The Chutha Leader. THURSDAY, DEC 24, 1874.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 24, 24 December 1874, Page 5

The Chutha Leader. THURSDAY, DEC 24, 1874.

Judging from appearances, it would seem to he an accepted axiom that " a thorn in the flesh," in the way of comparative poverty, is considered to be desirable, if not necessary, for Ministers of Religion. They are required to be well trained, well educated j to devote all their energies to the performance of their duties j and, amid much physical exertion, to retain that spirituality without which all other qualities and graces are but as dross. Idke the soldier and the doctor, they are expected to face disease and death at any moment, by day or night and year after year, on a stipend very often considerably less than an ensign's pay ; and, indeed, not seldom on a sum that is scarceW sufficient to keep soul and body together, to say nothing of shutting out those corroding cares which are the bane of spiritual life. If the laity value the services of their ministers, it is but right that the estimation in which they are held should be exhibited ] by an approximately equivalent support. Though our remarks will be confined ] principally to the Church of England, | th^&tc.in no small measure, applicable ; to other Churches also. It is generally supposed that the Bnglish Church is richly endowed by the State, and that the incomes of its ministers are mainly dependent on these endowments. The fact is that out of the £0,694 clergymen of the Church there are 5,573 livings, giving an income not exceeding £200 a year in value, and no fewer than 8,752, not exceeding £300 a year ; while the average stipend of 5,800 curates in 1873 wasylaccording to the * Quarterly Review,' about £125. This latter sum

supposed to have been paid by incumbents, and £325,000 was provided from lay sources. Chief among these is the offertory, which, of late years, has greatly aided in Church development ; for we find in twelve churches in large towns, six being London churches, and three in distinctly wealthy localities. that the aggregate offertory in 1873 amounted to £40,000. In passing, we may mention that each of the twentyeight bishops receive an average income of £5,500, which, if divided among 20,694 clergyman, would only increase their stipends by about £8 a head. It may then be rightly inferred from this that even in the rich English Church the incomes of the curates depend greatly, small as they are, on lay aid. The curates are almost universally graduates of the ancient universities, and men of education and social position. Supposing that the income from all sources was equally divided among the clergy, the average receipt of each would be £223 — an utterly insufficient remuneration for men of academic education, who have large claims on their benevolence, especially in the poorer parishes. No wonder then, that in the sister Church of Ireland there is a dearth of candidates for the ministry, for the prospect of advancement is there even more remote than in England, and the most promising among them seek admission into the ministry of the English Church. However, what we have to do with is the Church of England in New Zealand ,* she is free from any but selfimposed shackles — and can do as she pleases. We know of ministers — earnest devoted, untiring men — living as best they may, upon a mere dole, and that too precarious. Such things should not be; the richer parishes should assist the weaker, and a fund, similar to the Sustentation Fund of the Presbyterian Church, should be instituted for all New Zealand. This Ecclesiastical Provincialism is a disgrace to us. If the English Church were true to itself, none among its ministers would be left without a sufficiency. But it is necessary that we should urge the various churches not unnecessarily to intrude upon ground already occupied. It is right and the duty of each church to look after its own people, however scattered ; but it is sad to witness a Presbytery ministration where the members of the Presbytery Church may be counted almost on the fingers of both hands. There is surely sufficient identity of doctrine among Protestant communities to enable one church to rejoice at the more favorable position of another. It is the height of self-suffi-ciency and spiritual pride to proclaim that there is no church but one, and that the one to which we belong. If there is any virtue in Christianity, its followers will rejoice if men are gathered into any flock of the common fold. But while some three or four ministers are occupying the same field, it is idle to suppose that all can be duly provided for. The church of the minority should be content to be the centre of a large missionary district, and its missionary should take the oversight of its members scattered abroad. There is yet another way in which the churches might cheer and support their minister, viz., by Faster offerings. We know that some few does, but it might be shown more extensively. The English Church is no celibate church, and in many a vicarage and curacy, as is the Presbyterian manses, there are mothers and daughters whose kindly hearts beat in sympathy with suffering ; but though " ministering angels " they still are human. Many a quiet offering might be made, each of its kind, and all the more valued because the outspring ofa thoughtful care.

