ANNIVERSARY SOIREE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1161, 28 February 1874, Page 13

ANNIVERSARY SOIREE.

Tho anniversary soiree of the North Dunedin Presbyterian Church took place- iv tho Church on Tuesday, the pastor, the Key. Dr Copland, in the chair. Between young and old there were neuily 300 present. The gathering was held this time earlier in the year than usual, in order to give Dr Copland, who is about to visit Britain, au opportunity of beiug present. The tea, which was catered h'y Mr Kroon, havingbeen partaken of,

The Ck.ukman made some remarks, m the course of which he said ho trusted the Church would keep up in numbers iv his absence, and that the congregation would benefit by the Gospel as it would be laid before them, in the various ways the different preachers supplying the pulpit would lay it before them.

Mr James M'Phie was then presented with a, handsome Bible from the teacheis of the Sabbath School of the Church, as a niark of esteem for his valuable services as Superintendent.

The Chairman mentioned that the annual meetiu of the congregation was held last week for the discussion of business, but the Treasurer, Mr Burns, would read the report. Mv A. J. Burns then brought before the meeting the report of the Committee of Management from the Ist March, 1873, to the 18th February, 1874. The report was us follows :—

Anothor year has nearly ro'led round s>ince your Committee w-ts elected to fultll thp duty of minag iig the financial affairs of tho congregation, and this an nun) meeting is called at an earlier date In consequence of circu'nMnni.es wo are sine every one connuotoJ with this congregation will sjmpathise wir.h and deeply regret. Our beloved yastor, the llev. Dr Cop Una, has been compplted, through failing health, to seek rest and repose from duty for eight or nine months i and as it i.s his intention to leave for Britain by ilw Marcrt null, in was thought desirable that this meeting thuuld be held whilst our minister was amongst us in ordnr to give h in aa opportunity of saving a few words to us before his depar lire, and to expUin now his pulpit is to be su, plied during bis absence. Your Committee fervently trust and pray that Almighty <^od may bless this jouruey to the restoring our miiist.r to his accustomed htalth, and that he nuy be spared to return to laoour amongst us with Iris usual vigour. Whiten there is cause for deep regret in the temporary departure of our minister from amongst us, yet we have sjredt pleasure ami satisf tction in repoiting that the state of the congregation Is much improved since lnst yearly meeting. vVe took office, knowing mil well Mint a Jaige debt bad to be liquidated during our term of office, and also liabilities incurred by our predecessjrs, without seeing tho way to the npceas'iry fuads t > meet thrm ; but we j»re happy to report that without costing tho congregation one firthing, £475 of debt lus been wiped off the Church and M -use HuiMlug * und account, by the receiving of £30 ) f coin the Synod and £125 ai a donation from the members of Uominlt:oe.

Wo have also to report that the number of enmtnunicint* on the roll is 160 ; thttt, during the rear 55 htvo been ndmittod to the membership, 8 disjoined, by oenlficat*, and 2 removed by dontli, Yet your Committee would most earn ally call the attention of the c JngrotMtlon to tuo small proportion this heirs to the number cf seat houlu's, and would, with ull kindhqh', dir.itt tht) attention of tie ycung inou und yuung women amongst us to the vary doslnblo duty of bitting down nt the Lord's Table at the very first uvolUblo opportunity As will presently b« shown by the Treasurer's Ec» port, tjlie no »t rents and church door oolUotious show » Itrge. tapre*m place l»«t yaw, v«rt th«» S«?tenfefctyA

Fund, although considerably increased dhring the year, has still to be supplemented from the ordinary ninds of the congregation, to enable us to receive our dividend of £200 from the General Fund— a state of things your Committee beg most respectfully to submit, not very creditable to any congregation, »nd far less so to a congregation meeting for the worship of God iv the largest and most wealthy city in New Zea and.

Your Committee would also congratulate the congregation upon the very marked improvement that has taken place in the psalmody as now sung jn this church. It will be remembered that your Committee had no easy task thrown upon it to find the funds to pay a sufficient salary to a precentor, owing to the tin uncial difficulties of the congregation, and also to the congregation having resolved to introduce the hymn book in the worship of God, which contains many peculiar measures, necessitating new tunes. We resolutely set ourselves to the task, and, as will be presently shown by the Treasurer, the cash has befn found for the first difficulty, and " the man " for the second. The Committee would here publicly tender its sincere thanks to the members of the choir who attend so regularly e^ery Lord's Day, and assist this congregation to praise God in so efficient a manner ; and also its appreciation of the able manner in which Mr Graham hai, by meeting with the members of the choir every Wednesday evening, so trained them to using the gifts God has bestowed upon them, that the psalmody in this Church is now sung in a way second to none of the other churches in Dunedin. Your Committee would express its opinion that the present Precentor has musical talent of no mean order, and the tact for leading, teaching, and keeping a choir together that has rarely, if ever, been excelled in Duaedin. Your Committee would therefore most strongly urge that the appointment of the Precentor be confirmed by the congregation, so that the good work so ably and efficient ly begun may be continued The roll of scholars attending the Sabbath School shows an average attendance of 100, and Mr M'Phie, in his report, urgently draws attention to the great want of male teacuers. It is to be hoped that some of the young men of the congregation will find time to give their services in this matter. The finances of the School are in a healthy state, and your Committee desires to thank the manager, Mr M'Phie, for his kindness in furnishing his report. The scholars have also collected £42 ISs 4d towards the Diyspring Fund, but as all the subscriptions have not yet been handed in, the Treasurer will not show this in his accounts for this year, as this turn will still have some additions made to it.

