ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3560, 6 January 1882, Page 3

ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS.

ALL gAlNte* PARiSIL

I'HE annual meeting of the parishioners of All Sai-ts' took place last night in the Church, Ponsd nby Road, the Rev. E; N. Bree (incumbent) presiding. Abdut it)o ladies rind gentlemen were present. The reVi geptlemah having opened the proceedings with prayer, remarked upon the desirability of ministers being annually halted upon for a resume ,of parochial operations, and {hen entered into a tie' tailed explanation of his relations, with tbe Rev. Mr Edwards. He said that some months ago, as the congregation were aware, he Was taken ill in tho pulpit, and had to be carried out of the church. Mr Upton iiifotraed the Bishop of tho occurrence, and His Lordship at once came to hint anil said that something would have to be done iv the way of providing for the due fulfilment of the duties of his office. A tew days ln-ter the Bishop told him that he had found a man in wh.m lie had the greatest confidence, and that no one was Better calculated to do the work than the Rev Mr Davis, but that as he had not the power of making the parishioners pay the curate, he (Mr Bree) would haVe to make some sacrifice. He professed his readiness to give £100 out of his stipend, and the Bishop Baid he would send Mr Davis to him to make arrangements. Things were in that stoqe when Mr Edwards ca'led on him, and voluntarily proposed that he (Mr Bree) should retain the incumbency, but leave the parßonage; and pay him £50 a year for doing all tbe duties ot incumbent. Ho sent Mr Edwards to the Bishop, but His Lordship Baid that the appointment \vould have tß,_e mftde at the pariih meet. ilig, aiid therefore the_tatterr.malhodf.ra time in abeyance. He laid it before the vestry, and after Mr Edwards .had conversed with some of the parishioners, he came to him and told him that some of the parJ.shiob.ers could not see whyjhe (Mr Bree) should tie turned out. and he wou Id no t bom a on tiny consideration, unless it was the unanimous wish of the parish. Oa the same day, he (Mr Bree) wrote to the Bishop asking bim to return to the original offer -iVlth Mr Davis. He had had some experience in judging of members of his profession, and he told them all. that was required was to give Mr Davis fair and honest fluyi, If he were allowed to fto.onj tbey would see that lie woiild be woi-tli twenty Mr Bi-ecs. It had been »aid that he (Mr Bree) wanted to take all the plum, giving Mr Edwards only £50 a year, but the matter was not of his seeking. It was thrust upon him by Mr Edwards. After taking exc-ption to these arrangements being recorded in tho report, Mr Bree explained that he had taken round the members' rollbook in order that as many names as 'possible might bo placed upon it, as he did not consider that such a large parish should be ruled by a few people, , tie concluded by dwelling on the importance of choosing a good vestry. Mr Boardman said that a letter had been placed in his hands that evening, and as it bore on what Mr Bree had just said, ho would read it. It was from Mr Edwards, and stated, in referenco to paragraph 8 of the i.purr> that ho was exceedingly grieved that the subject matter of a private conversation had been introduced into the report, seeing that Mr Bree was naked by him to regard the matter as strictly private until further consideration, and especially as after consideration* ho thought it wiser to withdraw the proposition previously made, The gentleman then went on to show that the part of the report objected to by Mr Bree was hot ODly called for under the circumstances, but that its insertion was absolutely necessary. If Mr Bree had said before that the matter was private, aud that he wished it expunged from the minutes, they would gladly have complied, but he let it pass unchallenged when he signed tbo minutes, and as ho (Mr Boardman) Was appointed with other two gentlemen to draw up tho report, it would, be considered, have been a deviation from thoir duty to have kept such a filet from the parishioners. They were entitled to tbo fullest information from the records of the church on a matter of snch importance as tbe appointment of a minister. It was not fair, therefore, of Mr Bree to inferentially blame him. Mr Edwards had told him that he expected £150 from tbe parish in addition to the £50 from Mr Bree, aud that if he worked up the parish he expected tho full stipend. He pointed out to Mr Edwards that that meant a largely increased expenditure, and he now informed tho meeting that it meant this s Mr Edwards, if ho came for a small salary, would have a hold on tho parish, and when a vacancy occurred would have the nomination to the incumbency. One gentleman bluntly put it that it waa like selling- the living. Mr Bree had spoken about taking the book round to got names. Ho told Mr Bree it was highly improper _ nd unconstitutional to interfere in the election of the laity.

After Mr Bree had made sorno further remarks, the minutes wero read and confirmed.

