ST. MARY'S CHURCH, TIMABU.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1455, 21 May 1879, Page 5

ST. MARY'S CHURCH, TIMABU.

The annual meeting of the pariehionors of St. Mary's Church was held m the Oddfellows' Hall, Sophia street, on April 28. The Yen. Archdeacon Harper occupied the chair, and there were about tliirty-five persons present. The minutes of the previous annual meeting wero taken as read and confirmed. The Chairman, m opening the meeting, said : — ln opening the meeting I desire to nauLe a few remarks m reference to the work of the past year. It has been a year, I think, of much importance to the parish, as, m addition to the usual work of the Churoh, some undertakings of considerable magnitude have been successfully carried out, with Terr happy results. We hare, I think, muoh cause to be thankful for this, and for the general welfare of the church. Before Bpeaking particularly of thes« special works, I will briefly allude to the ordinary work of the Church. Serrices hare been regularly hold during the year as follows : — Holy Communion, every Sunday, at 8 a.m. and at midday alternately, and on the chief Festivals. The average attendance per month has beea 133. The usual morning and evening services have been held on Sundays with a steadily increasing attendance. The old Church wai more than filled on Sundays, and I am glad to say that m the new School Church, which accommodates about 500, there is little if any room to spare. A Children's Service at S p.m., once a month, and a service at the Gaol every other Sunday, have been regularly held. Baptism has been administered every Sunday, at 4 p.m.; there have beon 115 baptisms m the year. The week-day services included Wednesday evenings at 7.30, daily services during Advent and Lent, and on festival days. There have;been during the year 18 marriages, and 52 b'iriala. The Choir, I am thankful to say, is m a very efficient state, and has Irendered most valuable aid to our services of prayerand praiee. Early m the year, for some months, whilst the office of organist was vacant, we had the benefit of Mr Stephen's kindness and ability, who most generouely devoted his time to the Choir and harmon'um. Our best thanks are duo to him. Since then we have had the advantage of Mr Qooch's services. I am sore that we shall all gladly recognise his trained musical skill, which contributes so muoh to the beauties of our service. I would add that Mr Gooch is unwearied m his attention to his duties, attending the week-day services and devoting time to the special instruction of the choir boys. I think we Bhall agree that the salary at present paid to the organist is hardly adequate to the work done. At the Sunday-echool there have been on the roll during the year 370 children, of whom 300 have attended regularly. . Thirtytwo teachers are engaged m the work ; but as a rule the classes are too large, and we are much m need of additional help. The school and pariah festival which was held m February was a most complete suocess, due to the energy and kindly labors of the committee of ladies and gentlemen who carried it through. Xc was computed that nearly 2000 people wore entertained at the festival, including children. Regarding the School Church, and purehaee of land m Tlieodocia and Bank streets, the meeting will remember that the lait annual meeting authorised the purchase of threequarters of an aero from Mr Teschemaksr, and the erection of a building to serve as a Church until the new Church is built, and, when the opportunity arrives, for the ereotion of a parsonage. The statement of accounts, which the churchwardens will bring up, will show the price at which the land was bought, and the total cost of the new building. I think I may say that wo shall all agree that the building is conveniently fitted for its pur* pose. Much credit is due to Mr Wilson, the architect, and to Messrs Targus and Tubba, contractors. With regard to finance, it is scarcely my place to say much. I may allude, however, to tho efforts made to clear off the old debt. The successful canvas ruade by the churchwardens realised £143 11b 4d, and tho offertories at the opening service of tho Church, when the Bishop was present, amounted to £58 18s lOd ; and there was a gradual increase of the offertories during the year. la tho old Church the average of offertories on Sundays w;s £9 4b 3d, and on weekdays, £8 oi. In thu now 3chool Church, exclusive of tho opening day and of Easter Pay, the average of four Sundays has been £12 17a 4d. Tho plans and BpeciGc.it ions for the new church ore now ready. It may be a question whether it is advisable to proceed at once with the building, owing to the state of the times. I take this opportunity of retumiug my personal thanks to the Churchwardens and Vestry, for their past services, and no doubt, at the proper time, a vote of thanks will bo moved to them. I think that the balunce-sheet will show that they deserve well of tho Parish. One of the Churchwardens has been most assiduous m bis work, and hni been of the greatest possible a°sistanre to me, m reminding me on every opportunity of what wanted to be done. I also wish to express my personal thanks to the teachers of the Sunday School, and the ladies of th o choir, and also to the leader of the choir. I will not detain you any longer, but simply remind you that we have a subscription list to a considerable amount towards the erectbn of the new Church, and a portion of tbat money has been c mtributed totrardi the new school building; and if necessary, the Churchwardens will produce a detailed statement of the amount collected and promised. I will now ask the Churchwardens to produce the balance-sheet. Mr A. Christophers then read over the principal ilrrrn contained m the annual balance-sheet, copies of which had been diltributed to those present. The total re- | ceipts on the ordinary account amounted to £1,024 15s Id, and the expenditure to £1,051 9a 5(1, leaving a debit balance of £26 14) 6d, and the total labilities on this account amounted to £122 12s 6d. On (he Building Account the followiug amounts had b?en received : — Loan from Church Property Trustaes, £500 ; loan from 0. G. Russell, secured by mortgage of sections 212 and 244, five year*, at 8 per cent, £1000 ; interest on deposits, £13 1» ; grant from Church Property Trustees, £100 ; subscriptions to school, on account, £25 ; subscriptions to church and school, on account, £506 7s 6d ; total, £2,231 8s 6d. Against these amounts tho sum of £1454 had been spent on the erection of the new School Church, fittings, laying out. of ground, &c. ; and £350 0n the purchase of sections 241,242 and 244. Sundry o'her items made the total sum expended m the building account £2204 8s 5d ; or £69 19j lid over thet received from all sources. The Sunday School and festival accounts showed that the receipts amounted to £146 0s lOd, and the eipen Uturc to £145 8s 9J, leaving a. credit balance of 12» Id. Funds deposited with Bank of New Zealand on account of organ, amounted to £115 3s 2d, and funds collected by H. Belfield, Esq., on account of Church bells, ti £39 13s. Mr Christophers said that m reference to the ensuing year it was estimated that the expenditure on the ordinary account would be £900 ; that the seat rents would realise the sum of £370, and that there would be a sum of £20 from the rent of the church glebe ; that the offertories would amount to a total for the year of £528 ; so that the expenditure, it was thought, would balance well with the revenue At the Chairman's invitation several questions were then asked and satisfactorily answered. Mr Cliff flaid that he had understood that the subscriptions collected and promised towards the erection of thi ne»r church were not to be taken for any other purpose. He found, however, tbat a sum of £500 had been, taken from that source to aid m the building of the new Behool Church. Mr Belfield explained that m the circnlar sent round asking subscriptions it was distinctly stated that the money was to be expended on the erection of the new School Church and also for a new church. Mr Clff asked whether there -"had not been

