PARISHIONERS' MEETINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 101, 29 April 1913, Page 6

PARISHIONERS' MEETINGS.

ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL. . _ Tbe annual 'meeting bi the oi St- Mary's cathedral, Parnell, was held last ■:', evening, the Vicar u«ev. Cduou Mac Murray),•'•.■' presiding. . 4 - -. The annual report expressed much regret at the serious acciueut which beiell the Vicar (tue Rev. Cauou Mac Murray) ' iv January last, depriving tue- parisii ..;,; of his services tor several montua.. The vestry expressed the hope that the 7 vicar's health might"'hot sutler by his return to duty, aud acknowledged the beip' given, ' by the Bishop and . clergy, particularly;. Archdeacon iiawkius, during Canon MacMurray's illness. M'hu accldeiit'''to tiie vicar, it was lert, cinpiiasist-u ttie ausolute necessity, lor obtalnlug the services of a curate. "At . auy Turin,'.' tne report stated, "it.is quita L. impossible for one clergyman to. properly; '. attend to the whole work of tbe parish, and there is no doubt that church' wort in the parish has suttered through the in- ■ sufficiency of elerjjy. " Ttie vestry hava . authorised Canon Mac Murray to. offer a , suihcient stipend," and it is hoped that a, suitable man may shortly be secured." The - progress made by file Sunday-school; whicii was lv charge bt Air G.. ivotuusou, \. as cult-' sidered highly satisfactory, as the attend- ' aiice had :»o increased tuai to accouiuiutiiits; the scholars it had beteu necessary to take".7:: advantage of an offer by the Bishop of ttie use of the Bishbpscourt library .for school purposes. The services of the Mile" of Shillings Committed" (which has succeeded •-• In reducing the debt on the Cathedral by,-;.', £100 during the year); the Mothers' Union, . choir, Sanctuary, Decorators" and Women's Guilds, and the Church of England Men's ■-.-:-■ Society were gratetmly acknowledged. Tha vestry hoped to cltear off the parish debt during the coming year, but it was faced- ' with a heavy, necessary expenditure on thar renewing of fencfes, r'e-robflhg the hall, and improving the grounds, all of which were ex., pected to absorb moet of the funds In hand. In regard to the future policy, the report, stated that parishioners would De askea to contribute to tfie cost of extra clerical : assistance, ari'effort would be niade to get'' v rid of the debt, aud to obtain funds for tha; enlargement of the school buildings. Sub-:, : seijueutiy-it was hoped to inaugurate au en- -. dowment fund to draw upon In cases; of 7' emergency. The financial statement snowed a substantial Increase ,in offertories, but a decrease in pew rents, thfe yeiir ending . with a credit balance of £163 13/11-' Refer- . ence was made, in the report to the..erection of a two-light window in the Cathedral 7 in memory of Mrs. Cdwle, and the futura .-.■",-' erection of another in memory of Mrs. Selwynr, ..- -.-. The election of officers for the ccainß year resulted as. follows:—Vicar's warden,' Mr J. C. Dove; parishioners.' warden, Mr J« P. Ridings; vestry. Messrs E. Brooke-Smith, D. Hay. H. P. Kissling, C. J. Brook, J. P.. 7 Colegrove, R. C. Grigsby, Jas Pee, V. C( Cooper, ti. .T: Symes. and W. Prater; hon.; auditors, Messrs H._ Gilfillan and W. R* Holmes. A resolution supporting the Bible- ' iu-Schools movement was-adopted by tha , meeting. '7 •"" _ . • .".-;,&*;;

ST. MATTHEWS' CHURCH. %?ss& r :-L. . , ■ . r.., ... ~^vl7

Thfe report to be. presented at the annual •,■■:.- meeting of the parishioners of St. Matthew's', Church to-night Shows that the past rat \ has been one of steady progress. The'total' •■'; njieipts for., the year ending 31st March," 1913, wfere £1540.3/10. an increase upon the - previous year. The offertories reached the sum of £982 14/4. the largest amount"yet ': reached in this direction, the contributions .•■-' for general purposes amounting -to £i~O 19/6, while those for the poor fund reached £23 18/. Contributions from lhe parish" for missions, etc, amounted to £210 11/2, "ma this sum was distributed amongst home and foreign missions and the sick and needy- ' During the year a Successful effort has been made to raise 5000 shillings for the redaction:, . of. the debt ou the buildings..and bag .resulted in the clearing of the debts of CM on the vicarage and the payment of £50 or the parish hall dCBL The only outstaadinff liability for the parish now Is £450 on th* ; parish hall, and it is hoped to clear"" tale*' debt before the close of the ,present financial year. The effort to raise moneys,» build a boys' institute has been somewhat, ■ in abeyance during the past, year, owing t* the necessity of clearing off debts, but is hoped that the scheme will go forward ...- with a fresh impetus, during the current y year. "■ .■ ••. \'.\ The report of the vicar (the Rev. W. B. Glllam) indicated that important develop* irients have taken place in the Sundayschool. The kindergarten department Is noiv .■ divided into three grades, each with Its bead teacher and band, of young helpers. . For nearly a year a branch Sunday-school has been at work in Freeman's Bay. where ftooowork has been dbne amongst the children who could not come up to the main school. The school has been carried on without ex- ■. pense to the main school or to the vestry. During the year there have been 207 baptisms (including three adults). 84 wedding* and 44 burials. . • •■'•".' -'-':;'