PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 225, 22 September 1928, Page 20

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

DARGAVXLUE3.

The Borough Council, has ascertained that owing to difference In duty, a gasometer with a capacity of 40,000 ft, can be installed at a cost of only £408, over a gasometer of 20,000 cubic feet, as authorised for a poll of ratepayers. Notice of motion has therefore t0 h<>ld a *P ecial meetfng to rescind the previous motion and re-open the Mn° n ' wla i the ldea of Purchasing a 40,000 cubic feet container. KAITAIA. The Mangonul County Council has re- ? 2,£}£ at consideration of the payment of £3500 by the Consolidation Commission, all rates due up to March 31, 1930, will be Katlon 11 schemi. aClUd€d ta ** Mtlve «- «.J h &. Maln P'Khways Board has notified the Mangonul County Council that the Irn a d^^' Kai i al s m , a . ln hl between SS«rSi °f £ nd Herekln ° Bridge has been declared a Government road, and the cost of metalling will be subsidised at the rate of Sbww, Tne council has resolved to expend £2000 on metalling, and this will JUm*! th . e^t al expenditure £8000. It is tSmmw thC W ° rk wm be completed this «f «J£ UtIo V *5 e *° ods wharfage charges at the country wharf, Awanui, wal urged by a strong deputation which waited upon the Mangonul Harbour Board. The board decided to call a special meeting to revise lt« by-laws and no wharfage chafges are to be collected In the meantime. OPOTIKI. The Jubilee celebrations (1878-1928) in ,° P °t ikl P"«byterlan to the 30th. September 23rd Fifty years ago the Opotikl flats were a comparative wilderness, cultivated only in patches and covered for the most part with a «hh^ rl0 * U8 growth ot fern ' tea-tree, toltoi, ll*^ g £ J rees ' ra , npo - and flax - For many hf,?M?. 111 * 6 . K powin S was the chief industry, farming now glven place t0 dalr V The first definite records of PresbvlS7| n wW°S '£ op ?, tski are in 1872, when the Rev. Mr. Martin, a Presbyterian minister, opened a school in Opotlki. SLiT?" T Slr D <«»ald McLean; then Minister of Native Affairs, and landed on the beach from one of the Government p 6^™. 6 /- 8 -* In Tlew , of the f act that the Protestant community of the town connh?f, d o, m H of , a * out ea - u al numbers of £, l™ « ?, ng l an \ people and Presbyterians. Mr. Martin held services on alternate Sundays for each denomination. On Mr. Martin's resignation the Rev. Alexander Soutar arrived in the town. Mr. Soutar had been a *resbyterian minister, but after arriving in New Zealand he took up work for the Church of England. The services conducted by Mr. Soutar were according to the order of the Church of England, but a Presbyterian hvmn book -JLh T£ e Blshop of Waiapu took exception to this arrangement. X meeting ?l~F res byterlans was held on June 22 1877, to confer with the Rev. David Bruce minister of St. Andrew's Church, Auckland W R°. "5? come from Auckland In connection with the matter, and it was resolved that it was desirable that a Presbyterian Church should be established. While negotiations were being carried on, the Rev. John Gow arrived in Opotikl from Dunedin for health reasons. When it was known that Mr. Gow intended to settle in the district a meeting was held, and It was agreed to invite the Key. John Gow to become minister. This call was placed in Mr. Gow's hands by the Presbytery of Auckland, and was accepted by him. His Induction took place on September 22. 1878, the Rev. P. S. Hav, M A £- f ■£ aur , anga> and tne Rev. John Mark, of Katikati, officiating as a. Commission of Presbytery. Services were conducted for Ave years In the Town Hall. The first annual meeting of the congregation was held on September 25, 1879. In 1883 the first church building was opened. The structure cost £270. and had J 8e » M J? g accommodation for 105 persons, in 1890 the building was enlarged to give additional accommodation for 40 persons Owing to falling health, the Rev. John Gow resigned. The resignation took effect in September, 1892, Mr. Gow's ministry having thus covered a period of exactly 14 years. It was through the work of Mr. Gow that the TAtperance Hall was built for many years being used for evangelistic temperance, and other purposes. At a con- ? r , e & atlonal meeting held on November 9, 1892, an Illuminated address was presented to Mr. Gow, in which the warmest appreciation was expressed of his life and labours. M l-,. G .°, W continued to reside In Opotikl until his death, In 1901, at the age of 86 years. After a vacancy of six months, the Rev. Charles Worboys, of Avondale, Auckland, accepted a call to Opotikl, and was inducted in April, 1893. After a period of eight years Mr. Worboys resigned. During bis period of service it is interesting to note that In 1898 the envelope system of church finance was first adopted. Some time afterwards it was discontinued for some years, but was again adopted, and today is still in use. ~ I P 1002 ' the R ev. G. M. Macdonald, M.A., B.Sc, was inducted to the pastorate. The steady growth of the congregation led to the erection of the present church building. The new church was opened in August, 1907. The resignation of Mr. Macdonald took place in April, 1909. In July, 1909, the Rev Robert Francis was inducted as minister. Mr. Francis carried on the work Cor a period of nearly ten years, when he accepted 8 call to the Bluff, in February, In September, 1919, the Rev. David Hird M.A., was inducted. He has carried on the work until the present day. The services to be conducted on Sunday September 23, will be taken by the Rev James Aitken, M.A., of Gisborne, Moderator at the General Assembly. On Tuesday, the 25th, a Jubilee tea will take place, to be followed later inthe evening by a social gathering. The Bay of Plenty Presbytery will meet An Wednesday, the 26th. A public meeting of the Women's Presbyterial Association will also be held, when an ? ddres f w . IU , b ? given °y Sister Jessie, of £,?w M *ori Mission. On Thursday, the 27th, the children's tea, prize-giving, and entertainment will take place. The services in connection with the celebrations will conclude on Sunday, the 30th, when the services will be conducted by the Rev r. H. Roseveare, Moderator of the Auckland Presbytery.