THE WAKANUI SCHOOL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 147, 2 September 1880, Page 2

THE WAKANUI SCHOOL.

(From a Correspondent.) A meeting of the Wakanui Presbyterian Church Committee and members of the Wesleyan Church was. hold in the residence of the district schoolmaster on Tuesday evening, August 31st, in order to consider what action should be. taken upon a most singular communication, dated August 12th, which had been received from the Wakanui School Committee, conveying the information that from the above date “a charge of three shillings would be imposed for each time the schoolroom should be used for religious purposes or otherwise.” No reason was assigned for the charge being made, nor were the representatives of the churches conducting services there allowed time to place the matter before their properly constituted church courts, so that the notification had rather a queer aspect about it. After careful consideration, and as the School Committee were assembled in the school for the ordinary business, the church representatives unanimously sent a courteously written request to the local body that the former resolution should be rescinded, on the ground that they believed the householders of the district would strongly object to tax the very services which they themselves had sought. There was a feeling expressed to the effect that if the school funds needed support it would have been a far more be: coming thing for the Committee to have' suggested that donations would have been acceptable, and not have gone about their work in the roughshod, assumptious manner they had done. However, the School Committee very quickly and curtly sent answer that they adhered to their former resolution of making the charge. In consequence of this determination, a meeting of householders is to be called for Thursday, September 9th, at 7 o’clock p. m., that they may express their opinion on the propriety of shutting out religious services in such an autocratic fashion.

Plans for a Presbyterian Church were laid before the meeting, but it is doubtful whether building will bo gone on with until the financial condition of the district improves.