PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11123, 24 July 1907, Page 1

PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY.

Tliere was a good attendance at the Holy Trinity schoolroom last night, when the annual meeting of the Parish of HOIS Trinity was held. Th© vicar, Rev. Daw- - son Thomas, presided, and rend- his pas--1 toral letter and the reports and balance- >. slieet (printed in, to-day's supplement) f were, also read, and adopted on the motion - of Dr. Williams, seconded by Captain - Ferris. Mr L. T. Symes asked if in f future the reports and balance-sheet could l not be placed before them about a week J prior to the annual meeting. It was npt t fair to ask them to adopt the reports at 1 five minutes' notice.— <The vicar said the 1 vestiy intended in future to* place the rel ports and balance-sheet In the pews on i the Sunday previous to the annual meetb ing. - . _ Captain C. W. Ferris was re-elected i vicar's warden and Colonel Winter par- ■ ishioners' warden. Colonel Winter briefly returned' thanks.— lt was decided that the vestry should consist of ten, and the fol- : lo^ving were elected:' Messrs 0. A. De- • Lautour, J. E. Foster, T. Alston Cole--1 man, W. E. Akroyd, Kissling, Q. Shier- ■ law, E. H. Mann, J. W. Oook, V. Bar- [ ker, and Dr. Williams.— Mr E. G-. Mat- . thews was re-elected auditor. [ -Air. Sim asked if the plans that were on view of the, new church had been accepted. — The vicar said they had not yet • been accepted, but were the plans the : vestry had pretty wejl decided upon.— ln . answer to further /questions the vicar eaid • the proposed new church would seat over [ 800, and cost over £5000 when completed. . —Mr Jex Blake asked how much absolute cash they had in hand. — The vicar , replied £460.— Mr Jex Blake: Is that all ■ you are going to start and (build a £5000 1 church with?— The vicar : .No ;« we hope to tret more. Continuing, he said the idea was to call for tenders: to remove the transept at the east end of the church and connect it on 'to the Sunday school, wliich was estimated to cost £2000.— Mr Symea asked what was going to be done with the church? Were they going to leave it open to the four, winds? — The vicar explained that the intention was to replace tlie old transept with a brick , one, whichi was to be part of the new building.— Mr Symes moved a resolution that it be an instruction for the incoming vestry not to proceed with the alterations until they had at. least half the amount of the cost in hand. He did not think it . right to start the work before they had the money.— Mr Jex Blake seconded. — Mr Arthur Coleman rose to a point of order as to whether such a motion could be put to the meeting. He -understood that at last meeting it was decided the building, was to be gone on with when they had £800 in hand. He thought the resolution read "£BOO in cash or in sight."— Mr Long did not think that the meeting was bound to keep to that resolution ; they could rescind it. — The vicar : It must be by notice of -Motion.— Mr V. Barker asked fif there was any minute fixing the sum definitely at* £800. — Mr Kissling said if they were to have £800 in 'hand 'before starting the new church, where was the money for the' alterations coming from?— The vicar said he was not in favor of going into debt,, but he had faith in tlie parishioners. They were on a wave of prosperity, and he did not see any risk in raising a loan of £2000. They were not expected to pay off all tlie debt ; he , considered their posterity would help to do that. He was sorry Mr DeLautour was not present, as he had the whole scheme at his fingers' ends.— The minute was read; it stated that they were to -proceed to build part of the new church in brick at a- cost of about £2000, to be gone on with when £800 was in hand.— -The vicar said that motion must be rescinded,, and to do so a notice of motion was necessary. He -therefore ruled Mr Symes' motion put of order.— Mr Symes then gave notice to move that the motion on the minutes be rescinded, and asked that it be an instruction to the incoming vestry to adhere strictly to the wording of the motion.— After several memlbers had held a consultation Mir Symes said he found a notice of motion was not necessary, and he withdrew his on the grounds that it be an instruction to the incoming vestry not to proceed with the vfork until, they had half the amount in nand.— Colonel Winter said if the majority of those present were in favor of that, he had no "doubt the vestry -would carry onfc their wishes. But the vestry could not adhere to the opinion of two or three. Nothing ; had been decided upon yet; they had. just obtained an idea of tne;costi for the incoming vestry to work on; The old church was not consecrated on ' account of the debt not being paid off.— Mr Morgan was sure the church ha^been consecrated, and the' debt paid off sompi years ago.— The vicar said he had asked Archdeacon Williams, who told him the church had not been, consecrated. Consecration and dedication were two different things.— Mr T. Alston Coleman did not think Mr Symes' motion wouldi help matters; it was quite unnecessary. At the extraordinary general meeting held some fifteen months ago the vestrv received definite instructions. Tliat meeting limited the vestry for the time being to £2000, of which £800 was to be in hand, and Mr Symes was simply reiterr ating vfh&b was done then. Such a motion v as suggested, after the splendid response that had been made, might damp the enthusiasm of the parish. Whatever was done ought to be done without any attempt to throw cold water - on the work. He also thought such a motion showed a want of confidence in the vestry.— Mr Long did not think it should be looked upon in the light that it was. only one or two^who -were advocating the proposal. They could afford to go a little slowly, and wait until they bad at least half the amount in hand. One year would be neither here nor there. He was glad there had been discussion, and hopecl the vestry would consider the expressions that had been made.— Mr Symes said no one wished more than he did to see the church progress. The inotion was simply to assist the vestry, but .he did not want to be ai party -to see the church run headlong into debt.— 'Mr -Barker pointed out that they, only required about £200 more to make up the £800.— Colonel Winter said it would be very foolish to bind the vestry not to build any portion of .the church withou*. running into debt. If they'Taised a loan the ordinary revenue would easily pay the interest. He thought it should be left to. the discretion of the vestry to borrow a certain sum if they thought proper. They must all acknowledge that they wanted more accommodation. — The vicar did not think Mr Symes wanted to put a damper on the work. The vestry were bound to a certain extent by the Resolution passed at the general meeting.— The motion, on beinc: put, was lost; • Mr Symes moved a hearty vote of thanks to the outgoing vestry and wardens, referring especially to the good work done by Colonel Winter. — Dr. Williams seconded the motion, and the vicar heartilv concurred. An enthusiastic meeting closed with! the benediction.