WAVERLEY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19863, 10 June 1927, Page 3

WAVERLEY

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH JUBILEE [ Special “ Chronicle ” Service. ] St. Andrew’s Church celebrated its fiftieth anniversary on Sunday and Monday. Three services were held on Sunday and were very largely attended by members and ex-members. The Rev. J. Paterson (St. Paul’s, Wanganui), took the evening service, and his splendid address was much appreciated. On Monday evening there was a concert in the Sunday School Hall which was largely attended, the hall being packed to the doors. The platform was occupied by the Rev. E. J, Dabourne, the present minister, tlie Rev. John Patterson, Rev. D. Mclvor, late minister of the church, now of Marton, and Rev. MacGregor of Stratford, who represented the Taranaki Presbytery and conveyed the presbytery’s congratulations for the work done in the Waverlcy charge during the past 50 years. Mr Dabourne, in making a presentation to Mr James Catanach. said he had been a faithful worker and official of the church for over 40 years. In Mr Catanach they had a friend whom one could grip by the hand and call a true friend indeed.

Mr Paterson said it gave him great pleasure to congratulate St. Andrew’s on behalf of the mother church, and wished them every success and a great future. He thought that should look to the future and carry on the good work done by those who had founded the church.

The following is a short history of the church. It is recorded in Dickson’s History of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. A volume of much interest, but which requires being brought up-to-date, that the settlers who returned to their homes after the Maori wars were ministered to by the Rev. John Elmslie, of St. Paul’s, Wanganui, and later Dr. Elmslie of St. Paul’s, Christchurch. Later the Rev. N. McCallum, of Patea, conducted services and in his time (1875) a church site was obtained and a manse built upon it. The late Rev. R. J Allsworth, of Victoria and subsequently of Turakina, who frequently ministered at St. Paul’s on occasions of supply was inducted on June 29, 1876, when services were conducted at Wayerley, Maxwelltown, Patea and Hawera. A church to seat 250 was opened on December 16, 1877, £748 having been subscribed. Mr Allsworth resigned on April 7, 1885. During his ministry the advent of a new sect brought in its wake an unfortunate split in the church which seriously crippled the work. The Rev. James Neville was ordained in 1886, but his ministry was of short duration and he returned to Scotland. The Rev. T. MacDonald was ordained in 1889, and as a result of his ministrations additions became necessary to the church. He also conducted services at Kohi, Waitotara, and Maxwelltown. The next minister was the late Rev. Charles McDonald, who long years later was in his semi-retirement, to become assistant minister for a short, but useful, period of service at St. Paul’s Wanganui. The Rev. D. Mclvor followed Air McDonald, i and after a lengthy ministry resigned the charge on receiving a call to Alarton. The present minister is the Rev. E. J. Dabourne, who at one time vas associated with the Rev. John Paterson at Broken Hill.

The following contributed items at the concert: Song, Airs Dabourne; musical monologue, Air Doull (2); pianoforte solo, Miss Murray; recitation, Miss Mathieson; song,‘Mrs Doull (2); musical monologue, Air Griffiths; song, Mrs (Dr.) Graves; song, Air Peterson; recitation, Bev. J. Paterson (2); song, Air J. H. Peters.

The ladies provided supper and the singing of “Auld Lang Sync’’ brought one of the best programmes heard in Waverlcy for some time to a close. WAVERLEY SCHOOL COMMITTEE The monthly meeting of the Waverley School Committee was held on Tuesday; present: Messrs G. Spratt (chair), S. Aiken, C. L. Christensen, W. P Wallace, C. H. Southcombe, J. Currie* (secretary), and C. A. Browning (headmaster). Aliss Farram, second assistant, tendered her resignation, stating that she had obtained a position in Auckland. Aliss Farram’s resignation was accepted with regret. Ihe tender of Mr Wallace was ac-

cepted for the lease of the board’s education reserve for five years.

The headmaster said Aliss Farram’s leaving was a distinct loss to the staff, as she had been a very painstaking and enthusiastic teacher.

Several small improvements had been affected in the school, he reported. Three new books had been purchased for the school library.

The inspector’s report has come to hand and is very satisfactory. Accounts amounting to £7 18s 8d were passed for payment. WAVERLEY GIRLS’ CLUB The members of the Girls’ Club and W.C.T.U. recently gathered in St. Stephen’s Sunday school-room to bid farewell to Aliss Avis Spence, president of the Girls’ Club, who is leaving shortly to take up her duties as a nurse at the Hawera Hospital. A short but enjoyable programme was rendered by the members. A competition was won by Miss W. Fletcher Aliss B. Elmslie, on behalf of those present, expressed regret at Miss Spence’s departure but hoped she would often come to see them, as Hawera was not very far away. She asked Aliss Spence to, accept an attache case as a slight token of the esteem in which she was held by her fellow members, and wished her every success in her new sphere. Miss Spence suitably replied. Afternoon tea and the singing of “She’s a Jolly Good Fellow” brought an enjoyable afternoon to a close. WAVERLEY GOLF CLUB The following are the best cards in the bogey handicap played on Saturday last: J. Pepper (18) all square, Court (20) 2 down, B. L. Craig (9) 4 down, W. J. Muir (6) 5 down, G. P. Spratt (18) 5 down.

WAVERLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY The following books have been purchased recently:—The Up-Grade, Geo. Gibbs; The Stranger from Cheyenne, J. B. Ames; Gates of Brass, Joan Sutherland; Corson of the J.C., C. E. Mulford* The Mocking Chevalier, A. G Hales* Hildegarde, Kathleen North* Goblin Market, H. de Vere Stacpoole; The Broken Silence, F. E. Mills Young; The Sun in Splendour, Thos. Burke; The Empire’s Junior Partner (N.Z.), C. A. Wilson; The Emigrants, Johann Boier; Elmer Gantry, Sinclair Lewis; The Alan They Couldn’t Arrest, “Seamark”; Gilbert Boon, C. J. Vasev; The Smugglers’ Cave, G. A. Birmingham; Lenore Divine, Jean Devanny* The Tapestry, J. D. Beresford; The Case of Bevan Yorke, W. B. Maxwell; Hue and S r y, 1 atncia Wentworth; Respectability, Bohun Lynch; Before the Bombardment, Osbert Litwell; Crazy Pavements, Beverley Nichols; The Black Owl W Le Queux; The Death Gong, Selwyn Jep s °n: Dream Island, Florence Biddell; Lighten our Darkness, Robert Keable; Life’s What You Alake It Rosemary Rees; Forbidden, Joan Conquest; A Dream of Wanderings, poem by the late Wm. Howe (Kohi)7