PARISH OF TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2644, 10 April 1894, Page 2

PARISH OF TEMUKA.

The annual parish gathering in. connection with the above church was held last night in the Parish Hall. There was only a moderate attendance. The Revd. Mr Hodgson presided, and the meeting opened with prayer. The minutes of the previous annual meeting were duly confirmed. incumbent’s report. The Incumbent’s report was as follows : My Dear Parishioners, —I am now taking the six mouths’ leave of absence granted me by the bishop, and this resume of last year’s work will be read by the Rev. T. Hodgson, whose services as acting incumbent 1 have been fortunate enough to secure. Having had a great deal of sickness and worry during the year I proposed to seek a change of climate, and return to England for a time. I therefore resigned the incumbency of the parish in November last. Circumstances, however,occurred to induce me to withdraw my resignation later on, and to obtain leave of absence during the winter months. This course met with the approval of the vestry, and, I trust, of the parishioners generally. The services of the Church have been well maintained during the past year. For the past seven months the incumbent has conducted services on the first, third, and fifth Sunday mornings of each month at Winchester, and the assistant-curate has taken the Sunday evening services there and one Sunday morning service per month. The incumbent has given the second and fourth Sunday mornings and every Sunday evening to Tomuka. The congregations at St. Saviour’s Church have very largely increased during the year. It is encouraging to notice also that the number of communicants is also largely in excess of ilio previous year. Services have been held regnlai’ly once a month at Waitohi, Rangitira Valley, Orton, Rangitata Island, and the Maori p a , and once a quarter at Washdyke. Regular week-night services have been held at Tomuka, Winchester, and the Maori Pa. The congregations at Rangitira Valley have averaged between 50 and 60, and at Waitohi 40. Orton the attendance has averaged 30, and at Rangitata Island 23. Classes for religious instruction have been held every week at the Winchester state school with very wood results. The classes at the Temuka state school have been discontinued for a time, but it is hoped they may bo resumed. The parish branch of the Church of England Temperance Society has met wuli fair success, and some of the meetings have been numerously attended by both juveniles and adults. 1 regret that wo aio losing the services of the assistant curate, who has been appointed to the charge of the Lumsdeu Parochial District in Otago. The thanks of the parishioners are due to Mr Butterfield f-*r his faithful and valuable help for the past 15 mouths. During the year the Bishop of the Dine •<.*. visited the parish and confirmed 26 candidates. There have been 36 baptisms, 3 marriages, 0 burials, and 58 celebrations of the Holy Communion for tha past twelve months. The interior of the parish church has been greatly improved mainly through the kindness of .Messrs A. Cox and J. T. M. Hayhurst, ami without any charge upon the parish funds. Tim debt of £3uo upon tho parish hall hits been reduced by £IOO during th*

