ST MATTHEW'S CHURCH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2657, 26 July 1887, Page 2

ST MATTHEW'S CHURCH.

The annual meeting of the parishioners of St Matthew's Church was held last evening (Monday)in the schoolroom. The liuv W.. E. Paige occupied the chair. Thefollowing ladies and gentlemen were preßent-Mosdames ■ Breuiner, S. F. Beard, .Boddiugton, iNiool, Paige Tabiteau, Vun Stunner; -Misses Beard, Keeling, Reminscnieder, Yon Sturmer, and Vnllance, Messrs W," H. and IT. R. Beetham, Bremner. Boddington, Fannin; Grundy, E. B. Hare, F, 6. Moore, J. Nicol. J. Payton, and Dr Beard, The Chairman apologised ' for not having mi annual report written and pre-' seated to the meeting, it being an oversight on the part of the' Vestry. .. He expressed great pleasure, on seeing so , many ladies present, especially as the parish was bo much indebted to them for for the material assistance rendered dining the past year. The Ladies Guild with wlrch he coupled the names of Mrs Stratford and Miss' Beard, deserved tho thanks of the parish for the efforts they made in reducing tho overdraft, tho sum of L 57 boing paid oft" by them during the year, and ho hoped that within a year or two they would be able to pay off their whole liabilities and thus relieve thoso gentlemen who were res"poiibiblo to the bank for the' overdraft. Ho said he considered it unfair of the Parish to allow those who had bo, kindly come forward in time of trouble to continue to bear the responsibility'of the church debt. In alluding to tho enlarge--iliout of the school, ho said that it was ..forced upon them by the overcrowded •state of the budding, which rendered it" •'almost impossible to conduct the school 'properly. lie thanked the gentlemen ■'who had go liberally responded to:his■■appeal and tool; up the debentures, as. it Enabled them to enlarge the school at . ftuce. Ho was pleased to see that all the • 'debentures but three had been paid off,' 'Mid the thanks of the parish were due to '.'the Ladies and Gentlemen who ■ kindly ' .assisted in raising tho necessary funds : Mesdames Boddington, Freeth,.. Xsicol, : .and Payton, and Messrs Boddingtoii,.. Freeth, and Nicol. It had boon.. found ■necessary to get the Church painted during the year, as it was really going to pieces for the want of repair. ' This kid been done at a cost of £25 the amount of. which had been specially -raised by J'. J. Freeth, to whom the thanks ot the parish were duo. The church and school room had been lighted with gas at tlie uost of £34 4.3. Towards this there had been.a subscription raised of £2978, There" liiid.beon a- 'failing off in tho offerterics of £3 Gs Id for the year," hut the amount, collected in tho box at the Church dooiunore.than covered the deficiency. There was a falling off in subscriptionsto tho ooueval fund amounting to £Bl3s; Notwithstanding tho several deficiencies there has been £lO Os 8d more-sent to tho general fund than last year. He explained that tho "general fund" only existed 'on' paper and-was not a general one at all, ,the money did not all eo- into one- general -account for the diocese as a whole, but each parkm or district-had a separate account. ,Tbe.o.verdraftwasatpresonfc£l 1 22 and had been induced by £sl6s, Healludcd. to the, valuable assistance of Mr W. Sellar who 'had kindly given up. salary and . .tfpmmicsioii. during the past 12 months ; '.and had performed, his work as secretary iu as efficient a manner as in previous years. The vestry, meetings had all been •of the.pleasantost kind, everyone appearing to do their beat for tho good of the parish. It would bo seen that although the liabilities appeared heavy, more nionoy had been received,. The Church had been • "painted and tho'sehool enlarged and he : -'could _ see no. cause- whv it should nob 'Vijjh.tjt.jeli if they had tho same kind of assistance from thoMieii hr the futures (iuiinp- tho past year, Thanks wore duo to tho Sunday school teachers for tho'pa'tt years work, at the sama time-he asked for more regular attendance Froni them. He. had endeavored to get a'-gentleman super-, mtemlentbut hadto give-it" upas'abad' job, '.,Thaiiks.:wete also" duo totlie two lay roaders Messrs Von_ Stunner' and' Grundy, and to those ladii* and gentlemen who had assisted in 'the choir and .at .their.entertainments:-' The balance ■ 'ehedt for the past year was read by Mr Sellar, showiiw receipts from offertories £llßl3s 2d, subscription and pow- rents £l9llßs-Id, Ladies Guild £sl 6s. 'The expenditure .'showed £213 15s, forwarded to, general -church fund, £72 5s 8d sundry accounts and I). Pickering gas fitting £34 4s. The assets wero returned at £229 li's 91 and the liabilities at L 412 Kis lid, a deficiency qf.LlB3 3s I'd, The Chairman moved the adoption of the balance sheet, ''■ Mr Payton, in seconding tho adoption, said he could see there was virtually a .floating-debt of abonfc L 250 over the parish which was -really a debt-of honor. Ho hoped tho undo portion- of the parisioncrs would make an effort to wipe it off and_fp.lt sure if they undertook to clear off orioHalf, it would soon bo paid, as thoy could safely leavo the balance for the ladies to liquidate, Tho balance Bheet was then adapted. Tho Suuday School and Choir' Fund Balance Sheets were read and. adopted, both.havihe a'creditbalance, and being ill , a sound financial position. 7 Mr F. G. Moore resignation of the Treasuvership of the choir, was acceptedwith .regret, and a vote of thanks accorded _ to liiiii_ for Iris past valuable services. The election of office bearers for the ensuing year ,theu-tbok place with, tho following results'": - Incumbent's Churchwarden Mr J. Nicol; parishioners churchwarden,.Mr W. T. Grundy ;. Vestrymen, Messrs S. Von Sturmer, E. B. Hare'; W, H. Beetham, W. G; Beard, and H. H. Smith'; auditors, Messrs Blackburn, and Tabiteau. Votes of thanks who accorded to the : : churchwarden and vestrymen for,the I ipast year, to Messrs Ton' Sturmer and ■ Grundy, lav readers, to Messrs J.' lon'is . andW. Sellar, auditor and socretary, respectively, and to those ladies and..gentle--men who assisted at. the choir and at the entertainments on behalf of the Church. Mr W. T, Grundy proposed a special ■ 'vote of thanks to Mrs 'Paiee'for-'her .valuable assistance as organist to the church, and said the parish were greatly indebted to that lady for the interest she had taken m church matters oenerally, and especially in teaching the choir. • ■Mr Beetham seconded the vote of • thanks, which was carried unanimously. •.""-■Attention' was drawn to the 'state of the Parsonage, which required papering throughout, painting, and tho roof tluroughly repaired. . The question was left for the incoming Vestry to deal with. The meeting then adjourned,.