Mr D. H. Evans then presented the following nnnu-1 report:—"The total incomo for church and Sunday-school, including a balance of £1 2s 3d brought from last year, has been £666 10s lid, or, exclusive of the Sunday-school, £G39 14s Id. This includes an amount of £114 received from donations, organ recitals, lectures, &c, leaving the Bum of £524 lis lOd as the ordinary income from pew rents, offertories, nnd endowment. The ordinary expenditure of the year-exclusive of that ou tho Sundayschool —for salaries, miscellaneous items, repairs, printing, and interest and sinking fund, has been £585 Is Bd, being £60 9s lOd in excess of the ordinary income. To this deficiency must be added £40, due on account of payments for sinking fund for tbe year, making a total dcficiency,therefore, of the ordinary income to meet tho ordinary expenditure of £100 9s lOd. From the special income of £114 tho sum ot £78 4a 4d was paid to clour off arrears of interest and sinking fund due at the beginning of this year, and the balance of £3515s 8d has been"applied to reduce tho deficiency of the ordinary incomo of tho present year of £100 9s lOd to £64 14s 2d, still due on this year's account, less of £4 16s 7d, sur. plus on the Sunday-school account; not deficiency, £59 17s 7d. Assuming the ordinary income of next year to equal that of the past, and thn expenditure to be about the same, making allowance for reduction of interest and sinking fund payments, there will be a deficiency at the closo of tho now year of about £85. The special loan of £100, borrowed in April, 1878, to meet special demands, has been repaid. The vestry suggest to the parishioners tbe absolute necesiity of tho necessary repairs to the tower and steeple being no longer neglected. During the past year tho Diocesan Synod has slightly altered the parish boundaries. They now are as follows :-From Ponsonby-road down Picton-street to Hep-burn-street, thence down Hephurn-street to Wellington-etreet, along Wellington-street to Franklin-road, across Franklin-road to England-street, along England-itrcet to Col-lege-road, thence down College-road to Frcoman's Bay. At a meeting held on December 13th, the Rev. Mr Bree informed tho vestry tbat in consequence of failing health and his desire tc escape tho worry and labour of parochial work, he had entortained an offer mado by the Rev. Mr Edwards, by which the former should leave the parsonage, and retire from all clerical work, though not resigning the incumbency ; that Mr Edwards would have sole charge of the parish, aa though ho were incumbent, would occupy the parsonage, receiving from Mr Bree £50 a year from the stipend of £300 voted lor tho incumbent. The All Saints' Ladies' Work Society have kindly prcse-ted to the vestry for the church the following valuable articles of church furniture, viz. : a rich embroidered altar cloth and coverings for tho kneeling stools inside tho chancel and outside the chancel rails; a carpet, two chairs, and two kneeling stools for the chancel; also a handsome stone font. The total cost of the donatious of the society to tho church was £64. The vestry tendered their best thanks to the ladies for thoir valuable gift of these much - needed and handsomo articles. 31st December, 1881." Tho balance-sheet was also submitted. On the motion of Mr Upton, seconded by Mr Jakins, the report and balance-sheet were adopted. Mr Joseph Payne asked that the minute authorising the vestry to pay the incumbent less than £300 might be read.

Mr Evans read the mi nute, which provided for a deduction of £50 from the stipend as interest for the parsonage fund, and a subsequent minute to pay the ftEl amount of the stipend. Mr Bree said the vestry had no power to alter the decision of tbe annual meeling, and when for six months they deducted a portion of his .alary they excoeded their

powers. Mr Masefield defendod the action of tho

vestry. After some further discu,sion the subject dropped. Mr Evans then read the report nnd accounts forwarded by tho Ladies' Work Society, aud ou the motion of Mr Muse-

[field; seconded, by Mr Crui.ksh__lt, a ! cordial vote of thanks was accorded tti the ladies who hdd subscribed £.-_ to renovate thechttrch; , _,_._. ' A vdie of thanks was dlso Accorded the churchwardens, vestry, and choir lot their valuable services, special reference being rriade to the manlier in which the books Had been kept by Mr Evans. The incumbent nominated Mr Oswald to tie rhiuiste. «i chtirehwartlen, and on the motion of Mr Upton, Mr Eviifis was uflani; mously re-elected people's churchv/arden. It wn. agree- that the number of tbe vestry be seveil, anfl sixteen gentlemen were nominated. The ballot resulted ;— Messrs Leigbto'n, 35 ; Boardman, 29; Maseficld, 27 i McKinstry, 25; G. Cruickshank, 24 ; Upton, 21 ', and Liish.., 2! ', Josefih Payne, 20; Jenkins, 19 ; Dacre, 19; Dutton, 18 ; Furbey, 15; Calvert, 15 ; Mclndoo, 13 ; Orchard, 11; and Grainger, 2. The first seven Were dccl.red to be elected. It was agreed that the salarien shOHld remain the same as last year. A vote ot thank, to the chairman terminated the meeting.