ANNUAL MEETING St. MATTHEW'S CHURCH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 221, 25 July 1879, Page 2

ANNUAL MEETING St. MATTHEW'S CHURCH.

The annual meeting of the above Church, was held on Wednesday evening last and was somewhat thinly attended. The Rev. Mr Teakle after opening the meeting with prayer read the Churchwardens report and the balance sheet for the past year. From the latter we gather that the ordinary income for the year was £30214/10 and the expenditure £313 19/9. The special receipts were £392 11/3. The Church debt had been reduced by £SO, There where liabilities outstanding to the amount of £lO4, and subscriptions and donations in arrear, to the amount of £B4. Mr J. V. Smith suggested that so few members being present it was desirable to adjourn the meeting, and in the enterim publish the balance sheet, as it was impossible for the meeting to understand it it from merely hearing it read. It was, however, decided after discussion to proceed with the business, and at future annual meetings to publish ;i balance sheet before hand, ',

offertaries, a large portion of the congregation apparently did not contribute at all to them. The Chairman then laid before the meeting the recommendation of the Churh Committee, " that the Assistant Curate have the entire management of that district beyond the limits $ the proposed parish, and that thf&her part of the district (comprised wifnin the bonndaries of such proposed district) adopt tho practical provisions of the Parish Act." He explained that the Rev. Mr Gossett proposed to give for the future the whole of his time to church work, and that he was willing to accept such sums as might] be raised within his own districtYThe pro-) posed arrangement met witli thcl approval] of the Bishop. \ !

Mr J. V. Smith objected to adopting the practical provisions of the Parish Act without such provisions were first ol all defined, He advocated waiting waiting till the petition in favor of a Paris!: which had been sent to the Bishop was dealt with.

Mr Payton understood that adopting the practaical provisions of the Act meanl being guided by them as far as possible in the interim, and thought there could be no difficulty in adopting such a course, He moved the adoption of the recommendation Mr Clayson seconded the resolution, Mr Fannin objected to the members cal ing them selves Churchwardens anil vestrymen without .a proper status. Mr Quartly did not see that there was any reason why they should no call themj selves by such by such titles.

The recommendation was then put ti the meeting and adopted.

The Chairman then nominated Mr God fred Rusjell as his Church Warden. Hi was deeply grateful to him for his service; during the preceding year. Mr Thorby was re-elected Parishioner'! Church Warden on the motion of M: Quartly. The Chairman then asked the meeting to elect a Church Committee of thos< member* who had the interest of tb Church at heart and were willing to work He alio intimated that none but commu nicants should be returned.

Mr Payton regretted that the questioi of communicants had been raised as i embarassed the meeting. He asked tin chairman if he intended to veto non-com municants, should they be elected. The Chairman replied in the negative At the same time, if the meeting respectei his feelings, it would nominate com municants only. Mr Pilkington suggested holding tb election at a future period, as the presen meeting had no list of communicants fo its guidance, Mr Payton proposed that the difficult; be got over by re-electing the formei committee. It was, however, explained that onh one member of the former committee wai a communicant. Mr Bish, as a member of the forme committee, declined te-elected, as his soli duty during the past year had beeng Mr Thorby stated that he continue to act as Churchwai'ciJHHH a collector were employed. . Aster a discussion of about an hour, ra meeting arrived at no conclusion on tin question of electing a Church Committee and the meeting adjourned sine die,