted at the Washdjke and Mi'ford, as circumstances permitted. The outlying districts «rr> entirely supplied by the Incumbent, the Sunday tiavelling during the year amounting to 966 milea, an average of 18 miles per Sunday. Wednesday evening services had been regularly held, and the special services had been well attended. During July the Rev. C. Bodington (one of the missioners from England) held a 10 days' mission, the results being moßt happy, and still apparent. During the year there had been 7 deaths, 1 marriage, and 69 baptisms. A Confirmation was held by the Primate on November 17th, when 29 persona wore confirmed, 19 at Winchester and 10 at Ternuka. Archdeacon Harper had paid his annual visit, and expressed satisfaction at the state of things disclosed. The "Baooer of Faith Society," in connection with the Sunday S liool, and the Ladies' Benevolent Society, under the presidency of Mrs J. T. M. Hayburst, wen doing excellent work, and the Parish Magaaine had been well received, there being now 70 subscribers, Regarding the Bible Class in the State school, which he had conducted for four yews on Friday afternoons after i achoo\ houta, th« locuvnWt s&\& the Attendance now varied from 70 ta 100 ( I children. The chilnreD were dlvideo into \ Uso dwwous, one being taught by him- ' self and the other by Mm Ladbrooke, the i haad mistress, to whom the thankii of the parishioners were due. Erery child attending 12 times was presented with n citd, atd ther» was atijanuu&l examination, ffhen three prizes were awarded. This ymr Mr C. J. Hayner (who was deserving of Bpecial thanks) had promised a valuable pize for the best attendant, and he understood other members of the congregation w»re prepared to interest themselves in the work. He wished to place on record the kindness displayed by the School Committee, and the late and present head masteis, Mr Wood and Mr Bryars. The Sunday Schools were regularly visited by him every two months. The Ternuka School, under the supervision of Mr A. W. GUze, asai«tort hxr Ifi teachers, had an avera£«

attendance of 125, the .nomber on roll being 179, a large increase. At Winchester the school was under the control of Mr R. Smith, assisted by 8 teachers. Good work w»s being done, and the discipline and order w»ra first-class in both schools. The Incumbent forcibly pointed out the disadvantages under which the school at Temuka was conducted (the Church being far too small) and suggested that the parishioners might appropriately celebrate the Queen's jubilee by erecting a schoolroom, which could also be used on week days for entertainments in connection with the school. Ho had felt much encouragement by the sympathy expressed by tbe parishioners at the time of his accident, which unfortunately precluded him from active work during November and December. He also thanked those who had assisted him in the purchase of a new buggy, several of whom belonged to other Communions than the Church of England. Such a gift was doubly gratifying, as it expressed the mind of the parishioners and,also of the sentiments of others in the district. Ho had always endeavored

(o work, not only for the spiritual welfare of* bis own flock, but also for the moral and temporal welfare of the whole district, in conclusion he thanked all Church workers who had asnisted, either as lay readers, Church officers, Sunday School teachers, choristers, magazine distributors, or other lay agency. Personally he greatly appreciated the hard work of the Churchwardens. He was fully aware that during the depression th»y must have experienced great difficulty in raising the guaranteed stipend,• and to show his willingness to share with his people the depression which was felt by all classes throughout the colony, he was willing to accept for the coming year, and as long as the depression laste, the minimum stipend only, The report concluded with an earnest prayer that Gi.d would bless the parish.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOI* The Superintendent of the Sunday School, Mr Otlzq, next gave a resume of the work of the scholars for the past year. In the course of his remarks he intimated that the attendance was increasing, and that there was room for more teachers. The greatest -\rant, however, was a new school. CHTJRqeVfARnENS' REPORT. Mr R. Pinckney next read the Church? wardens report to the following effect : The Church* ardens (Messrs C. J. Rayner and R. Piuckney), and Veßtry reported that, elected on the 10th May last year, they at their first meeting decided to let the sittings op the east sido i of the Churph as far as required, those on the west side being absolutely free. This arrangement appeared to have given general satisfaction, and had assisted the funds to the extent of £l6 10s. Some years before several outstanding debts were consolidated, and a loan for the tptal amount, £2OO, at 10 per cent, interest, was taken up from a parishioner, the loan being seemed by the Vestry taking up to shares for that amount in* the Canterbury Building Society. Dir rectlv, after the last annual meeting the repayment of fliis loan was requested, aqd a member of the vestry kindly ad. vanced lhe money at the rate of 8 per cent. When the Churchwardens took office the Minister's stipend was in arrears to the extent of £73 10s, and to discharge tlu's liability the whole of the proceeds of the 1886 Bazaar (£65 12s 9d) were de voted, and the balance, £7 17s 3d, was taken from the general fund. The Vestry decided that the stipend and general accounts should be kept separate, and made the uecessary arrangements with the Bunk so that the quarterly payments of stipend should be mado regularly, Despite etreniious efforts only $22416s had been collected for the stipend fund, and £250 being required, there was, with 10a for interest on overdraft, a debit balance of £25 14s. The necessity of contributicg more generally and with greater liberality was impressed on the parishioners. At last annual meeting the amount due on sccount of the organ wad £44 10a 6d. The sale of the old iostru. ment realised £23 15s, and the debt was reduced by that amount ; £6 was also rewarded in January. The debis balance, I with interest, now amounted to nearly [ £ll, and tbi* would be liquidated from

