ROTORUA.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume I, Issue 1, 1 July 1910, Page 12

ROTORUA.

Our Church Committee has met three times already during the month of June. They have discussed the following subjects amongst others : — 1. The Natives entertained the Maori football team (who are now m Australia) m the Te Ao Marama Mission Hall. There were close on 200 people present, including members of the Ngatiwhalcaue. Tuhourangi, and Ngatipikiao tribes. Several speeches were made by the representatives of each side. The Arawas were very pleased with the members of the team, for their behaviour was exemplary. There are eight Communicants amongst the team. Very few of them touch drink. 2. The members of the Bible Classes and the Sunday Schools had a pleasant evening together m Te Ao Marama Hall. The Bible Classes are making good progress ; they meet every Tuesday. The children attending Sunday School at Ohinemutu have now reached the total of sixty. 3. The Committee are taking up the question of a new church at Ohinemutu with real earnestness The present building has stood for thirty years, and has suffered m consequence, the blocks and shingles having decayed. The Committee are considering the question of erecting the new church on concrete foundations so that they may withtstand ihe thermal action. A rough estimate of the cost of a suitable new church is about £700. The men's committee and the women's committee are all busy preparing for a sale of work and bazaar to be held on the 26th and 27 th December. They are working for a two years' effort to raise the money required. The external appearance of the building will be m accordance with English ecclesiastical design, but the interior will be characteristic of Maori art. 4. The Committee passed a resolution expressing their appreciation of the Bishop's kindly consideration of

the Maoris m allowing some pages of the Diocesan paper to be printed m the M aori language. 5. During the past five Sundays the attendance at Church has been very gratifying. 6. We are now without an assistant Minister, as Matene Keepa has been transferred to Te Whaiti. Let the outskirts of the parish be patient. Don't fppl very impatient because you are now seldom visited. The harvest is groat, but the labourers are few. Let each part of the Parish pnt forth every effort to keep things going satisfactorily. A man will be sent to assist us later on. — Your servant m Christ, Feed. Bennett.