Ths Minister's Bible Class for young 1 men and women has been carried on during the yeir (vith slight interruptions) for half an hour after the forenoon service each Lord's Day. The attendance has not been so encouraging as should be. Your Uom« mittee trust tlut in future the young people will more fully avail themselves of this privilege. The prayer meetings on Thursday eveniugs should also receive a fuller attendance.

In conclusion, the Committee would most cordially tbank those ladies who so efficiently perform the duty of collecting the Sustentation and other subscriptions to the various funds of the congregation, and trust they will still continue to fulfil their work and labour n the cause. 18th February, 1874. Mr BuflNS then referred to the creditable efforts made to clear the Church fioni debt during tho pas>t year. The collections for 1873 and 1874 (the last the j'ear just ended) were as follows :— Sustentation fund, f3, £122 Gs GJ ; '74, £190 14s 6d. Seat rents, 73, £96 5s 6cl; '74, £104 (is 6rl. Door collection, '73, £230 Is 2cl j | 74, £2fi9 6s. Building fund, 73, £286 0s 3;d j '74, £458. There had thus been increases in the collections during the past year as compared with the previous one, as follows : — Sustentation fund, £78 8s ; seat rents, £8 ; floor collections, £39 4a lOd ; building fund, £171 19 a B_d. He regretted that the Sustentation fund, collection had not come up to at least £200, but wished it would do Sfl next year. There were 312 seats in tho Church ; of theso all were filled, and 256 lot, and he trusted to sec the remainder soon let, The statement of liabilities was as follows : — On Church property — mortgage, £500 ; interest accrued to date, £10 4s 2d— £slo 4s 2d. On M.mso property : — Mortgage, £500 ; interest accrued to date, £15 ; unsecuied loan, £50- £565. Being a total of £1075 4s 2d. These mortgages did not fall in for some time, aud now that the First Church and St Andaw's wore about satisfied, he hoped that something towards meeting these mortgages would bo voted to North Dunedin. —(Applause.) From this small congregation of 25G i-e it-holders close upoi£Uso had passed through his hands dming the financial year; and tins was not all, because he had a sum of £45 through his hands for the mission ship, which would bring the amount up to nearly £1200.

Addresses were delivered by various gentlemen during the evoning, and there was also music at intervals by the choir.

It had been announced tlint a presentation would bo made to the Bey. Dr Copland, but the presentation was not made. A neat clock was presented to the precentor, Mr Graham, by tha members of the choir.

In compliance with the request of the Dunedin School Committee, the Board of Education have resolved to erect a school at Pelichet Bay, on the site pointed out by the 1 (Jity Council in Albany street. At the meeting of the Board yesterday, the Superintendent stated that on the previous day he had receiver^ a letter from the Mayor, agreeing to this site.

The following information, contained n a letter from the Secretary of the Greymouth Coal Company, will no doubt be read with interest by many of our readers: — "Beyond the tunnel we are putting in, a seam of splendid coal 7 feet thick, has been struck, getting larger as it makes into tlie hill. The manager intends to sink a working shaft about 65 feet, from which he states lie will be able to raise 100 tons of coal per day for the next two or three years. About a quarter of a mile lower down the rivev, we have been boring. Wo are down now about 178 feet, and expect to strike coal daily. We will sink the shait at some future time ; when the coal is struck a large quantity will be available. We expect to place machinery on the ground, and get the mine into first class working order. This will cost £10,000 or £12,000, under an estimate. The Company should he a success, and able to oompefce with the Brunner mine, as the quality will be superior, and the difference between raising and tunnelling will not be more than one halfpenny per ton — aay, one penny. Our manager is a very good man, and gives every satisfaction. We might have had a hundred men over and not have succeeded in getting such a good one. ** In another part of the letter the Secretary says !—"! — " Mr Moriarty, the Sydney engineer, is coming hera to report on our bar in % fay