ECCLESIASTICAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8473, 26 January 1891, Page 11

ECCLESIASTICAL

ANNUAL CHURCH MEETINGS. Tun annu; - meeting of the parishioners of 111 hints' was held on January 19 in the Almoin. There was a very good Wfl ndance, the audience including a numr! of ladies. The Rev. W. Calder preV, , -md opened the proceedings with SI ipr after which the secretary was P S upon to read the annual report. The report pointed out that it was gratiIZ! to notice that the years income had Vended the actual expenses by £1/, the offertories and pew rents showing an in--0 of £19 and £57 respectively. The KUnce-lieet showed that the total receipts Counted ro «« los «. and the expendiiO'JS leaving ft balance duo to tho Rink of* Australasia of £5") 4s 7d. This balance had since be® reduced to £23. The following ofticcrs were elected for the ensuing year Minister's warden, Mr. \\" Gill: people warden, Mr. 1 onefold ; >«trvmen. Messrs. Macindoe, Bayntun, Wright, Fur by, Henderson, Cobb, Ballantvne~ Andrews, Cunnold, and Bedford ; auditors. Messrs. Board man and Lusher. ' The annual meeting of the parishioners of '!irisl Church, Ellerslie, was held on Monday evening last, the Rev. James Marshall in the chair. The report of the vestry for the past year was most satisfactory." It showed a large increase in the attendance at the public services of the Church. There was a corresponding increase in the offertories. The office-bearers ji'niHMnted for the present year are : Mr. ']> ; Vid Nolan, minister's warden ; and Mr. Robert Carter, people's warden ; vestrymen, Mr. Theo. Cooper, Colonel Dawson, Messrs. McFarland, and W. Hall. The annual meeting of the parishioners of Holy Trinity Church, Devonport, was held in the schoolroom on Jan. 5, the Rev. J. Bates presiding. The balance-sheet which was presented and adopted showed the total receipts for the year to bo £139 os sd, and the total expenditure £444 4s sd. The church officers for the present year were elected as follows :—Minister's warden, Mr. 1. Dunning; people's warden, .Mr. A. Wris»'g ; vestrymen, Messrs. Cameron, McKeiUr, Queree, Philcox, Tizard, P. Philcox, i;i',:iilan, Banks, Blandford, and Waters ; auuitors, Messrs. O. Mays and W. 11. Brown ; parish nominators, Messrs. W. I'hikox, R. Cameron, and D. Melvellar. Votes of thanks were passed to the choirma*:cr, organist, members of the choir, <ui:uay-sehool superintendent and teachers, niter which the meeting terminated.

The annual meeting of the congregation of the aipu Presbyterian Church was held on the llh January. The attendance was <tr.all. The meeting being called for four p.m., many were unable to attend at such an early hour. The balance-sheet was read mid adopted. The balance was unfortunately on the wrong side, but the treasurer exnlained that the whole of the expected receipts fcr lie year had not yet come in, but when all dues were received both sides of the account would be about equal. The retiring committee was then re-elected, and the meeting dispersed.—[Own Correspondent]. The annual business meeting of the Pevoi.port Presbyterian Church was held in the Schoolroom on January 14. The p.,nor, the Rev. J. Hill, presided. There was a fair attendance. The secretary's

; -vi)ort stated that satisfactory progress had been made during the year, and that their own session was now formed, three new members having been appointed in October. The membership had increased by 44 since Mr. Hill's induction in August, 1889. The treasurer's statement showed that, the receipts for the 12 months had been £275 8s H\i, which, with the exception of a few j<,nn is, had been entirely raised by the Sabbath collection, which had averaged a little over £5. The following were appointed the committee of management for the current year — Messrs. Watson, McI'orquodale, Murchie, Logan (2), Deverill, ami" Mitchell. Votes of thanks to the retiring committee, the organist and choir, L.ad Sunday-school teachers for their services during the past year were accorded. The annual meeting of the congregation of sc. James' Presbyterian Church was held j:i Wednesday evening. January 21. There was a good attendance. The Rev. K. F. Macnicol presided. From the reports read i: appears that the history of the past year was devoid of anything of striking interest. Tne balance-sheet showed that there had been an increase both in the collections and pew rents, the total receipts for the year amounting to £727 Is lid, and the expenditure to £721 17s 2d, leaving a balance in hand of £5 4s 9d. Against this must be placed outstanding liabilities to the amount of £18 Is Id. Tho members of committee were elected as follows: — Messrs. Johnston, Thompson, Gallaughcr, UcGibbon, Gash, and Drinkwater. Messrs. Lament and Hibbs were appointed auditors for the present year. The annual meeting of the Avondale Presbyterian Church was held on Jan. 19, the Rev. C. Worboys in the chair. The treasurer's statement showed a credit balance of £4 9? 3d. Messrs. Wickham, J. Todd, W. T. Murray, W. Ingram, and F. Renshaw were elected on the board of management; it being the rule for half the board to retire annually. The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Sepulchre's Church was held in the schoolroom, Symoruls-street, on Jan. 22, the Yen. Archdeacon Dudley presiding. The total receipts for the year amounted to £'S:j2 5s 4d, and the expenditure to £890 lis 10J. The income available for ordinary parochial purposes was £087 16s sd. The church officers were then elected as follows:—Minister's churchwarden, Mr. Cooper; people's churchwarden, Mr. J. 13. Gilfillan ; auditors, Messrs. Ash ton and Lawson ; vestrymen, Messrs. Choyce, Pierce, Charter, Batger, Garland, Stoney, Tunks, Cuff, Russell, and Captain Morrow.

