ANNUAL CHURCH MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11642, 2 May 1901, Page 6

ANNUAL CHURCH MEETINGS.

HOLT TRINITY CHURCH, OTAHTJHU. The annual meeting of parishioners was held j on April 30. There were but few present. The report of the vestry showed that- there had been an increase of receipts all round : 'i except in the ease of the v endowment ) fund interest. The walks about the churchyard had teen re-formed, tarred, and sanded. Tim had been a heavy expenditure, so that there was at the end of the year, March 31 ■* a small balance duo to the treasurer. The s'uju raised for the country clergy and Home Mission. funds amounted to £.17 15s 9d. a little over the £16 promised. Attention was drawn in this report to the not inferior claims of our Maori brethren to our. sympathy and support. The attendance; at the: principal Sunday service, i.e.,. the morning, had not been as good as in former years. The same may bo said as regards the early Communion. The Young People's Union has commenced its eighth session; number of members. 20. Our young men are invited to join this union, which is, in fact, a mutual improvement association on church lines. The Sun-day-school prospers, and steps are being taken to renew the school . library. The Scripture class held on Friday morning* in fairly attended, as also the children's sinp. in;j class on Monday evenings. The Primate held a Confirmation last November, when four males and nine females were presenter). The obstacle in the way of these young people becoming regular communicants is 't,hY want of good example on the part of thei; parent?. The choir, under Mr. W. Matthews, is very efficient. It would be more so'if, our male members attended practice morsregularly. The report wis adopted by the meeting. The following officers were <an-? pointed, for the current year: —Minister's warden. Dr. Rowley; people's wai"den, Mr. E. Matthews; vestrymen, Messrs. S. Luke W. Matthews, J. Baker, C. Rowe, J. Toms* W. D. Bush, and L.. Sheppard; auditor Mr. H. J. Hall. Some discussion took place* connected with the part of the report referring to missions, resulting in the meeting agreeing to the following motion:—".That we promise to endeavour to raise during th» currest year £5 for each of the following funds, namely: Country clergy, Home Mission, native pastorate, and native- girls' school. Tho usual, thanks were given to our helpers during the year, Mr. S. Luke, our lay reader, now absent, being specially mentioned. *

ST. PETER'S UONEHTJNG A). The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Peter's, Onsiusjiai was held on Tuesday. The vicar (Canon Huselden) presided, Mid there was a very good, attendance. , The vicar said that before any ordinary business was taken he desired to move a resolution regarding Archdeacon Dudley. Ha moved, " That the parishioners of St. Peter's Onehunga, present at the animal meeting' desire to record in the minute-book of the vestry their deep respect and esteem for their late venerable Archdeacon, the Rev. Dr. Dudly; and, further, the parishioners desire to express to Mrs. Dudley and her family their deepest sympathy, and hop/B that the memory of the noble life of the late Archdeacon will a : at all times inspire and cheer then." Mr. R. T. Talbot seconded, and spoke of his residence in the Archdeacon's parish as far back as 1866, and of the esteem, ho had always felt for Dr. Dudley. The assent of the meeting was expressed by all standing. The report of the vestry, which was read and adopted, stated: —There has been a, slight increase in the attendance at the ser- . vices, and an increase of 19 at celebrations of the Holy Communion. There were 53 celebrations in the church and seven with the sick. The number of communicants on tho roll was 174, and tho communions made 953; the baptisms were 37 ; persons confirmed, 17 ; marriages, 9 burials, 21. The number of Sunday-School scholars was 218, and 16 teachers. Great improvement has been made at the vicarage with funds provided by tho guild, which also contributed £10 to the general fund of the church. Tho churchyard has boon greatly improved, and is now a credit to the parish. The general offertory was £192 lis 3d, being an increase over the offertories for the last three year?. The special offertories for the homo mission, country clergy, chaplaincy fund, arid. Mclanesian Mission amounted to £17 16s Id. Tho contribution of £10 has been paid to the pension fund. The liabilities are £44 Ms 9d, being £4 9s Id less than last year. Tho general expenses have been more than usual; The new church building fund now amounts to £599 13s 4d, and the burial-ground account to £276. "When the new church is built,, the present church will make an admirable Sunday-school building. A suitable Sundayschool building is thy greatest material want of the parish. Canon Haselden appointed Captain Richardson as his churchwarden, and Mr. W. N. Mcintosh waa elected as parishioners' churchwarden. The following were elected as the vestry:--Messrs. J. T. Williams, E. Hall, G. Moody, W. Richardson, R. T. Talbot, G. J. Hutchison, and A. S. Holmes, and Mr. Stevens as auditor. ' A. cordial pesol l T tIO «- reSsing re S rot °* £ he departure of Mr. W. Bass from tho parish, and wishing mm and his family much happiness, was agreed to. Miss Browne was thanked for her services as organist. Appreciation was expressed at the services rendered to the church by Messrs. Bass, Hall, Bennett, Harding, and Mrs. Hutchison. The reports of tho Sunday-school, the guild, the now church account, and the churchyard account were read. All of them wore very satisfactory.

ST. JUDE'S, AVONDALE. The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Judes Church was held on Tuesday evening, a larger attendance than usual being present. The treasurer (Mr. John Bollard, M.H.R.j read the statement of accounts for the past year which were as follows: -Receipts Offertories, £51 10s 8d; special, £4 13a id* donation from Mr. Bollard, £1 Is : total £57 Is 9d. Expenditure: Balance due treasurer, £2 12s 4d; contribution to stipend, £29 7s;- special offertories, £4 13 id- i'surance, £2 15s 2d; interest on loan. £2 10s; cleaning, lighting, and ringing bell, £10 3s 9d; sundries, £6 5s 3d; balance in hand, £1 18s 2d: total, £57 4s 9d. Through the instrumentality of the Rev. IT. Lnrkins, who, during his visit to England, had been most energetic in soliciting subscriptions, the sum of £60 was paid off the church debt, which now stands at £106.

On the motion of Mr. Bollard, seconded by Mr. Hogwuod, it was resolved that a hearty vote of thanks be recorded in favour of the Rev. F. Larkins for his great kindness in collecting this amount. Mr. Bollard was appointed the vicar's warden, and Mr. Albert Bollard the people's warden, and the following were elected to the. vestry:—Messrs. Hogwood,. Blackloolc, Simpson-Clay, and Bluolt. Votes- of thanks were given to the outgoing vestry, to the superintendent o? the Sundayschool and teachers; also to the church organists and Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, as well as the lay readers and librarians. It was also decided to send a letter of condolonce to the widow of the late Ven, B. T. Dudley.