HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1068, 14 July 1880, Page 2

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

The annual meeting of parishioners was held in tho Court House yesterday evening, the Rev. E. Williams in the Chair. The attendance was not so numerous as could have been wished for, but this may probably be accounted for by the fact that several other meetings of public interest took place last night. The usual formal business having been disposed of, it was moved by Mr. F. J. Piesse, and. seconded by Mr. T. J. Bromley, that the annual report and balance-sheet, be adopted. This was carried nem. com. AxNVAh Report of the Churchwardens, and Vestry of the Parish of Holy Trinity, Gisborne for the year ending 30th june, 1880. Your Vestry, in resigning their charge, wish briefly to refer to the present state of the Church. The Balance-Sheet will supply full information tuching monies received and expended. The year has been a trying one for your Vestry, the prevailing depression being felt severely iti our financial matters, [ and rendering it difficult to meet the ordinary necessary expenditure of the Church. A circular lately issued by your Vestry (a copy of which is annexed) and sent as far as possible to every Church member in the district, precludes the necessity of going into the details of our requirements as a body as fully as we should otherwise have done. We regret to say that the response to that circular has not come up to our expectations, donations amounting in .all to £9, from three persons, being all, as far as we are aware. Our financial condition is, therefore, at least, as bad as it was at the time that circular was written. We hope that with better times, our Church may be better supported by her members. At present we wish it clearly understood that the interest due on the Parsonage is so far in arrear, that Read's Trustees have the power of taking it from us at any time ; that our Minister's stipend for the last two months is unpaid, and that other pressing liabilities have accumulated to a considerable amount, about £160 in . all ; and that unless Church members come forward, a state of things will ensue that will necessitate some radical change in the management of our Church affairs. Our Church has been completed, and will accommodate about 450 persons, and the beautiful organ (the gift of the late Captain Read) is about to be completed by the trustees. The following are statistics for the past year furnished by our Incumbent : Marriages *I Baptisms ... ... 54 Burials 29 Confirmed ... ... 23 Communicants ... ... 100 The reverend Incumbent addressed the meeting, expressing in very warm terms his thanks for the assistance he had received from the outgoing Vestry, acknowledging the great services rendered by Mr. G. J. Browne, the efficient organist, and the members of the Choir. He also thanked those who had assisted as teachers in the Sunday School. On the motion of Mr. F. J. Piesae a hearty vote of thanks was acordad to the Churchwardens and Vestry for their services during the past year. The election of Church warders and Vestrymen for the ensuing year was then proceeded with, when the Reverend Incumbent nomiuated Mr. J. Cuff as the Minister's Churchwarden. Mr. W. R. Robinson was proposed as Parishioner 1 ! 1 Churchwarden by Mr. : D. Johnston, seconded by Mr. J. S. Bromley, and unanimously agreed to. The following gentlemen were then duly nominated as members of the Vestry, viz : — Messrs G. L. Greenwood, D. Johnston, junr., E. H. Featon, F. J. Piesse, J. Adeane, G. Maberly, and E. K. Brown. There being no further nomination the nominees were only elected. For the office of Auditors of the Church accounts, Messrs W. Cocks and S. J. Bromley were proposed by Mr. , J. W. Johnston ; and seconded by Mr. Piesse.