year. Efforts will be made to clear off the remaining £2OO by a bazaar next Christmas. I wish to express my sincere thanks for the valuable help and encouragement I have received at all times from the churchwardens, Messrs Hayhurst and Herbert. Mr Hayhurst has, I am thankful to say, consented to my appointing hitr as clergyman’s warden for another year. It will be for the parish meeting to appoint a parishioners’ warden. Parishioners will gratefully acknowledge the painstaking services of the superintendent and teachers of the Sunday School, and also of the lay-readers for the past year. I trust that the -Rev. T. Hodgson will have a very happy and successful sojourn in your midst, and am sure he will receive the same kindly consideration and help which have been shown to me. If I am permitted to return to the pariah with my family in improved health, I pray that God will enable me to accomplish for the Church much more than I have done in the past. With every good wish for the prosperity of the work of God in the parish, and with a grateful recollection of much kindness to myself and family, 1 remain your faithful pastor, W. B. Giliam. churchwardens’ report. The Churchwardens’ report, read by Mr Herbert, was as follows: — . It wives us great pleasure in being able to present satisfactory balance-sheets. There has been a decided increase in the revenue, which has enabled us to pay off all liabilities on the general and stipend accounts, and to reduce the mortgage on the Parish Hall by £IOO. General Fund: During the year the offertories have been very good, totalling £l5B 8s 9d, against £lO7 3s 2d for the previous year, an increase of £sl 5s 7d. The sum of £Bl 4s has been transferred to the stipend account, and £2l 8s 7d sent to the Diocesan Treasurer for special offertories. The account is in credit £ll 6a Bd. Sunday School Building Fund : A bazaar was held in May last, the proceeds being £lO2 14s 7d. This enabled us to pay off £IOO of the mortgage, leaving £2OO to be provided for. There is a sum of £6 10s to the credit of the fund, which will pay the half year’s interest due in a fen days. Stipend Fund Account: We have been enabled to raise enough to pay the year s stipend and also to liquidate the overdraft of £26 odd of Easter, 1893. We have to heartily thank the parishioners for their generous response to our special appeal on behalf of this fund in December last, and also those collectors who have given us material assistance in getting in the subscriptions, and trust that they will continue their good efforts in this direc- . tion, as it is impossible for one man to do it. Each district should have its own collector. The vestry offer their hearty thanks to the Revs. W. E. Gillam and M. W. Butterfield for their excellent i work during the past year, and *rast that the former will return in good health after his six months’ holiday, and wish the latter success in his new sphere of work. They also, on behalf of the parishioners, extend a hearty welcome to the Rev. T. Hodgson and Mrs Hodgson, who have taken up their residence amongst us to carry on the Church work during toe Rev. W. E. Gillam’s absence J, T. M. Hayhurst | (jj lul . c i lW ’ a i;d e ns. Edwix Herbert J Easter, 1894.

BALANCE-SHEETS. The balance-sheets were then read. The following are extracts from the balance-sheet; —General fund account : Receipts, £216 17s 2d ; expenditure, £205 10s Gd; credit balance, £ll 6s Bd. Stipend sund account; Receipts, £283 8s; expenditure, £283 Bs. Sunday School building fund account: Receipts, £136 16s 10J; expenditure, £l3O 10s 101; credit balance, £6 10s. Total amount raised during year, £637 2s. Mr D. In wood, as treasurer of the Winchester Church funds, expressed regret that the subscriptions from Winchester to the stipend fund ouly amounted to £29 odd. It_ was many years since it was less than £oo. Mr Herbert said every opportunity had been given to Winchester members to forward their contributions before the closing of the books. On the motion of Mr Pilbrow, seconded by Mr Gladstone, the reports and balance-sheets were passed as read, appointment op officers. Mr J. T. M. Hayhurst was appointed clergyman's churchwarden (as per the incumbent’s report.) On the motion of Mr Pilbrow, seconded by Mr Pinckney, Mr Herbert was unanimously reappointed parishioners’ churchwarden. The following vestrymen were appointed Messrs Pilbrow, Talbot, Daun, Whitehead Inwood, Langridge, Deßeuzy, and H. Robinson. Messrs Gladstone and Benbow declined nomination. VOTES OP THANKS. Very cordial voles of thanks were passed to Mrs Pinckney and Miss Wethey for their gratuitous services as organists. On the motiou of Mr Dane, a very hearty vote of thank* was passed to the superintendent of the bunday School, Mr R. Pinckney for his arduous services, and also to the teachers. Mr luwood, in a very neat speech, moved a vote of thanks to the churchwardens, Messrs Hayhurst and Herbert, and also to the Church officers. In doing so ho drew attention to the amount of work the parishioners’ churchwarden had done, as evinced by the very satisfactory balance-sheet. Mr Herbert, iu returning thanks for the complement paid him, expressed his own to the collectors who had assisted him. It was absolutely necessary to have good collections, and had the Winchester end been well worked there would have been no difficulty iu raising the same amount there as hitherto and the debt on the Parish Hall could have been further reduced. He made the remarks iu all kiudliuess, but desired to impress upon the vestry how neces&aiy a good organisation was. It was moved by Mr Herbert, seconded by Mr In wood.—“ That a cordial vote of thanks bo passed-to the ladies for their valuable work in Church affairs generally during the past year, and that this meeting wishes to add its,opinion that the ladies of the congregation should be allowed to take part iu, and to vote at paiisli meetings. The meeting then terminated with the benediction.”