LAWRENCE CHURCH OF ENGLAND

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 104, 5 February 1870, Page 5

LAWRENCE CHURCH OF ENGLAND

The annual meeting of this congregation was held in the Schoolroom, Lawrence, on Thursday evening. Mr. Herbert was elected chairman, and after stating the object of the meetiug, called upon the hon. Secretary, Mr. Bennett, to read the minutes, which were duly confirmed. Mr. Keen, the hon. Corresponding Secretary, read the following report: — To the Lawrence, Episcopal Congregation. The Committee appointed by this congregation, upwards of twelve months since, has to report that the financial statement, last submitted by Mr. Ochiltree, the then Treasurer, was correct as far as it went, but that Mr. Ochiltree neglected to state that there was then a twenty pound bill maturing. Prior to the Key. Mr. Martin leaving this district, your Committee were induced—little thinking that Mr. Martin contemplated a removal—to add to the parsonage, to plough and fence the ground, and in several ways to expend money. In order to do this, a sum of £60 had to be borrowed, and when the Rev. Mr. Martin left, your Committees' liabilities were about £90, exclusive of salary due. To meet this a sum of £150 was borrowed, which paid everything; and since that time, by the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Frederick Meyer, about £50 has been collected, which, with £10, the proceeds of Major Richardson's lecture, reduces the present liability to about ninety pounds. In addition to this, there is perhaps, in small amounts, something under £10 due. With the view of obtaining a clergyman for this important district, the Right Key. the Primate, some months since, inserted an advertisement in the Melbourne " Argus" for six days. The advertisement duly set forth the wants of the district, the salary offered, the existence of a capital parsonage, and the duties to be performed. Your Committee regrets that His Lordship has received no replies. Through the extreme kindness of the Rev. R. L. Stanford, several services have been performed s-ince the Rev. Mr. Martin left, and the same gentleman has arranged for the Dunedin clergymen, together with himself, to perform service here once a month until such time as a clergyman is obtained. The next of these services will take place on Sunday, the 13th inst., when the Rev. E. G. Edwards will take service in the morning at the Blue Spur, and in the evening at Lawrence. As regards obtaining a clergyman, your Committee do not feel justified in asking any gentleman to settle here unless at least £50 of the present liability is cleaied off by means of promises to subscribe on demand. Subscriptions to that amount would reduce the present liability to such an extent as to warrant your Committee in taking active steps to procure a clergyman. If a clergyman is obtained from England, the sum of £50 must be made up immediately, and a further sum of £50 upon his landing, but your Committee believe that with very little trouble an efficient and zealous clergyman may be obtained without crossing the boundaries of the province, or at all events in New Zealand. The importance of obtaining a clergyman to settle here must be amply apparent to all. The congregation is always good; the subscriptions are always cheerfully given; and your Committee is persuaded that very little energy and unity of action would speedily obtain a clergyman, build a church, and establish the Church of England firmly, lastingly, and prosperously in our midst. Your Committee have to request that they will this evening elect three new members. Dated at Lawrence, this 3rd day of February, 1870. On the motion of Mr. Johnston, seconded by Mr. Coxon, the report was _ received and open for discussion. Mr. Johnston then asked what reason the Committee had for entertaining the hope that a clergyman could be obtained iv the province. Mr. Keen said that there was a clergyman in the province whose services the Committee thought might be obtained. He wished, however, distinctly to state that the Committee had no authority whatever for saying that the clergyman referred to would come to Lawrence —it was merely supposition on their part. Mr. Percy asked what the Committee proposed offering a clergyman. Mr. Meyer said they had not decided on any sum, but thought £250 per annum would be a fair amount to guarantee for the whole district. That sum, with the £35 paid by Dunedin, *would raise the stipend to nearly £300. Mr. Percy moved the adoption of the report. Mr. Wm. Cox seconded. Mr. Adam 3 asked if there was not any statement of accounts to lay before the meeting. Mr. Meyer said, since the Rev. Mr. Martin left little or no money had been received or paid. £60, the greater part of which he (Mr- Meyer) had collected, had been placed to the building account, which settled it; and the sum of £90 was due on the stipend and incidental fund. This sum constituted the entire debt now due. The following gontleman were elected members of the Committee in room of others retired : —Messrs. Herbert, Wm. Cox, and N. Coxon. Mr. Percy then moved, " That a bal-ance-sheet be prepared, duly audited, and published, and that steps be taken by one or more members of the Committee to obtain subscriptions, and if successful in j raising the sum of £70 within a fortnight, they be empowered to negotiate for a clergyman for the district." This resolution was seconded and carried -unanimously. | Messrs Armstrong and Twigge were elected auditors. Mr. Adams stated that when in Welington a few days ago he saw the Rev. Mr. Heron, a clergyman of the Church of England, at the Hutt, and from a conversation with him, he thought his services might be obtained for this part. . On being asked if Mr. Heron was at liberty to come, Mr. Adams replied that he was under a twelve months' engagement to the Bishop of Melbourne, commencing in April next, but thought he might possibly get relieved from that engagement if he wrote to the Bishop. He^ believed Mr. Heron would give great' satisfaction —equal to the Rev. Mr. Stanford—and would suggest that a letter be forwarded to him by the Committee, enquiring if he would be at liberty to come were a satisfactory offer made to him. The meeting was of opinion that Mr. Adams should communicate with the rev. gentleman himself. This Mr. Adams undertook to do. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings. i