HAWRAKI PLAINS PARISH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18495, 4 September 1923, Page 8

HAWRAKI PLAINS PARISH.

INSTITUTION OF VICAR. NEW CHURCH AT TURUA. [BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN COimEBPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Monday. The Rev.' James Morris Beaufort, ' formerly of the Royal Flying Corps, was instituted as first vicar of the new Anglican/ parochial district of Hauraki Plains at Turua on Saturday by Archdeacon E. M. Cowie, acting for the Bishop of Auckland. Thffl vicars of most of the. neigh-' bouring parishes : of the Archdeaconry were present, as well as the vicar 'of Thames. The church was packed during the service. 1 ■■ -,'' : - : - "; "' " ■■''■ '■'■ ' ■ .'-..•

Th« archdeacon conveyed the bishop's blessing. After the service the archdeacon met : the church committee. The clergy and parishioners then assembled in the public .hall where the 'ladies: of., the community . provided afternoon tea. Speeches were given by the people's warden, the chairman of the Town Board* the Presbyterian minister, the archdeacon, and others. :■.'•;".;': - ■■■_ ;v.:-?- : v.-v-'':.i

The chairman of the Town Board said it was one thing, to build a church &3 the people of Turua had recently done, and quit© another thing to keep it in ' regular use. The speaker said that some people thought that only weak-minded men went to church in these days,, but his experience was; that it ■ took, a strongminded man': to go to church regularly. : the archdeacon : congratulated the ; poople of the plains on their beautiful church. But for the spade-work done by the Rev. F. B. Dobson, the stage at which they had. arrived that day would not have been, reached so soon. The people's Warden then presented Mr. Dobson with a purse in token of the respect and admiration of; the church people of the plains. It was mentioned that neither roads; nor weather, deterred the vicar of Paferoa. ■ : ■"'■■:< : <:/-' '