ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH. ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2797, 13 July 1866, Page 4

ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH. ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS.

A numerously-attended meetingof the parishioners of St. Matthew's parish was held at seven o'clock yesterday evening, in the school-house adjoining St. Matthew's Church, Hobson-street, principally for the purpose of electing churchwardens and vestrymen for the ensuing year. I On the motion of Mr. Stirling, seconded by Mr. Doonan, the Eev. Robert Kidd was called upon to preside, who opened the meetiug by reading prayers. The minutes of last annual meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman stud he believed it was usual at the annual meetings of the parishioners of that parish to have a statement made by the clergyman, referring to the more salieut points in the affairs of the church during the previous year. The Rev. Mr. Bree being absent, there was no such statement forthcoming ; and as for himself (the Chairman) he had piepared no statement, lie felt that it would be unnecessary for him to do so, even had he known he was to have presided, as they were all as | intimately acquainted with all the matters connected with the church and congregation. It was a matter for congratulation that the parishioners had been enabled to enlarge the church and to secure an organ, unsurpassed, he believed, in this part of the world. The congregation was evideutly in a flourishing condition. The best test of this was the amount of the offertories. These had nob decreased, , bub he believed had increased since the enlargement of the church. There was also another source of congratulation : the parochial schools were in a condition altogether a-ttisfootory. Since Mr. Taylor had become master of the schools, under his ex* perieuced management, witli the superintendence and assistance of the parochial authorities, clergyman, and others/ the schools were in a. most satisfactory condition. It was unnecessary to detnin the meeting further, and he would call upen the churchwardens to bring under their notice the usual business of the year. Mr. Jkhome Cabman said it was the duty of the churchwardens and vestrymen, by the rules of the Diocesau Synod statute, to surrender their position iuto the hauds of the parishioners to elect their successors ; and before doing that to bring forward a statement of the accounts of the parish for the past year, and ask the parishioners to assent to their adoption. .As they were not in a position to announce to the parishioner that they were free from debt be could only tell them why they were in debt. The first debt was a balance of £280, which belonged to the money borrowed from the endowment fund, for the building of the church. That debt had been iuci eased by the alterations to the church building for the accommodation of the parishioners generally. He thought at th« last annual meeting that they would be in debt at the end of thif, the last financial year, .a sum of £250, or £300 ; but the debts exceeded that amount, not because the estimates were incorrect, but because there were other works carried out for the convenience and benefit' of the parishioner*, which tb« vestry found it to be their duty to carry out, and incur the liabilities. They had expended upwards of £70 on the repair* of the school-house and the feucing euclosiug the ground. They also introduced gas iuto the ohurcb, and repainted it. Those were the items which had increased the expenditure beyond that which be had stated to the last meeting ; and he must say that he fully con cur i ed in the propriety of that expenditure, and thai the vestry had exercised due discretion wheu they authorised the expenditure.. It was essential to have the repair* done to the school • house, iv order that the s:hool might be carried on ; and he need not tell them of the improvement which the introduction of gai had made in the interior of the church. As to the item for paiutiug, it was necessary for the preservation of the budding that they should repaint the whole of the structure. The estimates for the work had not beeu exceeded ; but it was found necessary to do more work than Mr. Hall, the contractor had estimated for. With those remarks he would lay before the meeting a statement of the accouuts. tie then submitted the following statement of accounts, and cotmneotud' upon the principal items therein aa he proceeded :—: —

