IN THE DAYS OF THE PIONEERS

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1063, 28 February 1911, Page 6

IN THE DAYS OF THE PIONEERS

A METHODIST MINISTER'S . _ EXPERIENCES. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Christchurch, February 2". The Rev. 11. B. Bull,.whoso retirement from tho ministry was announced, at tho Methodist Conference in Christchurch last week, has seen a good deal of the up and downs of tho pioneer's life, and tho difficulties that settlers in? a young country havo to encounter. Ho has spent forty-threo years in active servico in tho Methodist Church in Now Zealand. He was received into tho ministry, at tho annual Australasian Conference held in Mclbourno in IS6B. He was a member of ;ho first Methodist Confcrenco held iu Now Zealand, and since that year, 1874, ho has been elected secretary of the conference on 'eight occasions, and has boon connexional secretary to the Church in New Zealand for the past nino years. His first circuit was Timaru. His duties took from Geraldino in tho north to /Waitaki in the south, and as there word no railways and a good'many unbridged rivers, most of his travelling had to be done on horseback. Aftor spending eleven years at Timaru.'ho wont to tho Waikato district, in'tho North Island, in 187 S. His circuit then extended from tho Tasinan Sea on the west to tho Pacific Ocean on tho cast. Ho epent quite half his timo in tho saddle, and in riding through tho rough and roadless districts had many aaventurcs and narrow escapes from accident. It was in the troublesome, times of Maori disturbances, and ho has a clear recollection of tho day whon Rcwi Mamopoto, the picturesque chief, nnd warrior who made a bravo stand against General Cameron's Imperial soldiers,' entered Cambridge mid made a formal submission to tho Government. Tho roadless south was almost as'bad as the roadless north in those days. Even near Christchurch it. was quite possible to go astray on the tracks that crossed and recrossed on the plains. On'one occasion ho set out on horseback to visit a township ' north of. Christohurch, and lost his way in tho dark. Ho' stumbled' across a small hut in a lonely situation. He accepted the hospitality offered by tho aged occupant, who proved to bo a dairyman by day and an accomplished astronomer by night, and in his company ho spent an interesting • night discussing . tho constellations. Mr. Bull hopes to pass the rest of his davs in or near Christchurch, whore ho feels he will have opportunities for taking further part in.tho work of .the Church. ' V :