SEATS AT ST. MICHAEL'S

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11877, 26 April 1904, Page 8

SEATS AT ST. MICHAEL'S

' —•— • I AN ISHfALID RESOLUTION. J An unexpected development took plac* ."S last evening in regard to the proposal to _'M introduce a system of free seat* in St. A,M Michael's Church. A resolution affirming-' ;|| the principle of free seats throughout tike church, and requesting the vestry to take ti-M such steps as they tliought most desirabje -\j_m towards carrying out the principle, was '£J| adopted at the annual meeting of pari-*- -yfM loners, on the motion of Mr G. W. BriV',t|,^ "■ At ihe meeting of the chnrch vestry lajrt.fJ|l§ evening a deputation, consisting of -lean w£a F. 11. Barns, A. W. Bennett, W. W. M. Millar, W. Barrett, B. M. lineanx, and Inspector Gillies was. received*J&lg The members" entered a fomaL,priries£.||||| against the resolution being carried effect, on the ground that the Brittan, had not been a resident-of parish daring tlie last twelve months,', TMlJipi deputation produced a legal opinion $&' effect that, under these resolution was null and void. .... / A On the position being explained, Mr tan could only express hia 'concnrrtnaaMJgp this opinion. - A' motion was adopted, -That this veatry ii of that the resolution passed at tha parish meeting regarding the abol_litt;*f|fHg seat rents, having been moved bym *P__Wm parishioner, is null and void, and cannot be carried'into effect.'' ]-;, .l^i^ii It was pointed out at the meeting "9Jf§faf already all seats axe free- the »" na last bell has finished ringing, the commencement of the service. - A -*|Vslf||i| gestion was made that, to ° !b crowding which often. takea place at j%;]|||S church entrance, all seate should t* in future from five minutes before ~,**fil||iH service begins. It is probable that such regulation will be adopted- by '?|!j|||9 vestry. _ -^_3|BH At present there are 300 seftU Jet, *tgi§3g| 450 are free, in the church, and «» m made for about 100 extra, seats, which *w|f||j of course, also free, on special '<^* The regulations provide that at Mast oy-sJa|j_j| third of the total number of seats ul,u *iS*i|^a Even now, when special serriots;. held, a number of people who prefer tain seats without renting them, are ac customed to make sura of their _*taemw by coining before six o'clock. The r Op-SlgH ponen-s of a general system of W? I***MsS point out that if the principle wete *».*-**JjJB a large proportion of the weald be forced to find «ats selves at a still earlier hour. ' . "^fWB A. tew parishioners of the church occupied tbe same seats for a* J <>B forty years, and would hardly be worthip properly if they sat "^*!ftßJ|H_B. Mr Brittan. speaking to a of "Tlie Press" after tbe vertry m *fj§lffl§ll| last evening, that he would be satisfied to see the principle ot ._________ M adopted gradually, after-tlie pariehi«fl|ig|i|| bad had time to become persnaded-.thaJHBHBI war» right. He thought it would tyPgjßSm good thing if a regulotisn were ''*JKJf|HHH making all feats' free from A** before the commencement of and he was content to leave the JBgttgjßlf-IS tliat, until the *yetem of free be adopted without any forobfevova-.- jj|| coming of prejudices. &' '^J__-