ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2076, 19 May 1881, Page 7

ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

Tho annual parish meeting of St. Mary s Cliureh, Timaru, was held on May 2 m the Oddfellows' Hall, Sophia street. There was a somewhat small attenduncc, and tho Venerable Archdeacon Harper presided. After the minutes of the last annual meeting and mi adjourned meeting had been reud and confirmed, Archdeacon Harper read the following report : — "Tbo annual statement of accounts which will be found m thceo pages, shows results for ■which, I think, wo have much cause to be thankful. " The usual Sunday morning and evouing services have been held, with large congregations. Holy Communion ovory Sunday at 8 a.m., and at mid-day, alternately : average attendance per month 140. Gaol service every Bunday at 8.30 a.m. by the Incumbent and a lay-reader, alternateiy. A short morning service m the hospital every Sunduy by a lay-reader. Brvptism service every Sunday at 4 p.m.: number of baptisms 140. Wednesday evening service throughout the year. Daily sorvices at 9 a.m. during Advent, Lent, and on Holy-days. There have been 13 marriages, 46 burials, and 27 persons confirmed. Much credit is due to Mr Gooch, organist and choirmaster, for tho very efficient state of the choir. The attendance of all members of it has been remarkably good, whilst the organist gives unwearied attention to his work. The state of tho Sunday schools m the parish is very satisfactory. The total number of soholars on the roll amounts to 468, viz., 234 m the upper school, held m the school church, being 119 boys and 115 girls ; 216 m the lower school, held m the old church, being 98 boys and 118 girls, and 38 m the branch schonl held by the Misses Woollcombo m Waimataitai Valley, being 19 boys and 19 girls. Total average attendance at 3 p.m., 349 j average attendance of teachers, 35. Morning school is also held at 10 a.m. m the old church on Sundays, at wbish the lucumbent teaches, assisted by Mr Willway and o'hers; average attendance 73. During the afternoon the upper school is superintended by the Incumbent, and the lower by Mr Willway. Tho teachers meet every Thursday evening at the Parsonage to prepare lessons for the next Sunday and for consultation as to the welfare of the school. The Bey. W. C. Harris, Diocesan Inspector of Schools, is at present engaged m his examination of the scholars, for the purpose of awarding the Bishop's certificates of religious knowledge. The usual prizes for punctual attendance and general merit, together with the Bishop's certificates, will be distributed m about a fortnight's time. 1 wish to express my sincere thanks to the teachers who have given so much hearty effort to their work, which is of the greatest importance to the welfare of the parish. Valuable work has also been done by the ladies who act as district visitors, and by Mr xt.Turnbull and Mr E. H. Tate, who assist me m visiting the hospital and gaol. "Satisfactory progress has been made with the new church building so far as the first contract was concerned. The foundation stone was Uid by the Very Rev. the Di-an of Christchurch, September 9th, amid a large concourbe of people, the ceremony being followed by a moet successful soiree, and m November by a bazaar m aid of the Building Fund, which realised a large s.uro, nnd gave general satisfaction. The heartiest thanks of the parishioners are due to the ladies and gentlemen who arranged and carried out these undertakings so effectually. The contract for the foundations and lower courses of tower and nave, was completed m January by Mr,W. McGill, to the entire satisfaction of tho Building Committee. Since then, a second contract for the walls of the nave was entered into with another contractor, but a difference having arisen between him and the architect as to the quality of the work and stone, the matter was referred to a Court of Arbitration, its decision being against the contractor on all points, with the exception of an award to him of £10, for delay on part of the architect m regard to certain plans. Since then the contractor hai cancelled his contract with the Committee, the Committee having purchased from him the ntateria's he had obtsined for the work. It now remains to call for fresh tenders, but it is to be regretted that m this manner considerable time has been lost, tibiltt the building fund has suffered some little loss. "I with to express tny best thanks to the Churchwardens and Vestrymen, and to the Building Committee for their work during the past year, and especially to Mr Christophers. wKo has bad charge of the Church finance and other matters, m which his services have been invaluable. "The following gentlemen have been duly elected to serve as Synodsmen for this parish during the ensuing session of Synod : — Mr Belfleld Woollcombe and Mr C. W. Eichbaum. "Hekbt W. Habpeb, "Archdeacon. " St. Mary's Church, Timaru, "Easter, 1881." The Chairman called upon Messrs Herbert Belfield and A. Christophers, the Churchwardens, to make their report, whereupon Mr Herbert Belfield made ths following statement :— " In submitting the yearly balance-sheet to the parishioners, the Churchwardens beg to give the following particulars :— " The offertorieß for the year have amounted to £556 4s 4d, m addition to which a sum of £93 1 Is 3d was collected as a special offertory on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of the new church. Subscriptions and donations to the general fund have amounted to £126 5s 6d ; income from seat rents, £3ss ss; net proceeds of Boiree m connection with the ceremony of the foundation Btono, £67 19s Id; •übfCiiptioDs to the new church building during the year, £?88 10s ; net proceeds of bazaar m aid of building fund, £810 3s 8d ; Bunday School fund receipts, inclusive of annual festival £126 12s 4d. 11 With regard to expenditure, it may be stated that a contribution of £80 14s has been made towards mission work witbin the Diocese, and the Melanesian Mission. The debt on the ordinary current account has been reduced from £196 Is to £127 8s Bd, of Tfbich £100 is owing to the ergan fund, whilst a sum of about £12 still due for seat rents may be set DgaiDßt the balance of £27 8s Bd. All the ordinary expenses of the church have been met, and there are no outstanding liabilities. A snm of £35 has been paid m Property Trustees on the school church, and £07 10j inlereoton the seme. A. furlberaum, of £80 bes been paid as interest on loan on tbe site m Tbeodocia street. There hnß been expended, np to date, on tbe new church a sum of £1688 12s lOd, which includes a considerable amount of material purchased for No. 2 contract. A balance remains to the credit of the building fund of £130 12b 6d, with subscriptions that may be safely reckoned on to tbe amount of £900. "Tbe Churchwardens desire to congratulate the parish on the amount of money railed during the year, but at the same time they venture to think that considering the large congregations which attend the church, tbe amount contributed to tbe offertories might be greater. "Easter, 1881." Mr Bel field went on to say that coDsideriDg the large congregations that attended the churcb, the Bmount contributed at the offertorieß might be a little larger, which, if it. wero, would save tho inconvenience and trouble that attended the canvassing that required to be made annually lo balance accounts. Ever since they bad acted as churchwardeDß, tbe amount of revenue raised by tbe receipts for prw rents with the offertories, left them about £120 to Ibe bad annually, which bad to be raised by collections. He thought it would be very much more satisfactory if a number of tho parishioners would undertake to contribute a certain sum annually whioh should be collected quarterly, and by that meant there would be no necessity for canvatiiog at all. ■After a number of questions bad been asked and satisfactorily answered, respecting the lalance-iheft and report, Mr Wright proposed, and Mr Sterickcr seconded, a motion that the report and balance-sheet bo adopted, wbich was curried nrmnimously. It was also agreed that the auggceti'jn proposed by Mr Belfield m regard to raining £120 annually should be acted upon, and accordingly a list wni, at the conclusion of

