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Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 16, 10 August 1848, Page 2

We feel ourselves bound to say a few words in reference to a letter, signed "Observer," which was received last week, but at the eleventh hour. Its great length has necessarily precluded it from publication in our columns; that, and a certain bitter tone pervading it, which is altogether uncalled for by the occasion. Still, as we are always anxious to give fair play to both sides of every question touched upon, if the writer will compress the letter within reasonable limits and by compression, it will gain ranch in effect—room shall be found. " Observer," with reference to the report of the meeting 'of the friends of the Church of England, 'Jield at Eden crescent a fortnight since, comntents ye'ry strongly upon the inconsistency and wantof candour shown in resolving that certain moneys, subscribed to make provision for the spiritual wants of the town, should be handed over to the Bishop for general purposes, with an understanding that his Lordship should supply the ministerial assistance required ; this special disposition of the funds being made, in order that the appearance nj what is called the voluntary system might Je avoided. The proposition was carefully worded, the gentleman who made it being perfectly aware

of the dangerous ground on which he trod ; and it was in the hope of avoiding misconstruction that the term " appearance" was introduced. For he is not at all prepared to concede that the act of raising money for Church purposes by subscription necessarily involves a recognition of " the volutary system,"—we use the phrase in its specific and well understood sense—under which the flock make choice of a shepherd, and too often measure out their contributions towards his support according to the satisfaction which he gives? forgetting the office, for the man. The plain truth is this, that the meeting—owing to the want of any general system of church policy in this country, and of permanent endowments for the support of clergymen —found itself in an anomalous position. It wished to meet an immediate and temporary difficulty, without appearing to sacrifice a principle, or* establishing a precedent which might be quoted' against such principle ; to secure itself against a njake shift being construed into a rule. To use a lawyers phrase, it wished to raise and to apply the funds, " judice," for which reason, the roundahaa?i«ocedure that "Observer" complains against, was adopted, as a useful precaution. To our mind, the device had very much the air of one of those legal fictions, that no man in his senses ever yet thought of objecting to, by which cases that otherwise might have been found hard to deal with are brought within the range of some established principle of law. We have already said too much about a very indifferent matter, which has likewise now lost the little interest that may once have attached to it, a different manner of appropriating those funds, having been agreed to at a subsequent meeting. It may be right however to state that the suggestion so fiercely impugned by "Observer," did not originate either with the Bishop or with any of his clergy, but with a layman, to whom the blame, if any blan.e there be, must entirely attach ; the Bishop, as chairman, having had no choice but to put the question to the meeting, and to declare the proposition carried.