Wairoa News.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 179, 6 August 1901, Page 1

Wairoa News.

(Times Special Correspondent.)

The annual meeting of the parishioners of the Wairoa parochial district took*placo on Wednesday evening, the 31st July, in the Jubilee Hall. A select programme was gone through, some of the items being of exceptional merit. The glees especially were well sung, the voices blending very harmoniously. The programme opened with a nicely-executed pianoforte solo, by Miss D. Hewett. Song, “ Queen of Angels,” by Mr C. Roberts, was sung in a delightful manner, he did not respond to an encore. Tho glee, “The Carnival,” by the glee party, consisting of Mesdames E. Gardiner and Briggs, Misses Mason and Bax, and the Rev. Mr Butterfield and Dir Roberts, was undoubtedly the gem of the evening, and was deservedly encored. Tho song “Dream Angels,” by Mrs Briggs, with violin obligato by Miss Sargisson, was delightedly rendered. An address followed by the much respected vicar, Rev. Mr Butterfield. After referring to the departure of the Rev. Cato from the parish, which took place at the ond of November, 1900, the services being conducted by the lay reader, Mr W. Mayo, until his arrival at the end of

January 1901, the speaker proceeded: I have to thank all those who received us so hospitably both in the Wairoa, Erasertown and country districts. Services have been held as usual in Wairoa, but owing to the most inclement weather I havo had to omit holding services on one or two occasions. I have visited most of the outlying districts, holding services at Waikareinoana in Mr B. Lambert’s woolshed;

at Nuhaka and Mohaka, also at Tiniroto. The Presbyterian Committee kindly placed their chapel at my disposal for which they deserve the thanks of the Church and its parishioners. We must accord the same to the Committee of tho Tiniroto school, for the use of their schoolroom, also to Mr B. Lambert for the use of his woolshed.

I hope to finish my visitations of tho rest of the district this summer. lam afraid with the exception of a few zealous church people in the outlying districts, the rest are very indifferent as to attendance at services. I regret that at present I can only make three visitations in the year to the country districts and I hope that the parishioners in each district will endeavour to attend more regularly at the time of my visitations. There, should be a lay reader in every district where there is a schoolroom or other place suitable for public worship. A class has been formed for children attending the public school, at 15.30 p.m. on Friday afternoons, and is fairly well attended, but I hope it will bo much better attended when the weather becomes more suitable. It is a great blot to our system of education that religion should be absolutely excluded from its classes, and that we should be compelled to hold special classes, when the children are already tired after a hard day’s work

in school hours. I only hope that all parents who havo children of a suitable age, will see that their children attend, I shall also be pleased to welcome parents whenever they wish to come. A class for confirmation candidates was held during March and April, and as the notice was so short I was unable to accept very young candidates, nor any who needed much instruction. Ten candidates were confirmed by the Bishop at Easter, three males, and seven females. I hope to have another class before next Easter, when it is hoped a greater number will be eligible for Con-

firmation. The class was continued after as a Bible olass, but I am very sorry to say only a few availed themselves of the instruction. The Sunday - schools at Frasertown and Wairoa have been under the charge of Messrs!. E. Taylor and W. Mayo, and have done good work. The Sunday-school gives an excellent object lesson of that which lights up all our work through our unhappy division. The number of children attending Sun-day-school at Frasertown is nearly doublo of that attending at Wairoa. Tho number of communicants on the roll is 40 (18 males and 27 females). I much regret that the 8 o’clock are not better attended ; young people should make an effort to communicate at the 8 o’clock service as often as possible. Twenty-three children have been baptized during tho year, and four marriages solemnized, which makes a summary of the work performed during the past year. Instrumental trio, “Cavalry March,” Miss Mason (piano), Miss Sargisson (violin), and Mr Roberts (flute), was most tastefully rendered ; song, “ La Serenata,” Miss Mason, with flute obligato by Mr Roberts, was very nicely rendered, the lady declining a well-deserved encore. . “ The Song of the Hop-pickers,” by the Glee Party, was another gem, and again the part singing was heard to perfection. Song, “ One Speech, One Flag, One Empire," by Mr A. Cato, was sung in that gentleman’s usual finished manner, and in responso to a well-deserved encore, he repeated the last verse. The next item was an address. Mr J. W. Sargisson, the people's churchwarden, gave an address and a resume of the financial position of the church. There was a credit balance of £9 8s 6d, a credit balance being quite an unusual circumstance in the church’s history. However, the vestry was pledged to roof the church, line the schoolroom, and paint and renovate the fence round the churchyard, which would probably cost some £BO, so that the members would see that no sooner did the vestry get out of debt than they got in again quickly. The vicarage had been painted and thoroughly renovated at a cost of some £B9, which had more than absorbed the special offertory collection made for the purpose (£3O). But so unblushing were they in thendemands (laughter) that the Vestry recommended that another special offertory should be made at Christmas time. The balance-sheet showed £25 collected for pew rents, £lO5 for offertories, subscriptions to stipend fund £SB 16s 6d. The latter item showed a slight falling-off from the previous year, but there were two or three considerable sums duo which had not been collected. Mr Sargisson said that whilst many church people did their duty and subscribed to the funds of the church to the best of thenability, still there were a great many, especially in the country district, who did not contribute at all. He trusted that churchmen in the district for the coming year would display more enthusiasm for the welfare of the churoh of their forefathers. He thought there was every inducement at the present time for displaying more zeal for and interest in the church. The speaker concluded his address amidst considerable applause. Song, “ Kathleen Aroon,” by Miss King, was sung with perfect taste and precision, and deserved the most enthusiastic encore

which was given. Although the young lady was suffering from a severe cold, she had to appear again, and sang the last verse. “ Plymouth Sound,” by Mr Cato, was well sung, just escaping an encore. Mr Roberts then delighted the audience with his rendering of the song “ Maid of Malabar,” and in response to a vociferous recall sang the Rip song from the opera “ Rip Van Winkle,” which was a decided treat. The glee “ Homeward,” by the glee party, was well rendered, after which “ God Save the lung,” during which three ringing cheers were given for our Sovereign, finished tho perormanee. The accompaniments were played by Misses Sargisson, Mason, and D. Hewett, and Mr Roberts. A substantial supper was then handed round, which, needless to say, all enjoyed.