ST. MATTHEW'S PARISH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 120, 22 May 1901, Page 2

ST. MATTHEW'S PARISH.

THE NEW STONE CHURCH.

MEETING OF PARISHIONERS

THE TRUSTEES SEVERELY

CRITICISED,

ANOTHER APPEAL TO THE SUPBEME COURT.

A special meeting of parishioners of "it. Matthew's Anglican Church was held last evening in the schoolroom, ■rlobson-street, in order to consider the question of the much-talked of Siew stone church which has been agitating the parish for some time past.

The Ecv. W. E. Gillam (vicar), who presided, explained the position of affairs in regard to the stone church <md the trust funds, and strongly jondemned the action of the trustees 3u connection therewith. Many years ago the parishioners wanted a stone church built when the funds had reached £12,000, and on several occasions since that they had given expressions of opinion that the new church ought to be built, but nothing had been done yet. The trustees treated the parishioners as if the latter had no right to be considered in the matter, and acted as if they, the trustees, had the sole right to say when the church should be commenced. They " had managed the funds well, he must say that much, but they were not treating- the parishioners properly. They assumed ihe role of martyrs in the cause of ihe fund, but it was really the parishioners who were the martyrs, and .eho had been dictated to by these "»wo men for so many years. Mr Gilram then proceeded to sketch the history of the agitation for the erection of the stone church, since the legal action was taken in the Supreme Court five years ago to compel the trustees to act. The trustees had shown little or no enthusiasm for the work, and had throughout endeavoured to postpone compliance with the wishes of the parishioners. A great deal of delay had occurred in connection with the stone for the outside part of the work, which was to be procured from Te Kuiti. This Kuiti stone was fixed on as far back as December, 1898, but the matter was not settled yet. Mr Gillam went on to strongly comment on the delay especially in regard to the plans for the building. Ninety-five daya liad elapsed since the plans were received from London, and they were not copied yet. Even the names of the owners of the land were only #ot yesterday. The arrangements for getting the stone for the church should have been completed long before the plans arrived here from. London, so that the work could have been gone on with at once.

Mr Gillam then gave an account of the attitude taken up by the ■building committee, and stated that at the last meeting of the committee lie was voted to the chair and proposed a number of resolutions which ■were supported by Mr Whitehead, representative of the'parish on the committee, but steadily opposed by the two trustees. However, as chairman, he gave his casting vote in favour of the resolutions.

Mr Gillam vwsnt on to read the following- resolutions, which were on the tsame lines as f&*ase proposed at the meeting- of the Building Committee, and opposed by the trustees; and which he asked the present meeting(to sanction: "That this meeting of [parishioners sanction the action of the vestry in appealing* t,o the Supreme Court on the following points: (1) That Mr Campbell be instructed to apply to the Court that 3Vfr E. Langley, churchwarden, be appointed a member of the BuildingCommittee in place of the late .Archdeacon Dudley; (2) also to osk the Court that the Vicar of the parish be appointed chairman of the committee;

(3) also to ask the Court to give the committee power to fill vacancies that may occur,from time to time on the committee by the appointment of parishioners; (4) also to ask the Court tfo order that in the event of the death of one of the trustees, the vestry shall iave power to nominate a parishioner io fill the vacancy; (5) also to ask the Court to order that the committee phall have power to apply to the Court for directions as a committee, without reference to the action by St. •Matthew's v. Burtt and another; (6) also to ask the Court to order the appointment of two auditors, one by the trustees and one by the vestry; (7) also to ask the Court that the committee shall have power to instruct and direct the trustees as to the time «nd manner of calling in the funds invested, or order that the trust shall be idctermined."

Mr Rider moved the above resolution a and Mr Lee seconded them.

Mr Gillam said he believed the opposition of the trustees to the appointment of the Vicar as chairman of the committee was a direct insult to the parishioners. He (Mr Gillam) ■would sooner resign his appointment as vicar of the parish at once than run round to 'Archdeacon Calder or the vicar of ■any other parish to act as chairman and settle every little detail in connection with the church. (Applause.) The proper chairman was the vicar of this parish. (Applause.) He asked the parishioners to approve the vestry going to the Court on this matter. In regard to the auditors, it was a most (remarkable thing that the trustees should have power to appoint their own auditor, and that the parishioners should be debarred from appointing theirs. If the parishioners' would Support the vestry in this matter the vestry would fight the matter to the idcath. (Applause.) At present the parish was a laughing-stock to the whole community. But let them once get parishioners on the committee, and the mention of St. Matthew's Btone church would cease to provoke a smile or a sneer from people outBide. (Applause.) Mr E. Bartley then, in answer to the •Vicar, gave some information concerning the Kuiti stone, and replied to Several questions about the plans. The delay in connection with the copying of the plans was quite unavoidable; it could not possibly have been done in Jess time'; The site for the stone near To Kuiti had been selected in 1899; 3»ut through various reasons, chiefly 3he fact of the place being Maori land $bey had not been ab]e to p-^ to work

