The annual meeting of the subscribers to the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was held Tuesday afternoon in H.B.M.'s Consulate General, Mr. P, J, Hughes in the chair.
'There were present:—Messrs. H. Wilkinson, H. Hertz, E. Jenner Hoxg, W. C. Ward' and Joseph Welch (Hon: Treasurer).
The Cuamaas—Geutlemen, I beg to! thank you for the honour calling nie to preside at this meeting, which I take not ication of any special official con-h this Consulate as a mark of gratitude for the past favours to the Church by Her Majesty's Goverument.
The notice convening the meeting having been read, Mr. Weucn said—The Report and Accounts having been in your hands for some days I presume they niay be taken as read. The Trustees of the Opium Refuge fund having kindly consented to receive repayment of their loan by instalments we repaid them the sum of Tls. 2,500 on the 29th matter which should be left to them and Sept. last, but to enable us to do this we were obliged to overdraw our account at the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank by about Tls. 800. The loan is now reduced from Tls. 5,664.50 to Tls. 3,164.50. The Bank has been repaid by the collection of pew rents for the current year. We have to thank Mr. Ward and his brother for all the trouble they have been good enough to undertake in the appointment of a permanent organist. Mr. Crompton, the gentleman selected for the post, left London on the 22nd Feb., and is due here about th 6th proximo, and Mr. R. H. Ward si of his abilities in the highest terms.
Mr. Wexca then proposed—''That the Report and Accounts for the year as presented be accepted and Mr. Hace seconded the resolution which was carried unanimously.
Mr. Wirkuysoy said that last year he moved a resolution which was adopted, to the effect that the Trustees be empowered to arrange with the Rev. H. C. Hodges for the continuance of his services from year to year, He understood by that resolution that Mr. Hodges' services should be continuous until the arrangement was put an end to by a notice on either side, His understanding of the resolution was that the Trustees would arrange with Mr. Hodges, that his services should be continued for each year, and he learned from them that they had so arranged. He thought that it was inconvenient that they should be making arrangements every year, and he therefore begged to move a resolution which would make more clear the understanding which he had last The resolution was as follows be empowered to arrange with the Rev. H. C. Hodges for the continuance of his services from year to year, terminable upon such notice from cither side as the Trustees and Mr. Hodges y agree upon." It would then Hodges at any time to give notice to the Trustees of his intention to retire at the end of any year, and it would be open to the Trustees by giving Mr. Hodges like notice, to bring his agreement toa termination at the end of any year. He thought it right that there should be no mistake as to the meaning of the notice and for that reason he moved that the words, as above proposed, be added to the resolution of last year.
Mr. Hexrz asked Mr. Wilkinson what he meant by such notice."
Mr. Wink1ysoy replied that the Trustees and Mr. Hodges could arrange the notice between ther it might be that the notice would be one day and the agreement would terminate the following day, but that was a matter for the Trustees and Mr. Hodges to settle between themselves.
Mr. Hertz as! could not that be embodied in the resolution.
Mr. Witkissox said Mr. Hertz could move an amendment to that effect if he liked.
The Cuaremay said the notice would be whatever the Trustess and Mr. Hodges agreed upon.
Me. Hexrz said he thought it left a good deal in the hands of Mr. Hodges.
Mr, Wiixtssos thought that six months would be a proper notice, but it was a purely to be settled between Mr.
and the Trustees. What he wanted was simply that the Trusteesshould have time write to England and obtain a successor if Mr. Hodzes wished t" retire, and on the other hand that Mr. Hodges night have time to make arrangements, so that he should not be ineouveuienced in any way.
The Cuarmmas said he understood the present agreement terminated in June.
Mr. Wetcu—Next year,—1890.
Mr. Wann, in seconding the foregoing resolution, stid he entirely agreed with what Mr, Wilkinson had said, and thought it would be entirely undesirable to bind the Trustees to any time of notice. It wasa Mr. Hodges, whose wishes should be considered, and that the Trustees would consider them he had no doubt.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. Wan proposed-—
That Messrs. E. J. Ho H. 8, Wilkinson, and J. Welch be elected Trustees for the ensuing year.
Mr. Henrz said he had much pleasure in Seconding the resolution which was carried unanimously.
Mr. Wexcu proposed a vote of thanks to the chair, which was carried by acclamation, and the meeting adjourned.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.