ANNUAL PARISH MEETINGS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7223, 24 April 1884, Page 5

ANNUAL PARISH MEETINGS.

merivale

The annual meeting of tho parishioners of St Mary’s, Merivale, was held last evening in tho schoolroom. There was a largo attendance, including several ladies. Tho Rev T. Flavell, Incumbent, presided, and, after opening the meeting with & short prayer, said there was one thing which ho was pleased to notice. It was that a proper and kindly feeling of unanimity prevailed amongst the parishioners. This was all he wished specially to refer to; tho other matters- of interest would be mentioned by the Church officers, Mr E. B. Cox, parishioners’ churchwarden, read the annual report as follows : “ In presenting the annual balance-sheet tho churchwardens and vestry regret that the expenditure has exceeded the income by J 237 lls 7d, to which has to bo added £SO Os Cd of outstanding accounts unpaid, making a total of 2887 12s Id ; against this sum, however, may be put JBI7 of pew-rents still to be received, thus reducing the year’s excess to £7O 12s Id, against an excess last year of .£BS, The general expenses for tho year amount to .£564 4s sd, and the receipts to J)s2ti 12s lOd; the overdraft at the bank, including [the balance from last year, being JJ3B7 10s lid. A statement of assets and liabilities has been carefully prepared, which shows an excess of liabilities over assets of .£BB 3a lid; to prevent this increasing, and if possible to place the parish in a sounder financial position, a scheme of retrenchment will be suggested to tho incoming vestry —the Incumbent having already offered to return another <£so of his stipend. Tho hearty thanks of the parishioners are due to Mrs W. H. Lane for her gift of fair linen for the Holy Table; to the choir and Sunday school teachers for their efficient and regular services; to the Ladies’ Working Society for their efforts to clear the Organ account and to provide funds for the Sunday school ; and to the promoters and helpers of the parish entertainments and theparishflowershows. Thomas Flavell, Incumbent; W. H. Shaw, E. B. Cox, Churchwardens.” The balance-sheet was taken as read.

The report was received on the motion of Mr G. J. Meadows, seconded by Mr W. V. Millton. . The Chairman pointed out that by the efforts of the Ladies’ Committee, he had been paid back the £3O he had lent, and the vestry recouped the £l3 advanced for the organ. He thought it very gratifying that the parish now had an organ free from debt, and also a piano for use at the parochial entertainmentsand that this result had been brought about apart from the regular parish organisation. Mr I. Gibbs asked how it was that the insurance was so much more this year than last. Mr Cox and the Chairman pointed out that the Church Property Trustees had called the vestry’s attention to the fact that the church buildings were considerably under-insured. Then there was the new organ which had to be insured last year. Mr Shaw moved a vote of thanks to Mr Evans Brown for his special donation of £2 2s, in paying the expenses of the carriage of the Sunday school children to Papanui by tram, on the occasion of their treat, and also to Mr Way mouth, for auditing the accounts.

Mr E. Watkins seconded this and it was carried. Mr W. H. Shaw read an estimate of the probable expenditure and receipts for the coming year, which showed that the former amounted to £539, including £426 for salaries, leaving a deficiency of £B4. But the Incumbent had generously offered to forego £SO of his stipend, and some reductions could be made, bringing the deficit down to about £3O, To meet this he proposed—“ That this meeting acknowledges the necessity of greater efforts being made to meet the parish expenses, and approves of the plan of small quarterly payments being collected from those who do not otherwise specially contribute to the parish fund.” He thought this could be carried out if, say, six of the ladies helped the vestry to collect the amounts. Mr J. Cotton seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Stubbs proposed, and Mr Cotton seconded, a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring church officers. This was carried unanimously. The Chairman had great pleasure in appointing Mr W. H. Shaw as his warden for the coming year. He referred to the conscientious manner in which Mr Shaw had worked for the good of the parish during the past twelve months. Mr Gibbs nominated Mr J. F. Ward as parishioners’ churchwarden, and there being no other nomination Mr Ward was declared elected. The election of a vestry resulted in Messrs J. Fletcher, E. B. Cox, A. Stubbs, B. Eastrick, W. M. Miller, J. Slater, W. V. Millton, A. E. G. Bhodes, G. J. Meadows and I. Gibbs being chosen. The Chairman explained that his medical adviser considered he must take a rest, and he wished, if he could, to take a trip to England, coming back by the next steamer, making four months’ absence in all. He thanked the organist, Mr Clark, and the choir for the support they had given him during the year. He also thanked Mr Jones, the verger, for the pains he took in discharging his duties. Mr Cox, in moving a special vote of thanks to the Incumbent, expressed the hope that his trip would lead to his complete restoration to health. This was carried unanimously. Votes of thanks were passed to the ladies, the Sunday school teachers, and the choir, and the meeting terminated. SHEFFIELD. The annual meeting of parishioners was held in the vestry of St Ambrose’s Church, Sheffield, on Tuesday evening, April 22; the Eev Walter S. Bean in the chair. The proceedings were opened with prayer. The Chairman thanked the parishioners for the kind reception he had received on his taking charge of the district, and asked for the co-operation of the people in endeavours towards furthering the work of the church. The accounts of the past year, showing a small debit balance of £2, were then passed, duly audited by Mr W. T. Popple. The following officers were elected : —Clergyman’s churchwarden, Mr W. Eossiter; parishioners churchwarden, Mr K. Savill j vestry, Messrs Andrews, Craig, Pease, Lovien, Bull, Popple, Vincent, Willis, Victor, and Dr Meadows. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr D. B. Craig, retiring churchwarden, the Sunday school teachers, choir, and to the ladies who had decorated the church for the Christmas, Easter, and harvest services. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting.