AUCKLAND SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8162, 25 January 1890, Page 3

AUCKLAND SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

The 25th annual meeting of the Sunday School Union was held last night at the Tabernacle. Between 40 and 50 teachers assembled for tea, and afterwards about 100 met in the upper schoolroom to transact the annual business. Mr. F. Battley (the president of the Union) took the chair, and was supported by Messrs. Jno. Ellyett and Thos. Buddie (vice-presidents), and other wellknown Sunday School workers. After the opening devotional services, the Chairman called upon the secretary to read the annual report:—

Tho committee were glad to know that the past year had not been by tuiy means au unsuccessful 0110 fur Sunday-school workers in Auckland and the district. Cheering news hud been received from time to time of eucoiuugemout received by the teachers, and it was matter for rejoicing to know that among the fifteen of sixteen thousand scholars reported as being connected with the schools in the Union there are many who will look hack through life upon ISSO as the year during which they came to religious decision. Many of theae were brought into the churches as the result of the services hold at the schools, anil of special services arranged for by the Uuion, during the period of universal prayer for .Sunday-schools, the third week in October. The scholars' Scriptural examination held in July was very successful, 525 presorting thcouelves for examination at the various centres, of whom 17S received lirat-class, 122 second-class, and 122 tliirdclass cei tillcates. Thanks were due to the examiners, Revs. G. B. Monro, A. J. Smith, U. J. Lewis, and Thomas Spurgeon, and to the examination secretaries, Musses. J. It. llaimaaud lid. Jones. Reference was made to the lews sustained in the departure of the last-named gentleman to New South Wales. Mr. Jones had for many years U*eu one of the Union's best workers, and bis lois would be much felt. During the winter mouths live conferences of teachers had been held, for which Mr. Uradstrcet acted as secretary. Interesting (jatherlugs were hold in town and ut Onehunga, Otahuhu. Mount Albert, and Devonport. l-'ivo new schools have joined the Union : Ncaruawahia Presbyterian, an I undenominational schools at Whaugamarino, Upper MataUano, Katikati, and Uunua—making 163 schools in membership. Nino library grants of the value of £30, have been made at a cost to the schools receiving them of £14. It has been decided to hold in November next another—tho sixth—of the Juvenile Industrial Exhibitions which have been so interesting and successful. All ucollts are to be devoted to ttie assistance of schools requiring help in tho shape of books, school requisites, etc. The report concluded with a leference to the "World's Convention of Sunday-school Workers" recently held in London, and its signiiieencu, as showing the growing influence of Sunday-schools and the necessity for increased efficiency.

Mr. S. H.'Matthews then read the financial statement, as follows : —

Receipts.—Cash at Ist October 188S, £11 us 7d; cash sales, £1023 19s 5d ; accounts, £1448 7s 7d; subscriptions, £05 14s 0d; British and Foreign Bible Society (for rent and services), £40; loan, £50; library grant*, £14 ; sundries, £7 7s 7d ; Bank overdraft, 30th September, 1339, £205 4s 2d. Total, £3.156 13s lOd. Expenditure.— Ist Octobar, 1888, £270 19s 5d ; bills payable, £1904 12s Od; shipping expenses, etc., £150 la 9d ; stock bought locally, £292 19s 5d ; rent, £153 10s 8d; insurance, £28 9s ; depot expenses, £354 14s 2d ; furniture, £2 7s Cd ; interest, £29 Ids; printing, etc., £2S 19s 3d; library grants, £19 10s; loan repaid, £50; sundries, £11 18s Id; cash in hand, 30th September, 1889, £04 0s Id. Total, £3455 13s lOd. The profit; and loss statement showed that a gross profit had been made on the sales at the depot of £689 3s Id, and a net profit carried to capital account of £108 15s 4d, making the capital of the Union £2869 16s Id. The statement of assets and liabilities was also read :— Assets.— £3090 15s Id ; furniture anil fittings, £151 10s; duo by schools, £104 12s sd; prepayments for library grants, £14 ; cash, £64 0s Id : total. £4325 3s 7d. Liabilities.— £2701 0s Od; London Sun-day-school Union, £592 16s 3d ; various publishers, £44 18s i)d; bills current, £54513s 4d ; library grant account, £14 ; sundry accounts, £52 16s ; National Bank, £205 4s 2d ; profit and loss account, £10S IDs 4d : total, £4325 3s 7d. The report and financial statement were adopted on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Ellyett. The election of officers was then proceeded with as follows : —President : Mr. F. Battley. Vice-Presi-dents : Messrs. J. Ellyett, T. Buddie, the Revs. W. L. Salter, H. W. J. Miller, and T. P. Robertson. Treasurer: Mr. D. Guldie, M.H.R. Trade manager: Mr. S. H. Matthews. Secretaries : Messrs. T. E. Corkill and T. F. Hill. Visitors : Messrs. S. Parker and J. S. Bigelow. Auditors : Messrs. W. H. Lyon and S. W. Smecton. Standing committee : Messrs. W* Service, and J. R. Hanua, W. Jaffrey, G. Winstone, and Enoch Wood. Finance committee : Messrs. Battley, Hanna, Matthews, Service, and Corkill. The remainder of the evening was spent in listening to a very interesting address by Mr. Battley, in which he gave an account of the World's Convention, held in Londou from the 2nd to the 6th of July last year. It was the largest representative gathering of Sunday-school workers ever held. Over 1000 delegates were present from cities, villages, and' hamlets from all parts of the United Kingdom, from Canada and the United States (some of these coloured), East and West Indies, China, Persia, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, and the Islands of the Sea. Pressure upon our space forbids us publishing the address, for the delivery of which Mr. Battley was accorded 'a hearty vote of thanks.