Net balance duo tbe Wanltns, four hundred and fifty-eight pounds tea shillings aud eightpence. J. WAYiIOtrTJI, HAKKNESS HAMILTON. He said the parishioners would find, in examining tbe account", that there had been a marked iucrease upon the whole of them, if c trusted by the end of the year the churchwardens appointed would be able to report the total extinction of the existing debt. By the parishioners contiibutin^ an extra sum of 3d. each a week they would be able to free their house of worship from debt. As he, did not intend again to address the meeting, there was one important matter to which he might allude. They were aware that some time ago a Bishopric Endow* njent Fund had been commenced. Although he hud been a member of the committee for some two or three years, he had not; atteud«d much to the meetings ; but the fact was that there vrtre no means provided by the members of the Church of England for the support of a bishop. The question would come before them next year, and they would be called upon to subscribe to the Bishopric Endowment Fund. They were not to suppose that they were subscribing to a fund for the maintenance of the present Bishop ; not that he did not deserve it, but up to the present time he had not received a single penny from the Church of England people in tbe colony. " The Bishop did " "not ask for an endowment fund for himself ; but like a wise and prndeut man as he was, he asked the people to provide for his successors by such a fund. If anything happened to his Lordship to deprive them of bis services, which, he (Mr. C.) hoped would not occur for many a year to come, he wanted the members of the church to be iv a position that they coulJ get the very best men they could obtain from England. The Bishop did not tuiuk the rich man was always a superior mau, and that it was very possible the man they would get to succeed him, although fully competent to do the vrork r , might b« in poor circumstance's aud shrink from taking the position, unless there f^aSoSumethiug^tO inain+.ain ]\\>n \n t,l»fl<: yn»ifcifin. There was no fund for the maintenance of a Bishop except the £400 annually given by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, every farthin». of which their present Bishop expended on the Church iv various forms. They would not always find ' a uian who could do as Bishop Selwyu did,' who up to the present time had never eaten a grain of salt at their expense. If anything was to happen to him, what inducement had they to offer to a gentleman, to enable him to live in peace and comfort 1 They all ku«w that, in times of distress, every one requiriug aid appealed to the clergyman and the Bishop." They were also expected to give contributions towards various churches. Unless the future Bishop of the Church were provided with means by the people, he could not possibly do whac was expected of him. They would also Cc in the po-dtion of those in other pares of New Zealand — they would have a very incompetent man, or one in whom the people would have no confidence. That was not the position the members of the Church should occupy. They had piovided for the miuister of the parish a f.md of £140 a-year, and it was proposed to raise a fuud for the maintenance of whoever might be the successor of their present Bishop. He (Mr. C.) had piomisad to men* tion the matter to the parishioners. By subscribing their contributions yearly they would. be. able te raise a sufficient fund for the purpose stated. He begged to move, "That the statement of acconuts read be received and adopted." Mr. IJamiwox seconded tbe motion, and referred to the valuable service* rendered by Mr. Cadmau iv the supervision of the improvements carried out in the church. Mr. Cabman observed that his colleague, Mr. Stirling, was entitled to much credit for the service he had rendered the church and congregation as churchwarden. The account* were adopted unanimously.

ELECTION OP CHURCHWABDKNS The Chairman said the &oxt business wan the •lection of churchwardens for the ensuing year. They were* ware that of the two churchwardens one was aominated by the minister of the Church, and the other elected by the parishioners. He rend a letter from the R«r. Mr. Bree, in which that gentleman noiniuated Mr. James Stirliug as, minister's church • warden for the following year. He (the Chairman) bad merely to declare, with pleasure, Mr. Stirling's nomination as churchwarden for another year. Mr. Stirling, in acknowledging the compliment paid him, said he would be happy to use his best endeavours for the general welfare of the parish and church. If there had been any little shortcomings during the past year, they would be able to provide against them iv the following year. Mr. J. Hkkdkrson ptoposed the re-election of Mr. Jerome Cadtnau. Dr. Horne seconded the motion, which was carried unai'imously.

Rt.BCTION OP VESTRTMKN. ' ' The Chairman said the next business before the meeting w»< tb* election of -tea vestrymen. The following gentlemen were severally proposed, seconded, and elected, after some discussion :— Messrs. Kichard Dickson, Thomas William Doonan, John Henderson, William Maude, Robert Walker, Harkness Hamilton, Jobn Davis, Captain Samuel John Williams, Dr. Hooper, aud Dr. Home, Mr. C.JF. Mitchell proposed » vote of thanks to the churchwardens and vestrymen for last year, for the great efforts they had made to meet the increasing requirements of the members of the Church of England. Mr. W. J. Hubst seconded the proposition, which was unanimously carried. .Onthe motion of Dr. Bobnb, seconded by Mr. ' Doonin, a cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr. J. Brown, the organist, and members of the choir, for tbeir valuable services in the church. ' . ' ' ' A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings. ' • >

