TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. USE OF FUNDS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 35, 11 February 1908, Page 8

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. USE OF FUNDS.

The proceedings of tho Congregational Union this morning were chioHy concerned with the business of Church orgaiu-a-tion. The P.ibtors' Provident I'und Board's Roi-ojl ivai presented by the Hon. Li. Fovvlds, M.P., who announced that the capital fund had increased by £139 Os 8d during the year and now amounted to £2576 10s lid. The contributions from the churches and personal donations aro both considerably less than in thn prpvioua 3ear. Only four of the churches had contributed this year and the board respectfully suggested to the other churches to consider if they had done their duty in thib matter." Interest for the coming year should amount to £130, leaving £300 to bo obtained io bring up the capital to £30G0, the amount required to make the fund operative. In view of the coming year buinj; die 25th ol the union tho board recommended that the Eemi-iubiiec" should not be allowed to pass without making an effort to raise the £300 required' for tho purpose. ' The retiring member for the year, Mr. A.- W. Beavan, was re-fleeted. With rrgavd to the £300 required, Mr. Fowlds guaranteed on behalf of the Auckland district one-third of the sum, namely, £100. Mr. A. M. Lewis trusted that Wellington wonJrl not be backward in raising^ a dniilav amount. Probably Canterbury and Olago between them would provide tlfc remainder. A "BREEZE." Mr. A. T.indsay hinted that the poor fund of the Tcirace Church had been em- j ployod to add to the Pastors' Provident Fund. This raired a vehement protest from th" Rpv J. R. Glasson, who averred that nothing had been taken out of tho poor fund' for lh.it purpose. Spcciul coll^eMom at th<\ December communion services had 'been' de\otcd tc the Pnstois' Provident Fund. The Key. D. Hird, a« chairman, ondeavoured to pour oil on th.-> I rouhlfl i waters by hu^gcsljng that both 1 fctattmeni* fhouid bo accrptod vritn mental reservation?. Mr Glni'oii reiterated his objection.. ' Thn Hr»n. G. Fowlds paid hn uould make the position quite clear. It was ourtomaiy lor the church to takr (Ollection for the poor fund. Thr Torrace Church had monoj in tho poor fund for which no claims had been made. Instead of devoting collection* Io tho Poor tund, they haci bpen specificaiTy tot npart for tho Pas-tors' Provident Fund. The chiirch was perfectly justified in so doing Jiusinets was then resumed. MEMBERSHIP. The report of tho registrar, presented by Mr. L>. Hunt, showed that there had been a net gain in membership of the churoh of 76 an increase of 13* per cent., to which all the districts contributed. Tire mem?n£ l l at t , ho ue S'nnin?T of the year stood at dtii, and was now 2309. SUNDAY SCHOOLS. The number of Sunday Echook was tho same a? last year, while the scholars had n&jm from 2633 to 2654. Wellington was tho only district which Ehowed a definite increase, which was accounted for by the new work at Alictstown. Thirteen individual schools showed a moro or less serious decline. Thero had 'been a net loss of fivo in the number of teachers, which had sunk from 321 to 316. CHURCH PROPERTY. The value of church property had increased from £53,525 to £58,173, a net increase of £4648. Part of the increase was attributed to the rise in land values. CHURCH DEBTS. The debt had risen from £6064 to £7189, an £1125 increase. Manse debts had been deduced by £200. (Left silting). I

The Education Department has begun the issue of wall sheets for New Zealand schools, and the first series— a set of which is to be supplied to every State school — is to hand. It represents some of the mo.st characteristic -of the Xew Zealand flora, reproduced from photographs by Mrs. Matthews, wife of the Chief State Forester. They are on cards, twelve inches by ten, and are eight in number. They include the remarkable Raoulia or "sheep," the rare' celmi6ia, the great ranunculus of the Ruahine, the clianthus or "Kak'a-beak," veronica epcridea, etc. With each is supplied an explanatory note. The idea, is excellent. We understand that other series, including one of native scenery, aro to follow. Madame Clara Butt and Mr. lvennerley Rumford will give two fnrowell concerts in tho Wellington Town Hall on tho 3rd and sth of March. The box plan will be opened at the Dresden -ooms on the 25th instant. During tho height of the big* blaze in Christchurch last 'week several individuals of predatory instincts were seen to coolly approach the pile of salvage obtained from Mr. Berry's mercery establishment, to select new hats, and throw their old ones on to the heap. It will be recalled - that at the inquest on the late Mr. W. J. Moon, caretaker of Victoria Park (Christchurch), who died as the* result of burns leceived whilst attempting to beat out the extensive grass fire on the Cashmere. Hills, on 15th January, Sub-Inspector Dwycr intimated that the police intended making very searching enquiries into the origin of the fine. Reference was niado by one witness to the preeence of some small boys who were at the time near the spot where the fire first started. It appears, however, that subsequent enquiries made by the police have practically resulted in the boys being exonerated from blame. It is understood that, some empty lemonade bottles were found near (he place where the lire started, and it is suimised that !he heat of the sun being concentrated on the bottles fired ike dry grass . amongst ygbigh. .gxe , bodies ware Ijjgg^