A meeting of the parishioners of St. Thomas was held on Jan. 22 in the schoolroom adjacent to the church. About thirty were present. The report was adopted. Mr. Hamilton was appointed minister's warden, and .Mr. W. Duncan, J.P., was elected people's warden. The vestry elected were the Rev. J. W. Alio way, Dr. Walker, Messrs. Alloway, Armstrong, Austin, Dunningham, Knight, Michaels, Ward, and J. J. Woods. Mr. R. F. Lacon was appointed auditor. A vote of thankful recognition do Mrs. Percy Ward for her services at the organ during many years was most cordially passed. The annual meeting of St. Peter's Presoyterian Church, Surrey Hills, was held in the church on Monday evening, the i9t,h of January. The Rev. R. Sommerville presided. The treasurer's statement showed a satisfactory increase in the revenue during the past year. The following irentlemen were elected a committee of mangement for the ensuing year —Messrs. Kilmer and Geddes (joint treasurers), J. G. Watson (secretary), Mennie, Gash, Finch, Bain, McMillan, .Johns, Torrens, and I. .Speer. A very hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Alexander Mennie, who had so faithfully and assiduously performed the duties of secretary for five and a-half years. The organist (Mr. James McKerras) and his choir were also suitably thanked for their valuable services. The annual meeting of the parishioners of ■St. Mary's, Parnell, was held in the schoolroom, Scarborough Terrace, on Jan. 23. There v.'as it good attendance, including a number '•f ladies, the Rev. G. H. Preston presiding. The liabilities of the parish in excess of the available assets were £118419s 2d. This was £27 more than was owed at the end of 1889 ; lv.it this difference is accounted for by the expenses incidental to the memorial to the General Synod for a remission of a portion of the purchase money of the Parsonage site. The general offertories for the year were £401 7s 7(1, which was a marked improvement upon the figures for the past three years. The total receipts for the year amounted to £717 lis hi, and the expenditure was £773 3s 3d. The following church officers were elected for the ensuing year —Minister's warden, Mr. Tewsley; people's warden, Mr. M.J. •jav; vestrymen. Captains Fraser and Clayton, Messrs. Dewes, Cheeseman, C. F. Thomas, Bourne, W. H. Churton. G. S. Kissling, W. H. Drat and Taylor ; auditors, Major Tisdall and Mr. O'Hara Smith. Tie Primitive Methodist Conference commenced its sittings on Thursday, January 15, in the Alexandra-street schoolroom, when about 35 delegates were present from different parts of the colony. All the church properties were found to be in a healthy state, and resolutions to this effect were accordingly passed. • The value of church property in the colony was estimated to be £22,680 14s lOd. The whole debt being °nly £5758 17s 7d. The above sum is exelusive of parsonage property, worth about £•1000. On January 16 the district meeting tommenced, when the following officers

wore appointed :—President, Rev. W. S. Potter ; vice-president, Mr. J. Bellringer, J.P. ; secretary, Rev. J.Sharp; assistant secretary. Rev. W. Laycock ; reporters to the Press, Revs. C. E. Ward and A. J. Smith. The retiring President (Mr. C. M. Luke) gave an able address, in which he dealt with some of the leading questions of the day. The annual meeting of the Auckland Presbyterian City Mission was held on the 15th January at St. James' Hall. The Rev. Scott West occupied the chair. Owing to the wet evening the attendance was small. The treasurer's report, road by Mr. J. Reid, showed that the receipts for the year to be £117 13s 7d. The expenditure was £111 7s, leaving a crcdit balance of £6 6s 7d. A Strang committee was appointed, and officers elected for the ensuing year. On the 17th January a. picnic and camp meeting in connection with the Primitive Methodist Church Conference was held at Lake Takupuna, which was largely attended. The Southern delegates were much delighted with the view of the lake and the beautiful scenery surrounding. V». .Srett kindly placed his paddock at the disposal of the friends, and under the shadow of the trees by the side of the water the meeting was held. The Rev. P. W. Jones, of Creendale, was the conductor, and suitable addresses were given by the Rev. Geoige Clement, of Geralditie, anil the Rev. W. S. Potter, of Christchurch. At half-past five the steamer returned to the city, and all the visitors were well pleased with the beauties of the harbour, the pleasant trip, and the hearty meeting.