CORRESPONDENCE. THE CHURCH MISSION FUND.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11499, 4 February 1903, Page 9

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE CHURCH MISSION FUND.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. "F.C'.M."—We can hard'.y publish criticisms of a private catalogue in our columns.

A CANTERBURY PIONEER TO THI EDITOR OF THE PRESS.

.Sir,—l ccc in the morning papers that meeting is to be held at Hawarden to con sider about a public memorial to Mr J. D Lan.ce. At such a. tinvj I think a littl migh<t be srAd about the true founder o the e-stute. John Willong'bbr Mallock, wh' cjaiw to S*vr Zealand and took up tba land rears before -ue other* whos& name are liked with his. Rα, for many jeara while Mr Lance was at Home, worked oj and saved the estate in, the bad t;m/s iff veil known to many in Canteioury, uni left it the estate it wys Avhen sold >< Government. He studied mtdicine while h iOng.'.irid. ;iiid' race and. dioro nwny milt': to ais*s:«i: anyone who was ill, and unabi! t« get a dottor, the thanks he received be iug Milticieiit lecompeus:-. He v.as alsc wtll known for many sets of kindness nr.< help to any and uli who asked it. Hα k\-titaaU-il himtitU in everything in the di.<■trk't, was aJ. 1 ,., coroner, first- member ol the Road Board, and a number of the Provincial Council in Ciirisvchurdi. He was the first to dk\ i<llo remembers him now? Still I think "Honour to whom honour is due."—Yours, etc.. '•ii-..\irus fugit."

TO THE EDITOK OF THK I'RESS. ■Sir, —I have been a regular and systematic subscriber to the above fluid for many years, and would be glud if you would give me epaco to make a, few remarks on the manner in which it is administered. I may say that probably the majority ol subscribers contribute under the impression that their contributions, however small, are enabling some of the poorer paid clergy in the country districts to keep the wolf irom the door. I may add that- the expenses oi these clergy are far heavier than those of their town or suburban brethren. The cost of living is to them far higher than it is to town dwei.ers. They have to keep practically open hospitality to the countryside, horses and traps are to them necessaries, and not luxurits, uiid the cost of ftrocuruig, maintaining, and removing such are no small items in their annual expenditure, whilst most t»f them being manied men with large families the education of their children is ix most, unxioua and costly problem. This being so, I can not but take exception to the large grants which are now being made it© certain town and suburban parishes, the incumbents of which having by no means the same expenses as the country clergy. I refer more paiticulaiiy to two large districts, the population of which are rapidly increasing, and even now, and, indeed, for years past, have to be reckoned by thousands. One of these districts, which until quite lately was for many years «, "parish," is not now able to provide a suitable stipend for its priest, but it is able to pay for the luxury of v professional organist, ard to spend some hundreds of pounds on church improvements, including such luxuries as an organ chamber, etc. I fail to see why the Mission Fund should be drsiwn upon to eiiabte the parish to worship in luxury while it refuses 'to par a, proper stipend to its clergyman. The other parish I have in my mind is one with a .population of 8000 souls, mostly in good work. In its church the services are conducted with every luxury of wotvh-ip. This again is a district which should nr>t be' pauperised by a grant from the Mission Fund. If the priest is doing ihe> great work we are told he is doing, his people should show their appreciation of his lubours by giving him a decent hire. If in allocating the grartts the populations of the districts were moTo taken into account, and more especially the circumstances, needs, and expenses of the clergy, I feel sure th«/t tJie sunvait the Committee's disposal would soon stand at «i higher figure than is at present the case.—Yours, etc., ONLY A SUBSCRIBER. Christchurch, February 2nd, 1903.