CHURCH MEETINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 26, 1 February 1887, Page 3

CHURCH MEETINGS.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, DEVONFORT.

The yearly meotir.g of tbo parishioners of the above church was held last ovenkiß, in the schoolroom. Tha attendance was good, some ladies also being present. The incumbont, Rev. Joseph Batos.oscupied tbo chair, and briefly opened tho proceedings.

Annual Rbfort. — Tha Chairman road the report of tho vestry, -which stated that in March last tho church, which had been previously enlarged, had been formally dedicated. Tho parish now possessed one of tho finest churches in the diocese. A large room 45 x 30 had also been added to the former schoolroom. Owing to the ereat depression and unusual demands, consequent upon building, the ordinary revenue had decreased, the general offertory boinp about £24 lesa than that of JSSS. A diminution was also noticeable in the seat rent*. Tho bazaar in Octobor last realised over £400. Tho parish needed a parsonage, and they had now £400 in band to commence the work. Mr Hartley, the architect, had therefore been instructed to prepare plans for a houae, cost not to exceed £500, which would relievo tho parish of £C 0 a yoar now paid for rent. Finances. —Tho statement! of accounts was as follows:-Receipts: Osnoral offertories, £301 13s 4d ; Kpocial offertories, ;Uo 12* Sd ; seat rents, £130 7s Gd ; rent schoolroom, £19 5s ; endowment fund, 14? ; subscriptions, £415 14s lid; pareonago fund account, £202 la 3d ; loan from General Trust Board, £000: total, £1.688 8s 5cJ. Expenditure : Balan c due Bank of Australasia, £110 16a 4d ; interest, £4 16s 8d ; minister's stipend, £202 10s; organist, £30; verger, '£18 2$ 0d ; gas, £28 1/8 bd ; insurance, £14 lla 4d ; special offertories, £18 12* 5d ; rent of parsonage, £51 lie 3d ; church extension, £S00; church seats, £IUL>; Sunday-BChool contract, £126 15s; architect's conimiseiOD, £61 65.-Tho report and statement of accounts were rccoivod and adopted, and orderod to be printed. Appointments.—Tho Chairmanintimatea that the itov. Mr Long had taken charge of Northcote, Birkenhead, Chelsea, and Takapunu, so that there was an opening tor lay readers. Mr R. Cameron wasi nominated minister's warden, and Mr J Dunning ox churchwarden. Messrs D. McKellar, Burgess, G: Ducre, W. Philcox, J. Knox, Wynn Williams, Ed. Morton, Button, and J. Morrison were elected a veatry, and Messrs W. H. Brown and Bank 3 were appointed auditors.

OTAHUHU.

Tbebb was a large attendance at the annual meetiDg of pariahionera of Holy Trinity Church, Otahuhu—Kev. F. Gould presiding. From the balance sheet, read by Mr Hunt,

. hurchwarden, itappearod the total receipts fpr tho year were £249 2s 8d; including £40 10a lOd balanco from the year before Tho payments amountod to £231 9a lOd, leaving a balanco to credit of £17 12s 6d. The report accompanying stated that of tho £200 (ministers stipend) guaranteed by the Otahuhu part of tho parish of Otahuhu and Panmuro, only £135 2 3 Od had been paid. The general offertory was satisfactory, although some £9 lees than the year before, me numbor of communicants had increased. The project for building a pareonago had been laid aside for a time Tho amount to tho credit of tho par"P fand ia betwoen £115 and £120. The meeting thon proceeded to chooso oftico - bearors for tho ensuin"yoar. Mr Fairburn waa elected pooplo'a warden, Mr Shepherd was nominated minister a warden, and tho following wore elected members of tho vestry :—Messrs C. A. Bowden, Gordon, Kov. E. H. Gulliver, T. Hall, Hunt, Kympton, Luke, Melville, Scurrab, J. Toms. Messrs Hutton and Franklin woro elected auditors. Throe " sidosmon" were also appointod, namely, Messrs t'oreshaw, Hunt, aud Melville. Somo discussion took place relative to the minister's stipend, and it was oventually agreed that the meeting guarantoo a minimum of £100 for tho yoar, and authorise the Vestry to pay Mr Gould as much more a* they can get. Those present formed themselves kito a committee to collect £50 to pay tho balanco of Mr Gould's stipond.