PARISH MEETINGS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7222, 23 April 1884, Page 5

PARISH MEETINGS.

ST PAUL’S, PAPANUI. The annual meeting of St Paul’s, Papanui, was held in the Town Hall, on Monthly evening. There was a fair attendance of parishioners. The parish accounts showed a state of liability amounting to ,£llOs Is lOd, while the assets amounted to .£207 2s. Amongst the liabilities was the sum of £132 Gs Gd due to the firm of H. Matson and Co. Mr J. T, Matson, who was present, said that, under present circumstances, both interest and principal should be written off. A vote of thanks to him for his great liberality was carried by acclamation. It was announced that the sum of £SO was lying to credit of the Organ fund. A resolution was carried to the effect that all moneys arising from the sale of burial plots should go to pay existing liabilities, and that monthly contributions should be collected for the same purpose, Mr Eldred was nominated as churchwarden by the Incumbent, and Mr Dunnage unanimously elected parish warden ; a vote of thanks was also accorded to him for his past untiring efforts on behalf of the parish. The following gentlemen were elected vestrymen by baUot: —Messrs T. S. Weston, G. Harper, W. Noman, Paul, C. Jennings, T. Stanley, Nunweek, Johns, and T. Wilson. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings. ST SAYIOUE’S, SYDENHAM. The annual meeting of the parishioners of St Saviour’s, Sydenham, took place last evening. The chair was occupied by the Eev H. B. Cocks, who opened the proceedings with prayer. The annual balancesheet was then laid before the meeting. It showed that the receipts had been MIG 2s Ojd, including offertories .£202 Os IOJd, and that the expenses had been £428 Is 3j d, leavin ga debtor balance of £ll l9s 3d. The receipts on the Sunday school account had been .£3l Gs 2d, and the expenditure £26 12s 9d, leaving a credit balance of £4 13s sd. The Chairman briefly addressed the meeting, pointing out that the balance-sheet showed an improvement in the financial position of the parish. The spiritual work of the year had also been satisfactory. Mr Baldwin, parishioners’ churchwarden, explained the items of the balance-sheet, showing that the offertories and subscriptions were in excess of last year, and that the parish had been enabled to decrease its EabiEties. The Chairman then nominated Mr Sherlock as his churchwarden. Mr Baldwin was unanimously reelected parishioners’ churchwarden, and the following gentlemen were elected as vestrymen : —Messrs Gee, Peacock, Denham, Goodman, Dutton, Monday, Hurtzel, Sayle, May, and Jacques. Votes of thanks were passed to the organist, the choir, the Sunday school teachers, the Ladies’ Wort Society, and the retiring church officers. A similar vote was accorded to the Chairman, and the meeting was closed with the benediction.

ST STEPHEN’S, ASHBUETON. On Monday evening the annual parish meeting of St Stephen’s Church, Ashburton, was held. Eev E. A. Scott, the Incumbent, presided, and there were about 60 or 70 parishioners present, including some ladies. The Chairman gave a very satisfactory report of the church’s work for the year, speaking in highly compEmentary terms of the Sunday School work, and of the work of other agencies for good in connection with the church. The balance-sheet and financial report were then submitted, the former showing the total indebtedness of the church to be .£635 10s 3df a reduction of <£3oo on the year. After some routine business had been transacted, a motion to aboEsh pew rents was discussed, and ultimately carried. Mr P. T. Mayo was appointed minister’s churchwarden, and Mr E. S. Bean the parishioners’ churchwarden. Vestrymen were elected as follows : Messrs Jameson, Pritchard, Harrison, Caygill, Dempsey, Poyntz, Simmonds, T. H. Zouch, John Curtis, and Dr Trevor. The usual votes of thanks concluded the meeting.