£300,000 FUND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23075, 28 June 1938, Page 10

£300,000 FUND

CHURCH CENTENARY PLAN GOOD PROGRESS REPORTED Plans for raising Auckland's share of the Presbyterian Centenary Thanksgiving Fund of £300,000 were advanced at a meeting of chairmen and vicechairmen of congregational campaign committees held at St. David's Church last evening. Mr. J. M. Elliffe presided. An encouraging report was presented by the campaign organiser, Mr. J. Harry Lang, who returned yesterday morning from a second tour of southern centres. During tho past three weeks, in company with Mr. W. Goodfellow, Mr. Lang visited Invercargill, Gore, Balclutha, Dunedin, Oamaru, Timaru, Christchurch, Wellington, Palmerston North, Napior and Hastings. Mr. Lang reported that they had interviews in tho limited time available with prominent Presbyterians in these various centres, and as a result had secured promises amounting to over £20,000. These included gifts of £SOOO, £3OOO, £2OOO, £I6OO, two of £ISOO, £IOOO, £750, two of £SOO, three of £3OO, one of £250, six of £l5O, and 12 of £IOO each. Tho meetings held were universally enthusiastic, and in every presbytery every congregation was directly represented by delegates. Tho committees previously established conferred with Mr. Goodfellow and himself, and plans were adopted for furthering the campaign from July onwards until tho first Sunday in October, Mr. Lang continued. Keen enthusiasm had been shown for the carrying out of the assembly's scheme, the whole of which had been universally accepted by the Church. Plans for the prosecution of the campaign in the Auckland Presbytery area were fully discussed and agreed upon, and it was decided to devote the month of July to securing initial gifts.