General Accouut — Balance in Bank, June 30th, 1865 ... Balance in band, Juue 30tb, 1865 ... Offertories , Seat reuti Kent of tchool Sale of bell (loan from Bell Fund) ... Rent of parsonage-house ' ' .. ' "... HyinaaU »u1d .... ... Balance due Wardens , „. 56 2 6 18 2 10 «77 4 10 279 2 0 5 0 0 20 4 0 10 0 0 1 10 0 463 16 1 r'l • \ ' 5,301 5 0

Bell Fund— Joan to school bearing interest from 30th April, 1862 n Savings Bank •. Sale of bell , 85 1 5 ,19 15 1 20 4 0

Organ Fund — .n .Saving* Bank, June 30th, 1865, ... uterot oa Savings Bank STet proceeds of rehearsal iarmoniuiu Jalauce dv« general offertory 62 12 1 1 11 ( 124 17 i 42 0 i 75 14 : 11 0 6 0 1

Wood Church— Erening offer toriel Balance due general offertory 239 0 i 401 2 5 £640 2 9

June 30, 1866. Stoue-churoh Building Fund — In baud January 1, 1865 Invested on landed security ... Interest pa javeatmeut ii £ ». d. 23 13 6 2,322 0 0 355 10 6 £2,701 4 0

St. Matthew?s Church Accottnt. BECBIPT3. (Prom July 1, 1865, to June 30, 1866.)

June 30, 1866. < ' < Stone-church Buildiujy Fund—' Inturance ou interest .' > Invested on lauded security ... Inh»nd Mi. d. 115 0 ... 2,652 0 .... ; 47u 9 0 ; «2,701,4 0

BXMKDITCTI*. ' ; (From July 1, 1865, to Junt 30,, 1866.)

*\yood Church— . , 1( , „ » Balance due general offertory June SO, 1865 ... ... ' 913 0 Mr. 6. Ball (contract) ... :.. 410 0 0 Mr. G. Hall (extras) 4 3 6 Architect 29 2 0 Painting ... .. 63 12' 0^ Levelling earthwork, gravelling, 4a.. 16 7 0 Waitetnuta Archdeaconry; account — part principal, and interext of loan 102 5 3 Cleaning ■havings out of church ; ... <5 0,0 , £640 , 2 9 £640 ,2 9 * Th# aboTC *cconnt does not ihbfud«'£2§o/ rtill' owing to the Endowment Fund." J/ Jl :J 1} ! " r

(Jrgxii bund — Freight of organ F. Wilii* (final instalment) ... Cartage and storage Erection of organ Commission on sale of harmonium .Repairing pipf-s (organ) 71 4 160 8 6 11 54 10 2 2 12 0 0 6 • 0 0 I £306 15 6

Bell FundLoan to school, bearing interest from 30 h April, 1862 In Savings .Bank Loan to wood church ... 85 1 19 15 20 4 5 1 0 £125 0 6

General Accjuut — Insurance 48 0 0 Salaries 89 13 10 Cleaning school, bell-ringing, and sundries 7 2 0 Repairs to school, fencing, kc. ... 74 1 9 Church requiiites 36 0 0 Alms 40 0 0 Fodder for -horse 56 10 0 City tates 3 0 8 Chalic* 15 10 0 Curtains for organ 326 Gas-fitting* 81 17 1 Emptying cesspools 400 Advertising and printing 19 8 0 Commission collecting teat rents ... 13 19 6 Bent 27 10 0 Lamppost 2 5 0 Waitemata Archdeaconry 'account ... 176 18 0 Special offertories ..." 86 9 2 Wood church (evening offertories) ... 239 0 4 Synod 10 0 0 Prizes acd school feast 6 0 0 Interest 18 10 '6 In hand 5 5 5 Balance due from organ fund 75 14 1 Balance due from wood church £401 2s. 5d. ; deduct balance due June 30th, 1865, £9 13s. 391 9 5 £5,304 5 0

Auditors' Report, compared with vouchers, examined, and found eoirect — Balance due to the Ward- ns Less, in hand, per coutr* £ f: d. 463 16 1 5 5 5 £458 10 3