ST. PAUL'S PARISH MEETING.

Evening Post, Volume XV, Issue 213, 11 September 1877, Page 2

ST. PAUL'S PARISH MEETING.

A meeting of the parishioners of St. Paul's Church, Thorndon, was held at the Sydneystreet school-room last evening, to consider whether or not all sittings in the church should be thrown open to the general public so soon as the bell ceased, in the morning as well as in the evening, the latter only being the rule at present. Great interest was token in .the matter by the congregation., and, notwithstanding the heavy rain, between thirty and forty ~ were present. The Rev. B. W. Harvey, incumbent of the church, presided. The Rev. Chairman explained the object' of the proposal to be laid before the meeting-, viz., that all persons who attended the Church, whether they owned sittings or not, should, be able to Jake their seats so soon as the bell ceased, and before the service began, instead of being obliged to wait until after the General Confession and Lord's Prayer had been said, and then allowed to seek for places after the first Gloria, causing great interruption to the service. It was thought that in future the sittings should be let with the condition that the seat-holders should be in their places by the time the bell ceased, after which the seats to be.; open to all. The question was for the parishioners to decide, Mr. H. S. M'Kellar then moved " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the rule as to the admission of non-seatholders to any vacant -sitting in the church so soon as the bell ceases, now in force at the evening service, bo extended to the morning service, provided that the sittings of any persons who object to the change shall be reserved as at present upon sending notice in writing to the churchwardens." Colonel Gorton seconded the motion. Mr. E. C. Field moved as an amendment, " That circulars be sent to all seatholders asking them to send to the churchwardens notice of their willingness to give up their seats at morning service so soon as tbe bell ceases to ring." x

A lengthy discussion ensued, Messrs. Quick, Halse, Churton, Cook, and others, speaking very strongly against the motion, which was warmly supported by Messrs. H. T. Clarke, D. Anderson, jun., and other parishioners. Ultimately Mr. M'Kellar withdrew the motion, and the amendment was carried by a large majority, thus practically shelving the question. The meeting closed at 10 p.m., with a vote of thanks to the chairman.