THE DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY AND THE UNIVERSITY BILL.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 222, 11 October 1878, Page 6

THE DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY AND THE UNIVERSITY BILL.

A pro re nata meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery was held, on Thursday last, when, on the motion of Rev. Dr Stuart, seconded by Mr A. 0. Begg, it was agreed unanimously to transmit the following petition to Parliament : — To the Hon. the Members of the House of Representatives, New Zealand, in Parliament assembled — The humble petition of the Presbytery of Dunedin, in the Provincial District of Otago, in meeting assembled showeth — Ist. That, upon the application and at the request of the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland, a private Act was passed in the General Assembly of New Zealand, intituled tho Presbyterian Church of Otago Lands Act,, 1866, by which the Church consented to set apart one-third of the revenue arising from properties belonging, to it for the purpose of forming a fund for educational purposes in the endowment of a literary Chair or Chairs in any college or university which might be established in Otago. 2nd. That one of the conditions on which the said Church gave up the said revenue for the purposes aforesaid, was that all apjpointinents to such Chairs should be made only with the concurrence of the Synod — the highest court of the said Church. 3rd. Tliat the Presbytery has learned with deep regret, that the Hon. Robert Stout, of your House, has, without any previous intimation to the Synod, inti'oduced a Bill into the House of Representatives of New Zealand, with the avowed object of denuding the Synod of the aforementioned power conferred on it by the said Act, and which was one of the express conditions on which the said Church consented to the appropriation of the said reserve for the purposes aforesaid. 4th. That the Presbytery is not aware of any reason why the said Bill, which seriously affects the rights of the Synod, should have been hastily introduced without due notice to all parties interested. sth, That the Presbytery respectfully protest against what it submits is an unjust and arbitary proceeding, done in violation of the first principles of justice; and one which, if sanctioned, would produce a feeling of insecurity with regard to vested rights throughout the Colony. The Presbytery prays that your honourable House will, under the foregoing circumstances, x'eject the said Bill, and. decline to sanction any attempt to wrongfully divest it of the privileges conferred on it under statutory authority until : due notice has been given to all the parties interested. , . .