Iho meeting, laid on the tablo, which wbb subscribed to by a number of parishioners. The Chairman callod upon the meeting to elect a Churchwarden for tho ensuing year, and ulso ten Vestrymen. He himself would name Mr Belfield as his Church wardon. On Iho motion of Mr Fraser, seconded by MrWalcot, Mr A. Christophers wob unanimously re-elected tlie people's Churchwaidon, The following gentlemen were then nominated and elected Vestrymen : — Messrs F. LeCren, J. Shepherd, F. B. Raymond, E. H, Tate, E. B Wefhey, R. B. Walcot, B. Woollcoinbe, B. G. Stericker, R. Frootoi', and H. W. Hammond. On the suggestion of tho Chairman the Church Buildiug Committee were re-elected, namely, Messrs. Goodall, Raymond, Wright, Proctor, and Woollcombe, together with the Incumbent and Churchwardens ex qfflcio. Ou tho motiou of Mr Walcot, seoondod by Mr Hammond, the following resolution was carried — " That the Churchwarnors be recommended, upon seats becoming vacant, to allot theni according to priority of application." Votes of thanks wore passed to the Churchwardens und Vestrymen, the Sunday School teachora, auditors, and the choir. This concluded the business, and the meeting separated with a voto of thanks to tho Chairman.