St. George's Church.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2791, 24 January 1878, Page 2

St. George's Church.

The annual meeting of the members of St. George's Church was held laat night at half-past seven o'clock, the Rev. V. Lush in the chair. There was a good attendance, there being between 60 and 70 members of the Church present, And the business was opened in the usual manner.

The minutes of last annual and special meetings were read over by Mr Power. The minutes of the annual general meeting were confirmed unanimously, and after, some objections from Mr Oldrey the minutes of the bpecial meeting were also confirmed.

Mr Osborne apologised for the absence of Mr E. T. Wildman through illness, at which regret was expressed by the Key. Chairman and others.

Ihe Rev. Chairman called attention to the next business, and read the report of the retiring vestrymen, with analysis of balance sheet attached :

The Vestry have the honour to present to jou a statement of receipts and expenditure far the year eudiog the 31»fc December, 1877. It will bo seen that th«i total receipts, exclusive of overdraft, »«o £632 6s lid, agai-tt which there hua been an ezpendiiuro of £670 0s Bd, »nd the liability to the bank, which was £115 18s 2d at the cloeo of 1876, has therefore increased io £143 9s Bd. The general offertory amounted to £334, as against £393 Oa lid, aud the receipts for pew rents were only £117, as agninst £I^o 12s 6d of the previous year. On the side of expenditure it will be noticed thht £45 6a lid were handed to various charities, us against £29 7s 9d in 1876, and thtib a large buui has been paid for iuterest, viz, £98 19s 4d. The attention of the Church members is called to the large amount, £119 16i 61, duo and owing for pew rent*, which, if paid, would place the Church iv a comparatively good position. A new organ, the gift of B. T. Wildman, Ksq, has been erected during the year, and is a great ornament to the church. The instrument has been greatly admired for jts nveettH'S3 of tone. Mr Wildman is entitled to the thanks of the congregation for his gift, for the gretit interest he has taken in the choir, and for piveenta of new music suitable (or church services. The Vestry made exertions during the ye >r to comply with the terms upon which the organ was presented, namely, that £400 be raised to reduco the debt on the church, aud a sum of £l«0 . 15a bus been collected, of which £127 3$ has been placed to Ihe general account Donation—One of a number of gentlemen— I'sao Harding, Esq. —who advanced money to the church building account, hai kindly presented the balanco of the amount lent by him, viz., £20, as a donation to the church funds. Choir—The Vestry have great pleasure in calling attention to the satisfactory manner in which the choral services of the church have been rendered during the year, due iv a great measure to the exertions and attention of the ludiea and goatlemen of the choir, under Mr Trewhecla as orgtvniat. Tlie opening of the new organ was celebrated by.a choral festiral in the church, The chojr also gate during the year a recital of the " I*-: ,of the Pell," and a concert in the Acadomy of Music, whereby the church debt reduction fund has been credited £6§ Is 4d. The thanks of the congregation are justly due to tho choir. Lsy reader— B". 0. Lawlor, Etq., has conducted the regular services of Ihe church atTararu and in the Hospital, as well Hi attended funerals in the absence of Rev. V. Lush, for winch the thanks of the congregation aro due. Sunday-schools —St. George's Bundny-echool is conducted by a subcommittee, under the superintendence of Mr Phillips, who succeeded Mr l\ F. Day— whose resignation the Vestry greatly regret—ho haying left this district for Coro■tuaudel. The Sunday-school has iucreced in numbers, and is iv a high state of

efficiency, attributable to tho regular attendunco ami great interest tnkon by the vnrioua chtsß teachers, who deserve tho hearty thanks of the congregation—Tho Pnruwai Sunday school liai lost, within tho lnst year, the services of Mrs James Mtickny, it» superintendent, who hnii for years given the greatest attention to its concerns. Mrs Ilumo has kind y undertaken the dnti-s of the school: Children* lorvicet—A children's service has been held quarterly in the church with marked succors. Miss Lush has kindly undertukvn the instruction of the children in the musical portions of the services, at which the attendance hns been large. The funds collected have been handed to the Sunday school Management Committee. Synodimen ~ln November next the members of the Church will be called upon to eleeb two representative* to the Auckland Dioccaan Synod, in the place of Edward H. Power and Ed ward Tboma3 Wildman. All claims for registration to vote for Synodsmon ir.ust be sent in to Mr Edward Honi.<», the registration officer, duriug the month of February.—Edwb. Ht. Powjsb, P- ople's Churchwarden.

Mr Oldrey moved that the report be adopted. Capt. Fraser seconded, and the report was unanimously adopted* Mr E. H. Power, read the balance sheet for the year, which was adopted on the motion of Capt. Goldsmith, seconded by Mr Sevrett.

Balance Sheet of Sfc. George's Church, Thames, for year ending 31st December, 1877 ;—

Receipts: Cash on hand at 31st December, 1876. lls 9d; general offertory, account, £334; special account, closed, £27 3s; pew rents, £117; School rent, £15 ; donation by I. Harding, £20; Church Debt Redemption Fund, £136 17s 2d ; School loan account, closed, £1 15s; balance due to Bank of New Zealand, Thames, £143 9s sd; total, £795 16s 4d.

