Annual Meeting.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2110, 16 January 1886, Page 3

Annual Meeting.

Thk following report hus been supplied us by the Secretary : — The annual meeting of the congregation of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, was held in the chuivh on Wednesday evening. Only a small number «eie pie dent at the tea, but afterwards there was a fair attendance. The Rev. W. Evan* presided, and called upon Mr Hooton, who rendered with great taste a voluntary on the oigan. After the meeting had been opened with devotional exercises, the minister said the first item on the programme was an address from himself. He would not detain them long, but merely state that he believed the people in the colonies were more fond of change than those in the old country. He had now been eight years pastor of this charge, and as from recent occurrences, Inhad reason to believe the congregation desired a change, he wished them to understand that so soon as they could appoint his successor, he would be prepared to leave, and asked the members of session to take the matter into their prayerful consideration. The minutes of the last annual meeting were then read by the Secretaiy, Mr R. W. Sargent, and were confirmed. The sessional report was read by Elder Fisher, session clerk. The Secretary submitted the financial report as follows : — FINANCIAL REPORT, 1885. ! It is with more than ordinary feelings of thankfulness to the Giver of all good that your committee render an account of their work for the past year. On looking into their position after taking office they found the anticipated income inadequate to meet the ordinary expenditure, without taking into account the additional liability of interest on the temporary lo.ui. To add to the gravity of the position, a discrepancy between ordinary income and ospenditure had existed in 1884, making a debt on the general account of about £55, besides the debt which stood on the building improvpment account of £170. It was found some special efforts would be required to enable the managers to meet necessary expenses and interest on the loan, which interest would have also to be provided for in future years if the debt were allowed to remain. They therefore decided to grasp the difficulty at once, and remove, if possible, the whole liability. For this purpose the bazaar wius initiated, and through the hearty and cheei fill help of almost the whole of the congregation your committee are enabled to recoid its success. To the ladies who for months devoted their energies to the good object, and to the other friends in the congregation, as well as members of other churches who rendered help, the managers accord their warmest thanks. Subscriptions for the improvement account have been received, £34 10\s, and the result is that the debt on that account with interest, amounting in all to £108 2s 7d has been clearned off, besides which a sum of £32 2-. 9d has been carried from the bazaar to the general account. The subscriptions and plate collection?, and other items of revenue, though showing a derided improvement on figures of the former year, would of themselves have been insufficient to meet the expenditure had not an esteemed friend generously given a donation of £20 to make up the deficiency. The accounts close with a balance owing to the bank of £10 lfw Od, but against that there are some subscriptions still due for 1885, and surplus bazaar goods on hand, which it is intended to sell as soon as possible, and which will cover the debit balance. The ladies' guild ceased its active operations in June last, the members chiefly devoting their attention to preparations for tho bazaar. They have, however, provided the curtain round the organ, and have handed over towards the general funds £2 Gs 3d. Mr Brooks, Treasurer, read the balance■heet, also statement bazaar :—: —

JJ. J. JSROOKS, Treasurer

Elder Rhodes drew attention to a donation of £20 by the minister, and suggested that a special vote of thanks should bo tendered to the donor for his kindness and liberality. Elder Watt addressed the meeting, and commented on the action of the committee of managers in sending a letter to the minister, said to contain a reflection on him for not having visited certain members of the congregation. If such was the case, it should have been first brought before the session. Elder Fisher concurred in this view. By request, the Secretary read a copy of the letter which had been sent. The Minister addressed the meeting, explaining that the question of amount of stipend for the future, to which allusion bad been made, had no bearing on his reasons for stating his desire to leave, nor had the letter referred to given any offence, it being very kind and respectful in its tone. He felt deeply the reflections which were being made privately on his work, particularly with regard to his visiting the congregation, and concluded by moving, " That Elder Fisher take the chair." He then retired from the meeting. On the motion of Messrs Cameron and Ferguson, the reports, Sec, were adopted. Considerable discussion took plictf as to the best means of dealing with the minister'g resignation, which had come so unexpectedly upon the church, a strong opinion meining to exist that he should ba ajked to withdraw it, la order to asqei-.