as expected. Arrangements had been made but the lessee who was to have supplied the stone went bankrupt, and the lease was broken. They had a tender to supply the stone from the quarry. Mr Gillam said that that tender was never produced before the committee. Mr Eartley said the tender was before the committee several times. Mr Gillam: The committee have never to my knowledge heard that there was a definite tender for the supply of stone. Mr Bartley said that the lessee he ! had mentioned had given a definite price to supply stone at so much a yard. That tender fell > through owing to the financial ■ position of the lessee, but fresh ar- ! rangements had now been made with the natives to get the stone out, a certain sum for royalty having been fixed. The resolutions read out. by the vicar were now moved by Mr Rider, ■ and seconded by Mr Lee. Mr James Burtt, one of the trustees, expressed his regret at the hostile attitude of the chairman. The trustees had had a very difficult task, but they f-ould sincerely say they had carried i out their trust well Since 1574, when I he first became a tustee, the fund had ■ grown from £5000 to £29,000. Ile- - garding the auditors, the parish once t appointed an auditor of the trust fund ; accounts, but made himself very cliai agreeable to the trustees (laughter). • The present auditor (Mr Way mouth) l was, however, an excellent one for the » position; he was auditing all the other < church accounts, and he could surely . be entrusted with this. He (Mr Burtt) » did not see why the parish should be put to the expense of a second auditor. > Mr Waymouth had expressed his plea- [ sure at the economical anil excellent f management of the funds by the trustees. As to the plans, they could I not be got out in a hurry; a great , deal of the delay was quite unavoidable. \ The trustees had had a trying time, and they would be very glad to hand over the whole charge of the fund to the ■ parish. A voice: Query! \ Mr Burtt: Oh, there's no query at ! all. The trustees, he continued, considered it was their duty to see that 1 the fund was properly administered, and that it was not diverted to any ; outside purpose in the parish, but I devoted solely to the stone church. - The Supreme Court action alluded to J by Mr Gillam, which had cost the fund' " : £300, was the fault of the parishioners. t Cries of "Xo, the trustees!" 1 Mr Burtt: No, it was the parish- > icners. Speaking on the question of the com- > mittee chairman, Mr Burtt said Arch- ' deacon Dudley had been appointed J chairman because he was an outside J man, and able to take an independent - and unbiassed view of things. That i was why, on the death of the Arch--3 deacon, they wished to appoint Canon t Calder to the vacancy (laughter). 3 Mr Gillara said that Mr Burtt had i come to him the day before their last - meeting, on May 10, and told him that - in his opinion the man who should i be chairman of the stone church committee was the vicar of the parish. He I (Mr Gillam) then suggested the name ; of Mr Langley as a member of the t committee, and Mr Burtt agreed to , that. Then Mr Burtt came down to '. the meeting and proposed ■ Canon y Calder. Was there any reason for that change? ,' Mr Burtt said yes, that he merely " r wanted as chairman the man who would have a double vote—a man who * would not be biassed and could take an unbiassed and independent view of things. ' Mr Gillam: The fact was you in--1 tended to control the parish. What 1 bias do you attribute to me? Mr Burtt: Of course you would be biassed. I say as a matter of course ! you woiild support the parish. ("Hear, ; hear," and loud applause.) Mr Gillam: Why not? ! Mr Eider asked whether the church was being built for All Saints' parish 'or for St. Matthew's. (Applause.) 1 Mr Whitehead said he wanted to be ' satisfied as to the value of the securities on which the trustees had ad- ' vanced the trust funds. The trustees '■ had never even offered him any in- ! formation whatever as to the value of the .securities. '■ Mr Burtt, replying to Mr Gillam's "' remarks about the chairmanship of the \ committee, said he (Mr Burtt.) had - changed his mind on the subject of ' the chairman, and second 1 thoughts vrere often • best. ' (Laughter and hisses.) Even the great ' Gladstone had had his second thoughts. 5 (Laughter.) Eegarding the securities, ' they were all laid before the coramit--5 tee some time ago, and the members - expressed themselves entirely satisfied. . Mr Whitehead could see the securities i at any time, but he had never applied - to see them. He could see them now i any time he liked. i Mt Whitehead said that the securi- - ties of four years ago might not be i the same securities now. (Hear, j hear.) The trustees could have periodi- ■ cally tendered an account of the 5 changes in the securities, for the information of the committee. The resolutions submitted by the vicar were then put to the meeting and 3 carried unanimously.