Expenditure : Overdraft at Bank of New Zealand, £116 18s 2d; cash paid into Bank, 11s 9d; stipend of minister, £300; organ account, £615s ; verger and collector, £M 6s ; lighting, £42 16s 6d; repairs, general, £9 Is; interest, £98 19s 4d; insurance, £20 4s 9d; advertising and printing, £5; School enlargement account, £23 6s 8d; School repairs, £2 17s 3d; sundries, £6 4s 7d. Special accounts paid: Home Mission, £6 19 9d; widows and orphans of clergy, £7 9s; Sunday School, £11 18s 8d; Hospital, Thames, £15 10s lid; Church Building Loan Account, £20; Melanesian Mission, £3 9s Gd; cash in hands of collector, £9 17s 6d; total, £795 16s 4d. Statement of Assets and Liabilities of St. George's Church, Thames, lo 31st December, 1877:—

Assets: Due by Mr Schofield, £5; pew rents owing, £119 165.6 d; cash In hands of collector (since paid into Bark, January, 1878), £9 17s 6d. Liabilities : Due to standing committee, £600 ; due to Bank of New Zealand, £143 9s sd; Home Mission, £3 13s 6d; Sunday School, £3 2s 7d ; outstanding cheque, £3 14s; Mr Head fo? timber, 9s 6d.

Auditor's Report on Balance Sheet of St. George's Church, Thames, to 31st December, 1877:—We have examined books and vouchers in connection with St. George's Church, and find the accounts correct for the year 1877. In accordance with a resolution passed by the Vestry on the 14th of March, 1877, v'z.. that all sums of fire pounds when collected should be paid into Church Bank account, we consider that this resolution has not been paid attention to. We would alao suggest that the forms of pew rents receipts should be numbered and initialed by one of the Church, Wardens, and issued to the collector for his use.—J. Aiwent Chapman, John 'OsßdßNs, Auditors. Audited 21st January, 1878.

The next business was tbe election of Church warden. f Mr Macdonald proposed as peoples Churchwarden, Mr E. T. Wildman, whose absence he regretted, especially because of the reason which prerented him from being present, namely, sick* i ness. • I Mr Oldrey seconded the nomination of MrWiidman. . Mr Aickiu thought it would be better for the Incumbent to nominate his Churchwarden, so that they might know j what to do. After some discuision— _. Mr W. 8; Aickin proposed Mr E. H. Power as people's Churchwarden. Mr Marchant seconded the nomination. Mr E. H. Power called attention to the fact that the proposer of his opponent bad not signed the book. _ ; This having been complied with, Mr Macdonald again proposed Mr Wildman for the office of Churchwarden, which was duly seconded. The names were then put to the meeting, and after some discussion it was decided that the rote should be put to the ballot. • Mr W. S. Aickin entered a protest against electing a people's Churchwarden before the Incumbent had nominated his Warden. He did so to prevent any charge of impartiality on the past of the Incumbent. Several members rose to a point of order. After some discussion a ballot was taken with the following result ;—Wildman. 36 ; Power, 28. Mr Wildman was therefore declared elected. The Her. V. Lush then nominated Ca-t. Eraser as Vicar's Churchwarden. Mr Marchant wished to know why the Her. Chairman had departed from his usual rule of choosing the people's Churchwarden of one year as the Minis* ter's Warden for the next. The Her. Chairman said that although he had made such a practice, he had not adhered to it as unalterable, like the Jaws of the Medea and Persians.

Captain Eraser proposed that the number of tho Vestry for the ensuing year be nine. " ■ :

Mr McCnllough seconded. Tho following names were then proposed :—J. E. Perry, J. B. Stoney^ J. H. Jefferson, J. Osborne, M. H. Airey, J. E. Coney, Kilgour, O'Halloran, Potterton, Speight, Power, Tizard, Fletcher, and Teasdale.

A ballot was taken with the following result:—Coney, 49; Kilgour, 46 } Perry, 42; Tuard, 41;' O'Hnlloran, 41; Potterton, 10 ; Stoney, 38; Speight, 3o; Power, 34; Airey, 34; Jefferson; 31; Oaborne, 281 Fletcher, 3f; Teasdale, 23. Messrs Pow«r and Airey being ties with 34, a show of hands was taken, when, Mr Power had a majority and was declared elected, the Vestrymen being as follows: —Messrs Coney, Dr Kilgour, J. B. Perry, E, N. Tizard, G. O'Halloran, T. Do C. Potterton, J. B. Stoney, W. J. Speight and E. H. Power. It was propo«ed by Mr K. FT. Power, seconded by Mr McCullougb, and carried—That Mr E. T. Wildman be ep-

pointed Tnistf c of the church in the room of Mr J. J. FitzGtbbon, deceased.

Votes of (hanks wero then passed unanimously as follows:—To Mr E. T. Wildman for his gift of tho new organ and for new music ; to the Choir and Organist for their efficient services; nnd to the Superintendent and teachers of tho Sunday SchoolIt was resolved that tho report and balance-sheet be printed.

Messrs H. Vernon and A. J. Allom were elected auditors, and the meeting closed.