ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2417, 7 January 1888, Page 2

ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS.

The annual meeting of the parishioners of S. Peter's Church, Hamilton, was held in the Public Hall on Wednesday night. The incumbent, the Rev. R. O'C. Biggs, occupied the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Mr Templer, people's churchwarden, read the following report and balancesheet :— Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for thb Period Ending 31st December, 1887 :— Receipts: Offertories, general, £240 Sa 2d; special, £13 15s sd-£2(>3 3s 7d; refund, Ss Gd—£2o3 12s Id ; bank overdraft, £141 17s ; total, £405 9s Id. Expenditure: Incumbent's stipend, £200; verger's wages, £19 10s; Sunday-school site, £50; interest, £5 8s 3d ; special offertories, less £4 deducted from Homo Mission; £9 15s 5d ; repairs, £12 14* 7d; vestments for lay readers, £7 12s 10d ; linoleum, £3 3s 3d ; advertising £0 18s ; insurance, £7 14s Gd ; sundries, £13 Us 7d — £336 3s sd; balance, £69 5s 8d; total, £405 9s Id. In discussing tha statement of accounts which has been placed before you, it will be advisable, I think, so to arrange the figures that you may readily apprehend the precise position in which we stand. We began the year with a debit balance of £69. The expenditure for the year amounts to £336, to which must be added outstanding accounts £12, making a total of £417. Our only source of revenue has been the weekly offertory, which has yielded £263, leaving us at 31st December with a debit ballanco of £154. that is to say, £85 worse than last year. Taking this heavy deficit of £85 we will proceed to analyse it, in order that we may ascertain the cause of its existence. Subjecting the figures to this treatment we find ourselves at liberty to amputate one or two items, the removal of which will at once effect a sensible shrinkage. First there is the sum of £50 paid for the allotments joining the Church grounds, which have been set apart for a Sunday-school site. The conveyance of this property has been completed, and the land vested in trustees on behalf of the parish. On further examination we discover two other items of an entirely exceptional character, not likely to appear again for some considerable time— the cost of painting the parsonage fenci, £7, and the cost of providing necessary vestments for our lay-readers, £7. Deducting, then, the total of these abnormal items from our deficit, we arrive at the conclusion that the sum of one-penny more per head per Sunday from our average congregation would have enabled us to pay our way bravely. As it is the year's operations disclose the fact that our normal expenditure is £21 in excess of our revenue. Confronting ns is the stern reality of an overdraft at the bank of £151. There is feut one way at present known to men bv which a bank overdraft can be made to shrink. And first we have to adjust the £50 for the Sunday-school site, with which our ordinary revenue has been charged. And next, provision must be made for fencing in and effecting other necessary improvements to the ground. To this end the vestry appointed a committee to arrange a loan of £100 upon the security of the property in question. That committee has reported that the money can be obtained from the Standing Committee on the. usual terms, and the ve«try'have now to request the sanction of the parishioners to clo.io negotiations. The balance of the money not required for the purposes indicated will be applied in such direction as the vestry may deem advisable. Concluding tny remarks on this head, I think we may congratulate ourselves that our financial position is no worse than it is. We are not very fnr behind. We have happily no such thing as pew rents and subscriptions in suspense—that dreadful ltiill-stone round the neck of many a vestry—and with ths prospept of ;i brighter year before us than tho one just dead, we may—if we will—find ourselves better off when the next annual meeting comes round. Reverting briefly to other matters, the vestry na w e in their hands the resignation of the organist and the choirmaster. Tho former, after several years of faithful service, finds that she can no longar devote the time and attention necessary for the proper discharge of her duties. The latter is on the eve of leaving tho parish. Arrangements of a purely temporary nature, not extending- beyond a Sunday or two, have been made by the vestry; and, failing other satisfactory measures, it will be for the parish to advise the vestry as to the possibility or otherwise of securing tho paid services of a man who could combine the two offices. The institution of a staff of lay-readers enables the Incumbent to devote more time and attention to the work of the Church in tho out-lying districts attached to his cure. A project will be brought forward to-night, which, if carried into effect, will probably tend to bind and solidify those whoso Condition at present is isolated and fragmentary. It is proposed that representative men from tho outlying districts should be incorporated with the vestry of the mother Church. This question—if entertained at all—must bo discussed and decided upon before you proceed to the election of the vestry for the current year. Othor points of parochial interest will be touched upon by the Incumbent, and reports upon various branches of Church work will be treated upon by those whose function it is to deal with them. In reply to Mr Swarhjick, Mr Templer said the actual revenue for the' past year was £264, and that there was an excess of expenditure of £35. Mr Swarbrick and Col. Forties said that it would lessen the outlay of the funds if the lay readers paid for their own vestments. Mr Swarbrick said the state of affairs was a serious ono. All who have the interest of the Church at heart should come and do what they can to help to better the position. Col. Forbes said he regretted the congregation had not been put into possession of the true state of affairs before. Had they been aware of the situation, which was a senilis one, special efforts would have been rnadfi to l?aep. paoe with the expenditure/ The fullest information should always be given to the congregation, who should be taken into their confidence, and everything be done in black and white in order that all could see it. Mr Geo. Edgecumbe said they wanted to reach thoso who rarely or never come to church. In the old days of pew rents and subscriptions these parishioners contributed to the Church revenues. Some special means woulcj have to be resorted to in order to induce adherents of the Church so situated to recogniso their duty by contributing in an equal measure through the offertory as they formerly did under the old system of pew rents and subscriptions. Mr Edwards (Tamahere) said there are several at Tamahere who do not go to church, and who do not know what parish thoy belong to. Mr Templer thought the services should be made moro attractive, and that some plan could be adopted to make them so. The report was then adopted. Mr Stevens, Superintendent of the Sunday sohool, made his report, which was adopted. Rkpobt op St. Peter's Sunday School. During the past year four male and seven female teachers taught in the school. The approximate average attendance of the children was 40 girls and 30 boys. Last year thero was a debt of £8 12s Gd, the growth of several years. In the early part of 1887 a sum of £7 10s was collected,'' leaving a balance o.f 16s 6d. With the money which has lately been collected for Sunday school purposes, there will be sufficient to clear the debt, and to provide prizes. Miss Kingsley was again successful in the Teachers examination for Bjshop's prizts. Percy EJ. {Superintendent. Mr G. Edgecumbe congratulated Mr Stevens on the work of the school. Mr R. F. Sandes presented his report of the Church Society, which was also adopted. Report of Church Society. Though the proposal mentioned in my last report to so modify the constitution of the society by simplifying tho rules and admitting all new members on the proposition of an existing member, thus practically throwing it open to all qhurch members on the broadest basis, has not mot with the measure (of success which was anticipated, still it has been the means of attracting several new members for which we are thankful, and we feel certain th,at when the true aims, and objects of the society are more fully known we shall induce a muoh larger number to join us. The society has held ten regular meetings during the year, at which the average attendance was about fifteen, besides several informal meetings. Interesting and instructive pspers were read to and discussed by the society on the following subject? :—Church work, rationale of common prayer, having reference to tho construction of the prayer. pQok, th.e present condition' of Christendom (two papers), church work and the present condition of Church Work in India. The only qualiti-

