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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 510, 3 June 1881, Page 3

A laugk number of electors attended to moot Mr Montgomery in tlie scliooll'ni.ni. Le Bon's Bay, on Tuesday evening lastMr Barnett was requested t<> take tho chair, nnd - favored the company with : a few introductory remarks. Mr Montgomery touched briefly on the non-com-pletion of the Akaroa Railway, the additional sixpence on telegrams in Akaroa, Government retrenchment of the past year, the Local Public Works Hill, and the education affairs. To this latter subject be devoted a considerable time. Mr Barnett Sen. put a question relating to the great difficu! ties eric uutercd in getting things out and into the bay both by the land and water. Mr Macniilhm asked what Mr Montgomery's opinions on the Chinese Immigration Question were. Mr Montgomery thought the Chinese were very bad colonists, and he would be in favor of a poll tax being imposed on them. Mr Wright proposed ar d Mr Oldridge seconded a vote of confidence which was passed unanimously, the electors also pledging themselves to support Mr Montgomery at the next election, and desiring that he should still continue to represent them.

A few years ago the attacks made upon ! Religion hy some men of science led to the foundation of a society to investigate all plnlosophieal or scientific questions, more especially those said to militate against tlie truths of Revelation, and to publish-, the results to its members in a quarterly journal. This society, which was called the. Victoria Institute, or Philosophical Society of Great Britain, has now a house. at 7, Adelphi terrace, London, and boasts of 900 members, each paying a email annual subscription, amongst whom are many leading men of science. The Archbishop of Canterbury,- and several English, Colonial, and American Prelates have also joined it. Having been founded under Lord Shaftesbury's auspices, his Lord- j ship takes much interest in its progress, which bo recently described as follows:—" I was present at the very birth of this Society, when an address was delivered in a small dark room. I had no conception at that time of the work which the Society would do, and of the position which it would hold, not only at home, but also, as it is now beginning to do, in America and our Colonies. I had no expectation whatever of seeing the Society assume such magniiicent proportions, and fiom the bottom of my heart I thank Almighty God tUuMie has so prospered our efforts (cheers). The object with which this Society was formed was, not merely to beat down the views of others, not to be antagonistic to the progress of Science, but to do all that we could do io>- tbe development of Truth, and, if I may use the phrase, to give Religion l fair play.' This Society was not founded to establish either one opinion or another. It was not started for the purpose of setting up the ; Bible against Science. The object of this Society was, that Science should have fair play, that the Truth should be told on ail sides, and that we might get rid of the desnotism of certain scientific men (hear, hear). Because it is perfectly well known that men of science, with all their sublime and mighty notions, are as despotic as the weakest of the human race, and they are exercising their despotic sway to a remark? able extent over a very large number of rising yong men, who are either fascinated by what they have read and discovered, or are crushed by the authority of a few great names. It was in order, as I have said, that Science should have fair play that this Institute was established, and tbe blessing of God has so rested upon it that it has at last taken a hold in public estimation." The Society is now supported by BGO members, among whom are 39 Prelates'. 'Ihe Duke of Argyll, KG., F.R.S., Sir JFayrer, F.R.S., Professors Stokes, F.R.Sj BoydDawkins,F.R.S.,J.O. Dawson, F.R.S. jjugbes, . F.R.S., Nicholson, F.R.S.E., and Balfour Stewart, F.R.S., and other Fellows of the Royal Society, and Dr. Rassam, are among those adding to the value of its proceedings during the past, year.