. the proceeds :be I -to bazaar. • The offertories f<>- >•■ 'ear amounted to £O4 Gs 2<i, .-. Mlin ii' of £3O 12s 5d «■ />, pared with in.-, previous year. Tn present fi. inciul position of the Church I was stated v, bo :—Overdraft .it Bank on account of Minister's expend fund £25 14s, overdraft on general account, £2B 18s 4d ; debt on account of organ about £lB, and the loan before mentioned of £2OO, towards the liquidation of which over £IOO bad accumulated in the Buildiug Society. Although the financial year commenced with a credit balance of £3l, and ended wrth a debit one of £2B ]2s 4d, the parish wag now in a far better position, as liabilities outstanding when the Vestry took office amounting to £l5O had been cleared iff. In reference to the late bazaar, special thanks were tendered to workers, donore, aDd purchasers, and especially to the • ladies to whose unlagging industry the success was chiefly due. The kindness of friends b\ Timaru, Christchurch and Dunedin K-ere gratefully acknowledged. In conclusion the vestry expressed on behalf of ihe parish their high appreciation of the impartial, zealous, and patient services of I heir esteemed Incumbent, and offered their best thanks to the lay readers, superintendent and teachers of the Sunday School, Ladies Bsnavolent Society, collectors of the stipend fund, organist and members of the choir, organ blower, and verger, and a\\ who bad oßSißted in [carrying on the work, of God In the' J parish. ( \ Bls next read t\\e Mx [ Prtbrow said the bafance-sheefc was the I moat straightforward and explanatory i Wvat \\&& ev« beau pTeseatad, and had ' great pleasure in moving ita Adoption as j well as the adoption of the report. Mr Langtidge seconded the motion, and it was carried unanimously. | BLBOTION 0» OTMOBBS. , Th. 9 election of officers was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows; — [ Messrs llayner and Pinckney ware reelected Clergyman's and Parishioners' Churchwarden respectively. Vestrymen —Messts Gaze, Pilbrow, Davey, Benbow, Langridge, Lee, Talbot, Mason, Wills, and Inwood. On the motion of Mr W. Wills, seconded by Mr Pinckney, it was decided to ask Mr Rout to act as auditor

next year. TOTES Or XHAMBS. Totes of thanks were then passed to the incumbent, the lav-readers, ohurohwardeni and vestry, superintend eat and teachers of the Sunday school, the organiit and choir, members of the ladies Ohureh Work Society and Banner of Faith, and alio to the magazine distributors, the verger, the organ bbwer, and the auditor. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Wills moved that it be a recommenda tion to the new vestry to take into consideration the feasibility of erecting a Sunday school. The motion was seconded by Mr Proudlock and after some discussion it was carried. Mr Davey suggested than an effort should re made to get the Sunday school children to subscribe towards Dr Barnardo's Home for Destitute Children. Mr Graze, the superintendent of the school, said be wou'd see what could be done in the matter, aud a general disoussion took pluce, in the course of which it was urged that the Sunday School stood in need of all that could be raised at the children's services. On the motion of Mr Pinckney, seoonded by Mr Benbow, the meeting adjourned, and it was closed with the benediction.