ST. AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH. GERALDINE ROAD DISTRICT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3620, 8 May 1886, Page 3

ST. AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH.

GERALDINE ROAD DISTRICT.

« The Easter meeting of parishioners of tbis church waa beld on Thursday evening last, 6th inst. The incumbent, tho Rev. 0. Coates, prosided, and there was a good attendance. In his opening remarks, tho Chairman expressed his thankfulness in tho present encouraging Btate of tho parish with regard both to spiritual and . financial matters. Ho congratulated the church-woikera, especially tho parishioners' churchwarden, tho vestry, and the ladies of tho bazaar committee, on tho great, sustained, and successful effort ■which they had made during the past year to increase the financial condition of the parish. He said that only an energetic and united band of workers could in the face of such difficulties as were presented by the longcontinued depression and decreasing population, hare accomplished such results. Not only had tho receipts been augmonted by the proceeds of tho bazaar held at Christmas, but tho ordinary sources of income — offertories and subscriptions — phowed an increase on the present year. Tho envelopo system, which had been in operation for nine months, had worked exceedingly well, having effected an increase in the offertories to tho extent of £53, without affecting tho ordinary collections. This plan was recommonded to the more general adoption of tho parishioners, as being helpful to systematic almsgiving, convenient, and based on a Bcriptural prinoiplo The Chairman announced that the clevgymen sent out to this dioceso at the request of the Primate, by His Grace tho Archbishop of Canterbury wero to hold a four days' mission in the parish at Wliitsuntido, with the twofold object, undor God's blessing, of deepening tho spiritual life of the devout and awakening tho indifferent. . Tho ttatoment of accounts, baring, boen

! duly audited, wero presented to the meeting and adopted. The Incumbent announced thnt ho hod much pleasure in appointing ns his Churchwarden, Mr John Horgan, who hnd proved himself so excellent in tho capacity of Parishioners' Warden for two years. He hoped Mr Horgan would regard tho appointment as an asauranco of the entiro confidence and warm regard of his clergyman. Mr Aslin was unanimously elected Parishoners' Churchwarden. Tho number of vestrymoo having been fixed at nine, tho following were duly elected : —Messrs Gain,'G."Watts, Beckott, Gall, Saunders, Keen, Hardy, D. Watts, and Simpkinson. Votes of thanks wero given to tho outgoing church officers, and especially to Mr Horgan and Mr ABlin for their many services to tho parish, the Indies who had organised and conducted tho bazanr, the choirmaster, tho choir, the Sundny school teachers, Ihe auditors and Chairman. Appreciation was olso expressed of tho efficiency of the organist and the verger. It was agreed thnt a strong effort should be mado to cloar off tho debt still remaining on the parish, and suggestions were offered ns to tho supplementary bazaar which is proposed to bo held shortly. The Chairman promised to convene a meeting of lad'es at an early dato to consider the matter. Tho meeting closed with tho Benediction.

The annual meeting of ratepayers was held in Geraldino yesterday, ond was woll attended' Tho Chairman, Mr W. U. Slack, presided. THE ANNUAL BEPOBT of the Board was presented. Inter alia it pointed out thnt during tho year 6 miles 70 chains of road had been formed, ond 4 mileß shingled; 2 (lnrgo concrete culvorts hod been made, and ono bridgo built over tho Kakahu river. A great deal of general work bad olso beon done. Tho oxpendituro had been os follows: — Woodbury, &c, £3G6 5s 8d j Kakahu, &c, £221 12s j Pleasant Valley, &c, £280 lis ; Raukapuka and Goraldine, £141 15s 6d; Geraldino Flat, main road and reserve, £144 2s ; labour ond teams, £554 19s 3d ; timbor | account, £205 Os lOd ; ironwork, &c, £58 Os ; rood metal, £182 43 3d; plantations, £1G 17s Gd ; eggs, birds and poisoned grnin, £105 13s lid ; printing and advertising, £50 6s ; legal charges, £G7 12s lOd ; horso foed, £35 ls 3d; abolished ronds, £30 8s; harness, gross seed, &c, £16 Cs 2d ; salarios, £250 ; insurance ond sundries, £107 8s 3d ; balance town award, £1215 4s; making a total of £4169 19s sd. Total receipts, £2291 8s Bd. The rato of id in tho £ levied early in tho year had been collected with trifling exceptions. Subsidies of from Government and £187 10s from Geraldino hnd been received, £62 10s being still owing to tho Board on account of subsidy and rates. Tho report, in dealing with general questions, said thnt tho gorso nuisanco wns still growing, ond stringent means must bo adopted to put a stop to it. It further recommended tho appointmont of a ranger. The roport was adopted. THB RANGED.. ' After a long discussion on tlio various points of interest in tho report, it was ultimately decided that thero was no actual need for tho services of a ranger nt present, ns every ratepayer had tho right to net as a ranger himself. Mr Flatman thought that moro pounds wero needed. At present tho fce3 for impounding cattlo woro too high. Notwithstanding strong opposition, tho motion of Mr Leary to that effect was carried. MISCELLANEOUS. A motion by Mr Tripp to tho effect that tho district bo divided into wards for purposes of representation was lost. A motion to tho effect that the attention of tho Government bo called to the nuisanco caused by gorso spreading in the river bed was also lost. A suggestion thot tho salary of tho overseer bo fixed nt £150 per annum, and that tenders be called for tho situation was ruled out of order. THK DALANCB-SnBET For tho year ending 31st March, 1886, wos loid boforo tho mooting. It showed a balance of £14,192 2s lid in hand on Ist April, 1885 ; receipts during tho year, £2291 8s 8d ; balanco to credit 31st March, 16SG, £12,313 12s 2d. The meeting thon closed with tho customary vote of thanks. Tho election of tho new Board takes place to-day.