cation for membership being ths fact that a candidate is a member of the church, I venture to hope that our numbers will be materially increased during I lie ensuing year.— ft. Fitzmauhick Sandks Lay Warden. The Chairman, speaking generally of the year's work, said the attendance at the services had been larger than in the previous year. He regretted tlio Sunday school did not show better results, and was disappointed there was not a larger membership in tho Church Society ; every parishioner should be a member, for the society was a ereat help to the Church, both in and out of the parish. Mr Swarbrick aaid the great object was to fill the church. There are many who do not attend, and everybody should bo drawn to the services. Everyone should share in the work ; tho man who professes to bo a Churchman, and does nothing, is a humbug. The election of officers was then proceeded with. The Incumbent selected Mr Swarbrick as his church-warden. Mr Swarbrick proposed d>l. Forbes as the people's churchwarden. Mr Templer, in seconding, said he doubted if Colonel Forbes was eligible, as he had not signed the Church register, which would invalidate any acts done by him. The objection met with some disapprobation ; but the Chairman declared that Col. Forbes was eligible. Col. Forbes wished to propose Mr Cowper for the office. Mr Cowpor said that, for the same reason raised by Mr Templer with reference to Col. Forbes, he was not eligible for the post. The nomination of Col. Forbes was put and carried. A long discussion arose as to the boundaries of the parish of Hamilton. Mr Templei contended that the boundaries of the Hamilton parochial district had never been authoritatively defined, and supported his position by quotations from a letter from the Bishop on the subject. The position of Tamahere was not clear, though the incumbent held regular services there. Col. Forbes thought Tamahere should be represented on the vestry. Mr R. F. Sandes said there was no doubt about Tamahere not being in the parochial district. Mr Swarbrick moved that the vestry consist of ten members, irrespective of the churchwardens, with one representative each from Tamahere, Tauwharc, and Puketo. Seconded by Col. Forbes and carried. The following gentlemen were then nominated and elected a vestry :—Messrs Edwards (Tamahere), Browning (Tauwhare), Nettleship (Pukete), Salmon, T. G. Sandes, R. F. Sandes, Hume, Cowper, Soppett, and Logie. Messrs J. S. Edgecumbe and LeQuesne were appointed auditors. Mr Swarbrick moved that the sum of £100 be borrowed for general purposes of the church. Seconded by Col. Forbea and carried. Mr Swarbrick moved that the paid services of an organist and choirmaster be obtained. Seconded by Col. Forbes and carried. Mr Edgecumbe moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Templet , and to Miss Newell, for their vi'-mMb services as choirmaster an i organist respectively. Seconded by Mr Salmon, and carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the reverend chairman terminated the proceedings.