SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1888, 6 November 1874, Page 3

SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

The third annual meeting of the teachers connected with the Thames Auxiliary Branch of the Sunday School Union took place last night in the Baptist Church, Willoughby-street. There was a largu attendance of teachers. Mr BenshaW occupied the chair, and after tea delivered a brief address.—Mr John Hudson then lead the annual report, from which we give the following passages: -" vVe have had much pleasure in welcoming several additional schools during the year, the following having lately joined the Union: —"hortland, Grahamstown. and Tararu road Wesleyan schools, and the Church of England school at Parawai. Our members have thus been nearly doubled, as will be noticed from the statistical report. Some of the teachers connected with the Union have successfully started a new Sabbath school at the Waiotahi cree.-:, which already numbers 50 children, and as opportunity offers we hope to see, other branch schools established. During tho first eight months of the year the Teachers' Preparation' Class was regularly held each week with a fair average attendance, but in July it was decided to discontinue this class for two or three months during the winter, is the meetings will now be resumed, the committee would urge all teachers, whenever possible, to avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded of unitedly studying the Sunday lessons, that by the interchange of ideas fresh light may be thrown upon the various subpctg considered. . .In response to an- invitation' from the Auckland Union in August many of the children belonging to the associated schools have prepared articles for the forthcoming Industrial Exhibition, hut owing to the extremely inclement weather haviDg repeatedly prevented the teachers from meeting to consider the matter and make proper arrangements, it has not been so heartily taken up as could have been desired. We shall, however, have a fair assortment of articles for exhibition; and from the samples of the children's industry now before us, we anticipate much greater success on the next occasion. ... In conclusion, we look forward to the Union operations in the coming year being even more successful than heretofore; and haviDg now 131 teachers connected with us, we may reasonably hope for larger attendances at the various classes and meetings The statistical report showed that the average attendance of children at the different schools was as follows:-Baptist, morning, 73f-afternoon, 107%; Primitive Methodist, 41—40; Presbyterian, afternoon, 120; Congregational, 40; Grahamstown Wesleyan, 37—97; Tararu load, 49-70; Shorthand Wesleyan, 70 —170; Waiotahi School, 43; Parawai, 50. The total attendance in the morning was 271, and in the afternoon, 737. 'J he balance-sheet for the year was as follows: —Heceipts: To sale of magazines, periodicals, and school requisites, £35 17s 5d ; sale of library books and bound volumes, £54; two teachers' libraries, £4; subscriptions from associated schools, £8 Bs—total, £102 5s sd. Expenditure: By balance last year, 5s 6d; subscription to Auckland Union, £2 2s; freight and . cartage, £2 3s; stationery and postage, 14s lid; remittances to Auckland Union, £85 10s; balance in hand, £1110a—£102 6s sd. The assets were: To stock in depot, £4 3s 6d; teachers' library and book case, £4; accounts due from schools, £20 19s Sd; cash in hand, £11103-£4O 12s lid. Liabilities : By amount due to Auckland Union, £30 7s7d; balance, £10 5s 4d.-The meeting was then addressed by Mr Ashby, Mr Somerville, Eev. J.MoKee, Mr Sawyer, Mr Driver, and Mr IS odder, who spoke ou points conuected with, jjuwiay: School teaching.