May 3, 1928 Annual Meeting

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Matthew's was held in the Parish Hall last evening, the vicar, the Rev. W. Bullock, presiding.

The vicar's and the churchwardens' reports, particulars of which appear elsewhere in this issue, were adopted.

Attention was drawn by a parishioner to the sum of £1 14s, an item to the credit of the Boys' Club, in the balance sheet. This club has been out of existence for some years, and, acting on the speaker's suggestion, it was decided to hand the money to the Scouts.

The balance sheet was adopted.

The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows:--Vicar's warden, Mr L. B. Maunsell, re-elected; parishioners' warden, Dr. Archer Hosking, re-elected; vestrymen, Messrs T. T. Denbee, G. Hyde, W. Penistone, E, Hale, W. A. Clarke, J. Ninnes, J. A. Rosewarne, A. C. Major, H. A. C. Dunderdale and S. W. Smith; honorary secretary, Mr T. T. Denbee, re-elected; honorary auditors, Messrs G. W. Sellar and H. M. Boddington, re-elected.

In reply to a suggestion by Mr A. O. Jones that a branch Sunday School should be established in the vicinity of Pownall street, Mr Bullock stated that the matter was largely a question of obtaining the necessary help and room. He realised the necessity of such movement, and intimated that something would be done in that direction before very long.

The meeting approved of the formation of a committee for the purpose of controlling the social activities of the parish, such activities to include the Ladies' Guild, Girls' Club, Bible Classes, Tennis Club, Choir, Sunday School, Church of England Men's Society, and Scouts. The Rev. E. McLevie was elected convenor of the committee.

On the motion of Mrs W. Bullock, the officers of the past year were accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

St Matthew's Church, Wairarapa Daily Times, 3 May 1928, page 5

REPORTS FOR PAST YEAR.

At the annual meeting of St. Matthew's parishioners last night, the vicar (the Rev. W. Bullock) reported that after being ten months without an assistant, the Rev. E. MeLevie was appointed in December last. During last year very efficient service was given to the parish by the stipendiary lay reader, Mr Keith Harper, who acted also as organist and choirmaster, and also by the honorary lay-readers, Messrs Dunderdale and Norman Winhall. Mr Harper has arranged to stay for another year, thus enabling Mr MeLevie to give time to help in the Sunday school work, which is welcomed by those who have the Sunday school work at heart. It is possible that Mr Norman Winhall will soon leave for St. John's College, Auckland. 

Thanks are accorded the vicar's warden, Mr L. B. Maunsell; the people's warden, Dr. Archer Hosking; the vestry clerk, Mr T.T. Denbee, the treasurer and auditors. Reference was made to the work of Miss Hubbard as eub-master, and the scout committee, and also to the Girl Guides and Brownies. 

The services of Mrs Hunn as organist, and of Mrs Rosewarne as choirmistress, have been obtained, and already the singing showed the mark of their work. 

Regarding Sunday school work, thanks are due to the faithful labours of Mr Hyde and the teachers of St. Matthew's, to Mrs Chennells and her helpers at Kuripuni, to Miss Cresswell and her two helpers, Miss Spencer and Miss Gardner, at Lansdowne, and to Miss Perry at the Upper Plain Sunday School, as well as to those, who have helped at the school at Taueru, Miss Henderson and her helpers in the kindergarten, and Mrs Bullock, who conducts the Girls' Class. 

Thanks are also accorded to all those who so willingly and happily worker in any way during the past year--the altar servers, the bell-ringers, the secretaries of the C.E.M.S., which continues its valued work at the Public Hospital, the Ladies' Guild, the Girls' Club, and the Tennis Club, to Miss Vallance, Miss Boddington, and Mrs Hosking, for the collection of the Self-Denial Fund for social work, to Mrs James Welch and Mrs Hope for keeping the altar linen, to Mr Clarke for his attentive and regular care of the children's stamp class, to those who have taken the clergy to country services, to Mrs Stidolph for her care of the chancel, to Mrs Morton for her work as secretary of the magazine distributors, and to the caretaker, Mr Knapp.

Mr L. B. Maunsell and Dr. Archer Hosking, churchwardens, reported that the deficit of the general fund was increased by £16 during the year. The need for more subscribers to the general parish fund was stressed. 

During the coming year a last instalment would be paid on the electric light installation, which has been a considerable drain on the funds. The parish hall fund showed a deficit of over £100, but it should be noted that £200 was paid off the mortgage, instead of £100. This was made possible by the generous gift of Mr S. Mawley of £50, for which the thanks of the parish are expressed. The bulk of the work for the reduction of the parish hall debt was being carried out by the Ladies" Guild and the Girls' Club, and a con- tinuing debt of gratitude was due to them. 

The need of building up the freewill offering scheme was referred to, and thanks expressed to Miss K. Morrison, Miss Vallance and Mrs Beetham for work in approaching annual subscribers. 

The members of the Church of the Epiphany are congratulated upon raising their assessment of £100 to the assistant curate fund. 

For the year ending June 30th, 1927, a sum of £150 was raised and sent to Board of Missions. The Rev. E. McLevie arrived in December from St. Peter's, Wellington, and has already done god work, especially among the young people of the parish.

St Matthew's Church, Wairarapa Daily Times, 3 May 1928, Page 6