CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 528, 11 January 1862, Page 6

CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

The annu d mooting of the members of the Churcliof En^l.M.l, for the purpose of receiving a statement of the parish accounts, and of electing a vestry for the ensuing year, was held in tho Church, on Monday evening. The Itev. E. G. Edwards, who occupied the chair, stated that the receipts from various sources during the year ending 31 -t December, had amounted to i.'759 175., and the expenditure for the same period to £670 17s, lea\ing a balance of £89, in the hands of the Treasurer ; £410 of the amount expended had been applied to clearing of!" the debts and mortgages which hung over the parsonage and oilier church property.

Walter Day, Esq., was appointed to audit up the accounts, and A. C. Strode, Esq., was nominated as the curate's churchwarden. W. C. Young, Esq., was unanimously re-elected as the parish churchwarden, and Messrs. It. B. Martin, R. S. Cantrcll, Pantlin, 11. F. Hardy, and George Cook, were elected vestrymen.

Mr. Webb requested information as to what steps bad been taken, duriug bis absence from the province, in regard to the erection of a new church.

The Chairman said that as some difficulty had arisen in collecting the money promised for that purpose, it bad been deemed advisable to apply such funds as they had towards clearing off their debts instead ofgoiny on with the new church. Mr. Webb said that owing to his being in Melbourne, he feared that he had very much neglected his duty a& a vestryman, but whatever difficulty there might have been then in obtaining the necessary funds, hedul not think that there would be much now, and the present, building was a perfect disgrace to the community. He would therefore move, " that the churchwardens and vestry be authorised to proceed immediately with the erection of a suitable place of worship, and to collect funds for the purpose."

Mr. Young seconded the resolution, and in doing so observed that unless a new church was very soon erected they would have none at all, as' there seemed every probability of the present building coming down on their heads shortly. It was a perfect disgrace to the community, and was so small, and badly ventilated, that people Qf'ten came and looked in at the windows, and seeing it full, went away again. If the funds could be obtained lie would guarantee that the Church should be erected in six months, and if funds could not be got to carry out the original plan of a stone church, he thought they should lay a stone foundation, and build the church of wood according to the same design.

Mr. Jones thought they should adopt the same plan of collecting as the Free Church did, and call on each member of the congregation. Mr. Young wished, before passing the resolution, to ascertain the views of the meeting as to the site. When the parsonage was built, "it was intended to build the church immediately below it, but another site had since been obtained above it, and he wished to know which site the meeting considered the most suitable for the church.

Mr. -Jones said«t!iat it would cost half as much as would build the church to level the upper site ; and as he had given the ground below the parsonage for the erection of a church, he would expoet thorn to give it back unless they built the church there.

The motion was then amended by the insertion of " on the site in Moray Place," and agreed

Mr. Jones thought that to save time they had better take the cheques of the gentlemen present for the amount of their subscriptions at once, and be therefore handed over a cheque for £100, and' promised a similar amount when the walls were a certain height ; and the example so liberally set was so well followed that the sum of £344 4s. was collected on the spot,— although, owing to the rain, there were not above liftecn people present. We understand that a systematic canvass will immediately be commenced.