" Sea Beach," a correspondent in the ' Otago Daily Times,' makes the following suggestion, which we have great pleasure in endorsing. He says : — '* I was roaming the other day, as is "my wont when at Port Molyneux, " along the beach towards The Nuggets, " with the express intention of selecting " a fifty acre section from among the " very few which are surveyed in that " direction. I had often pictured to " myself a marine residence, away from " the din and bustle ofa town, where I " could wander about inhaling the " delicious sea breezes, or take a smart " gallop along the fine sandy beaches " which there succeed each other in an " almost unbroken continuity at low " water. My mind was made up to " make an application, if I could only " find marks ; but to my dismay I found " that I was too late — my fancy spots " had been fancied and bought by others v — and I returned a saddened man, t( bitterly acknowledging that * procras- " tination is the thief of time.' Ido " not yet despair, if I can induce the " Government to lay off 50 acres right " onward to the Nuggets, and even be- " yond, to Catlin's River. People may " talk as they like of the terraced lands " bordering the mud flats of the Harbor " of Dunedin, or of the delights of an " antipodal Brighton ; but give me the " swelling woodlands of the Molyneux " facing the sea, and I am content. *' When the Clui ha Railway is completed " families from Dunedin may run up to v Balclutha in gome three or four hours " and bowl along a capital road — bart( ring a short distance — right down to •' their marine villas. Children may " make dirt pies by the million, and ." seaside frequenters will find' many a " rocky nook where they may bathe

" unseen. Fish abound of every kind " and of every quality • and in the " pellucid waters of Catlin's River, ** soles and flounders may be had such " as would delight the veriest gour- " mand. Strangers, who do not desire v a permanet residence, will find a clean " and well-conducted hotel, the Alexandra,- at Port Molyneux; and in " Mr and Mrs Patterson, a host and lt hostess in harmony with the sur- " rounding scenery. But will the " Government, in their own interest, " and in the interest of many a weary " denizen of the towns, and many an " inland settler, enable the public to "make purchase? If they will, and " that early, I will venture to prophecy " that in a few years that the whole " sea-board from Port Molyneux to " Catlin's River will be a panorama of " delightful villas, and parents plucking " roses for their children's cheeks, will " thank God there is a sanitasium l< within reach."

It will be seen by a reference to our report of the deputation which waited upon the Hon. Mr Reynolds, in re the Waitapeka diversion scheme, published in another column, that a very fair prospect exists of the alteration in the line being given effect to. Acting upon the representations made to him, Mr .Reynolds took prompt action to stay the further progress of the line via Four-mile Creek, until at least the proposal for deviation had been more carefully considered. He also promised that unless it could be shown that engineering difficulties of a serious nature existed, he would use his endeavors to get the views of the deputation carried out. This was the most that could be expected at his hands. Although a member of the Government the control of the Public Works department is vested in one ot his colleagues, and the alteratiou can only be sanctioned by that colleague. Still, his intervention at head-quarters is a matter of great importance, and augurs the best possible result. The standing* committee should, however, bear in mind that the object for which they were elected is still far from being accomplished, and if that be rightly considered, they cannot fail to recognise the fact that, a great deal depends upon their continued exertions.

At the meeting of the Waste Land Board, held on the 16th inst., a legal opinion by the Provincial Solicitor was submitted relative to the power of holders of land under the deferred payment system to assign their interest therein to third parties. The opinion, which answers the question in the negative, is to the following effect : " It seems to me, from a purview of the " clauses referring to the alienation of "land on deferred payments, that the " Legislature intended that the licensee, " or, in the event of his death, his " executor or administrator, should " alone have the right of occupancy " and purchase the Waste Lands Act " confers. It would, I think, be attribu- " ting an absurdity to the Legislature "to say that, while sub-letting is pro- " hibited, assigning is to be allowed. " At the same I admit that the word " 'assigns' is used in the sub-sections "pointed out, but I think that the " Waste Lands Board would be carry- " ing out the intentions of the Act if " the draft submitted by me were " adopted. If they are inserted, and " wholesale alienation allowed, I am " afraid the benefits intended to be " conferred by the Act by the introduc- " tion of the deferred payments system " would be rendered doubtful, if not " impossible." The Board, it appears, has determined to act on the opinion, and allow no assignment.