In a circular letter read in the churches of the diocese on Rosary Sunday, the Bishop of Portsmouth (the Rt. Rev. John H. King) said there was an aggregate of debts—bank overdrafts on certain churches, etc.—which came to well over £20,000. Early this year he made a special appeal to the clergy themselves to help in reducing the sum. The result of the appeal had been over £2,000.
" Probably your own priest has said nothing to you about this," the Bishop declared. " It is incumbent upon me to proclaim these facts and to let you know that the clergy do not confine thentselves to collecting money but are•also prepared to give."
War damage insurance had been met in a manner that he did not think possible a year ago. Altogether, since the Act came into force in the middle of last year the diocese had paid out over £1,300 in premiums, and even the most hard hit parishes had somehow managed to find all or nearly all their quotas.