Te Puke.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 1, 1 July 1913, Page 15

Te Puke.

Vicar: Rev. J, Hobbs, To the Parishioners. My Dear Friends, — We have now the nucleus of a Sunday school library. We sent £5 Home to the S.P.C.K., who, with their usual generosity, supplemented another £i 5, and then grave discount on the whole amount, so that we start with one hundred and thirty volumes of their interesting children's books. Our thought now is how to make the library grow by addinor a comparatively few books at short intervals. Again the Sunday school children are spending their Saturday afternoons at rehearsals, which they seem to enjoy more even than l^st

year, and better than any other kind of play. This time " The Sleeping Beauty "is the fairy drama, to be produced about the middle of August, and so far it bids to be equal m quality and interest to its predecessor, " Beauty and the Beast." Of late we have been interesting ourselves m " working bees." A number of the Vestrymen* spent a Saturday on the Vicarage grounds, m real hard work, whose result is very apparent. Honestly, it cannot be said even now the paddock looks respectable^ but it is less of a disgrace to us. A contingent of our C.E.M.S. Branch have taken m. hand a very much needed inside porch to the Church. One Thursday afternoon and evening, and the whole of the King's Birthday, saw them at it, and certainly so far as it has gone there is every reason for them to be proud of it and we of them. Unfortunately it cannot be finished till the doors and spring hinges arrive from Auckland. Then we shall hope for a workmanlike and finished job, which will vastly improve the comfort of the building. This morning I set out with 36 cards of the Bible m State Schools League. In the main street only, and m one hour and thirty minutes, I had 16 signatures, 19 cards taken home for signature, 1 retained for further consideration, and no refusals. So far as my experience goes, about 3 per cent, decline to sign, and about 75 per cent, sign initials instead of their full name, and about 80 per cent; forget about the whole thing till asked a second or third time. I wonder if such is the experience of canvassers through the Dominion ? If failure should overtake us' (which it will not) how many will exclaim, " I was really going to send m my card, only I forgot." Moral, Remember ! — Very sincerely yours, J. HOBBS.