a limit, fixed to the amount to bo expended on the new church building- n , nnn Mr Belfield mated that the sum of £1200 had been i<amerl as ihe limit. Mr Cliff then referred to tho fact Mint nearly £1600 hud been expended on the building, which he considered was excessive. On the motion of Mr Proctor seconded by Mr Cook tho balance sheet and the report were adopted. A Tote of thanks if as then accordod to the Choir, the Vestry, and the Church-wardenß, for their past services, on tho motion of Mr Ormsby seconded by Mr Shepherd. On the motion of Mr Belfield seconded by Mr Tate, it was carried — "That m tho opinion of this meeting it is advisable to hold a bazaar m May, 1880, for the purpose of raising funds for the new church." In reply to Mr Cliff, Mr Christophers said that £2857 had been promieed towards the erection of tho new church, £587 of which bad been collected. Tho building would hold about 600 persons. Mr Cliff moved—" That tenders be at once called for the erection of the new church." la support of bis motion he dwelt upon the fact that the orection of tho building had been contemplated for the last three years. Tho motion was seconded. After a discussion, m which Messrs Rutherfurd, Kin)!, Woollcombe, Wrigge, and others took part, Mr Belfield moved as an amendment — "That m the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to delay the building of the new church six months from date." He held that it would be very unadvieablc, m the face- of the present financial depression, to go on with the erection of the building, as people who were willing were unable to give subscriptions towards it. Mr Woollcombo seconded the amendment, which, on being put, was carried by 23 votes to 4. The election of Churchwardons and Vestrymen was then proceeded with. Mr Belfield was elected as Clergyman's Churchwarden, MrChristopher as Parishioner's Churchwarden, and Messrs Stevens, Beswick, ■Woollcombe, Tate, Wright, Knubley, Green, Proctor, and Fraser, hb Vestrymen. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceeding!.