PUKETAPU.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XX, Issue 12, 2 June 1930, Page 12

PUKETAPU.

Vicar s.Tlio Rev. 11. F. Geddes, .At A; Annual Meeting of Parishioners.— The annual meeting of the parishioners was held at the vicarage on May 19:. The gathering, though smaller tjhan had been usual. of late yearSj was.very representative, parisliionors being pres.

ent from practically all the centres of the' scattered district, even the niost outlying The Vicar opened his remarks with beautiful reference to thoß© who, during- the past year, had been called to their rest. He then briefly reviewed the work of the parish during the financial year just ended. As far as limited human vision could see, the parish was m a better position at the present time than it had ever been. The number of communicants for the past year had been a record, and the attendance at the ordinary weekly services had improved considerably. In this respect, the Vicar made special reference to the services m the Coleman Memorial Chapel at Crownthorpe. The financial position of the parish was one that reflected gerat credit on the parishioners as a whole.' After all the ordinary parochial" expenses na.d been met, the painting of the church and vicarage had been paid for, out of a special reserve fund created at the adoption m the parish of the duplex system of finance. Various, small improvements had been carried out m the church and vicarage, and after these had been paid for the balance sheet showed a credit of £1 Is 5d m the general fund, .while the reserve funds, budgeted for at the beginning of the year, were subscribed m their entirety, and deposited m a fixed account with the Diocese of Waiapu. In addition to this, the sum of £'27 outstanding- from last year's account for the electrifying of the vicarage had been paid off by the generosity of two parishioners. At the conclusion of the Vicar's remarks, the balance sheet was discussed and adopted. The meeting then proceeded to the election of the following officers for the current year : — Vicar's warden, Mr J. H. Absolomj people's warden, Mi J. N. Lowryj Vestry, Mrs Kinross White, Mrs W. Turner, Messrs W. Turner, G. E. Beamish, F. Hutchinson, H. P. Beamish, J. Hildreth, B. Orr, G. Sanderson, R. Ensor; auditor, Mr A. G. Ballot; treasurer, Mr W. G. Moore. The following votes of sympathy were then passed: — To Mr W. G. Moore m his illness, and to the relatives of the late Francis Hutchinson m their bereavement. Votes of Thanks,— To Mr A. G. Pallot'for his generous services m the auditing and reviewing of the parish accounts.. The secretary pointed out that Mr Pallot had spent long hours m setting out the accounts m a strictly correct and businesslike way, quite impossible to an inexperienced layman.

To two, anonymous donprs who had. paid off the balance owing- on the electrify-' ing of the vicarage. .To the treasure!' and secretory for their work during: the past year. At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr Jim Lpwry, m a few graceful words, conveyed to the vicar the appreciation of the parishioners for his able and sympathetic work during the years lio had spent amongst them. They hoped that he would remain with them for many years to cpnie. TJie meeting with acclamation expressed its appreciation of these words., after which Mrs Geddes entertained the parishioners at afternoon tea. Mrs Kinross "White gave a delightful party at Omarunui to the child ton of the St. Michael's Sunday School.. Unfortunately the dulness of the liK.rning developed into an afternoon of misty rain, and the charm- of the garden- had .soon to be abandoned. However, the large verandah provided an excellent playground, and the children passed a delightful afternoon with plenty of ropm under cover for the most hilarious games. Tea was a feast of good things dear to the heart of childhood, and the final joy of the party was a treasure hunt which resulted m every child going home with a gift. As the children assembled to say good-bye to their hostess one of the small guests proposed three cheers for M[rs White. These were heartily given, followed by a delightful singingof "She's A Jolly Good Fellow" m the shrill trebles of childhood.