tain tlio views of the congregation on the matter, it was ultimately decided to take .t poll of the niciiibeis and adherents on the subject by ballot, Messrs Sargent, Tlmni'on, and J. Ferguson being appointed ;i committee ti cany this out, and report to a meeting of the congregation to be held •in eailv as po«Mble. On the iimt on of Mcs-rs Brooks and Watt, a he.uty vote of thanks was accoulcd to Mr .Tno. M. Hally for the hbpr.il maiintM he h id dealt with the committee with ifg.ud to tlie loan which had leeeutly boen repaid. A similar compliment was j >aid to the ladies though whose energy and skill the bazaar had been so successful. The p>almody committee's report was then read by MrKincaid: — PnALMOin COMMirfEES REPOKT. The Psalmody of our services has been fanly well sustained during the year, notwithstanding that several of our musical friends ha\c removed from thedistrict. The mo-t impoit.uit of these was our late oiganist, Mr A. J. Evans, to whom the church is indebted for much valuable assistance in its Psalmody in the past year. No successor has been appointed as yet, the duties having been for a, long time very ably pet formed by Miss Koutter. The committee aie deeply grateful to this young lady, and also to Miss Rebecca Young, and Mr" Brooks who have cheerfully and efficiently supplied the place of a regular organist. The present indefinite position is however unsatisfactory, especially as it conduces to uncertainty with regard to practices, and the committee would recommend their successors in office to endeavour as .soon as possible to remedy the matter. The delapirlated condition of many of the hymn books in n-,0, suggests the purchase of others and as the new book called " Church Praise," approved by the Assembly, is regarded as a decided improvement on that hitherto in use your committee recommend its introduction here. It is already in use at Haut.ipu, and it could be used in cojunction with our present book in this chuichsoas to render it unnecessary for new books to be purchased by all the congregation for some time to come. It was decided that the question of change of hymn books stand over ; also that the present managing committee continue in office until the meeting of the congregation, to be held monthly. The Benediction, pronounced by Mr Elder Fisher brought the meeting to a close.

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£ s. d To balance from 1884 4 8 7 „ Plate collections 124 0 G „ Subscriptions to stipend fund and seat rents 130 14 0 „ Special donation 20 0 0 „ Netfc proceeds of annual meeting 1!) 7 „ „ „ Soiree 14 16 4 „ „ „ Bazaar 175 9 4 „ Improvement account, subscriptions &c 54 1G 0 „ Proceeds of sale of horse, table tops, sea ts, &c 6 010 „ Hymn books sold ... ... 8 G „ Organ account, subscriptions received... . 5 13 4 „ Hamilton committee 15 0 0 „ Donation from Ladies Guild 2 0 3 Balance, overdraft at Bank of New Zealand 10 10 9 Total 5«5 1G 0 £ s. d By stipend . . 230 0 0 „ Organist, church officer, incidental expenses, interest, rates, and insurance 51 5 G „ Improvement account ... 114 0 „ Interest on loan 26 3 3 „ Repayment of do 225 0 0 „ Coot of harmonium 7 10 0 General Treasurer, — for special schemes of the church 4 3 3 Total 5G5 16 0

3ost of improvements for 1884 Curtains .885, Door and handles Interest on loan £ s. d 251 0 8 18 0 16 0 26 3 3 Total ... 3y subscriptions for 18S I .885. By subscriptions, &c Amount from Bazaar 270 3 11 81 1 4 54 1(> 0 143 G 7 Total 279 3 11

'o invoice, freight and erecting lost of harmonium Salance to general account jo n. 11 173 17 11 7 10 0 G 5 0 Total '. 187 12 11 £ s. d \y subscriptions for statement, 1884 )o. 1885 'roceeds of American organ ... 151 19 7 5 13 4 30 0 0 Total 187 12 11

3J F, 11. Co cost toys, &c, for sale ... 88 11 Printing and advertising ... GO 7 Ciinber and calico for stalls . 2 9 3 fomt of hall 315 0 'nsurance, assistance, &c. ... 110 (5 Amount transfeired to improvement account 143 G 7 jeneral account 32 2 9 Total 197 19 7 £ s. d. By subscriptions 5 3 0 Sash at door 18 2 6 Stalls, No 1 00 18 5 Stalls, No. 2 51 14 11 Stalls, No. 3 37 2 11 Refreshment table 1(> 14 4 Christmas tree 8 3 6 Total 197 19 7

Balance Sheet For Year Ending 31st December. 1885.

Improvement Fund Account, Thinitv Church, 1884-5.

Organ Fund Account.

BAZAAR ACCOUNT.