WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6473, 25 November 1881, Page 5

WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

The financial session was commenced yesterday morning, at eleven o’clock, when in addition to the ministers the following lay gentlemen were present:—Messrs Dawson, Mouldey, and Harris (Christchurch), Shierlaw (Colombo road), W. S. Smith and Cresswell (8t Albans), B, Wood and J. W. Smith (Lyttelton), Feryman (Springston), Hodgson and Thompson (Bangiora), Skevingtoa and Little (Woodend), G. Manchester (Waimate), Mailin (Temuka), Orr and Jones (Ashburton), with Messrs Bapley and Thomas, home missionaries.

A request was preferred by the Durham street circuit for an additional minister to reside at Woolston, which was agreed to, subject to tlu approval of Conference. The statistical returns required by the Conference were as follows: Churches, 47; other preaching places, 23 ; ministers, 18; home missionaries, 2; local preachers, 77; class-leaders, 60; full members, 1221; on trial, 502; communicants, 222; catechumens/ 221; deaths, 8; Sunday schools, 42; scholars, 4882; teachers, 458; attendants at public worship, 11,289. These returns show an increase of two churches and two other preaching places, one minister, and one home missionary, twelve class-leaders, 135 members, 413 on trial, and 45 catechumens. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Manchester, that the Secretary be directed to write a letter of condolence to the friends of the late Messrs Connal and Mitchell, who perished in the wreck of the ill-fated Tararoa. A motion that a column be added to the annual returns showing the number of junior members, was negatived by a large majority. A ballot was taken fora representative to the Stationing Committee of Conference, resulting in the appointment of the Bev W. H. Seek. Mr Dawson, District Secretary of Property, read his report showing the state of the Church property in tho district, after which the Bev Mr Simmonds moved that the annual property schedules be discon turned, and the information required be obtained in a different form. Thu was carried unanimously. It was decided that the District Secretary. be requested to compile a district register of property from the returns now forthcoming, showing the state of each property and the tenure on which it is held. The balance-sheet for the Home Mission and Church Extension Fund was then read, showing a total income for the district of £679 16s 7d. The estimated receipts for 1882 were £615 10s; and the following grants were recommended:—Lyttelton, £SO; Leeston, £26; Amberley, £SO; Waimate, £75; Temuka, £3O; Ashburton, £100; Malvern, £6O; Supernumerary Fund, £9 9s; Taumntu, £10; total, £399 9s Id.

The following information respecting new properties was presented: Church at Crescent road, St Albans, had been enlarged at a cost of £l6O, providing 60 additional sittings (no debt); Lyttelton, new parsonage (furniture), cost £BBBlos, debt £280; Broadfield, church improvement, £l7O (no debt) ; Horrelsvillo, new church, to seat 60, cost £l4O (no debt); Waimate, parsonage of ■even rooms, one acre of land, purchased for £l5O. The usual permission was obtained in the following cases:—To erect a new church on the East Belt, Christchurch, to •eat 460, at a cost of £2500; to build a school-room of stone in Colombo road, to accommodate 500 children ; to sell the present cite and parsonage at Leeston, also the churches at Geraldine and Temnka; new buildings to be erected in each case. Permission was also given to build a new Church at Willowby.