ST. PETER’S CHURCH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 546, 22 July 1882, Page 4

ST. PETER’S CHURCH.

Annual Meeting of Pahishionebs,

The annual meeting of parishioners of St. Peter’s Parii-h was held in the schoolroom. Ghuzaee-strref, Tuesday the Ven. Atchdeacon Stock occupying the chair. The attendance was limited The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, delivered an address, in which he touched upo i a number of subjects which were of interest to the parishioners.— Vl r J. A. Plimmer read the annual report and balancesheet, and moved that they be adopted.—A discussion, which lasted for nearly two hours, arose out of one of the clauses of the report, which referred to the fact that the trustees hadappropriatedthesumof £6O, which was paid by the Education Board last year for the rent ■ f the school-room, towards the payment of interest on the amount borrowed from the Pension Fuud for the erection ot St. MuikV Church.—Mr Didsbury thought that they should take a firm stand against what he thought was nothing more than taking away their property to pay a debt in which they were not interested.—Mr Binns remarked that if he understood tbe matter rightly be could only say that the trustees had acted in a reust dishonorable manner. They hud not even a right to touch the money. If they wanted it for the payment of interest on money borrowed for the erection of St M-i'k’s Church th-y should i" ths first instance have gone and asked St.M.iik’stofindit. Mr J.ious Marten explained at some length the circumstances wh cii had led to the existing complications. At the instmee of the Bishop both parishes in city had combined to erect a now church iu 4 aii t P-ter’s parish, but St. Paul’s withdrew shortly afterwards. A new parish (St. Mark’s) was formed shortly after the completion of the new church. When St. Pet-r’dprnpos.-d to erect a new church, notice was given to'St. Mark’s that the guarantee for the piyment of iuterest would be continued no long r, and no objection was made. But the whole transaction in connection with the erection of the new church had been of a rco't unbusinesslike character. The money borrowed was lent to a building committee which' could not be recognised by their law* auc which was at the present time not even in existence. The trustees had practically assigned the £6O received as rent for the schoolroom to the parish in perpetuity, and their action was most illogical ; but, unfortunately, tho parishioners would bring no pressure to bear. And more than that, the Bishop insisted that if the parish did not pay two years’arrears of interest on St. Mark’s the parish was actually in rebellion. The matter was eventually. allowed to drop. From the balancesheet it appeared that the ordinary receipts had amounted to £853 5s 6d, and special receipts to £B6 0s 6d ; offertories, &c., bringing the total to £1052 12s 4d. The expenditure amounted to £llOs 13s 9d, leaving a loss of £47 Is sd. The last item would, as a matter of course, not have been in existence had uot tbe trustees appropriated £6O which had been calculated upon as ordinary revenne. The report and balance sheet were adopted. Mr Edward Andeison was re-nominated clergy, man’s churchwarden, and Mr VV. F. Short't was elected parishioners’ churchwarden. The following vestrymen were unanimously elected : Messrs J. A. Plimmer, H, Rose, Morrab, G. D.dibury, W. Widdop, 8. Startup, Pickersgil], C. Watson, J. B. Redward, and Hardy, Messrs Whittem and J. Jri. Betbuue were appointed auditors. Votes of thanks to the retiiing officers and to the Chairman terminated the proceeding '.