THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, 6TH FEBRUARY, 1874.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1548, 6 February 1874, Page 106

THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, 6TH FEBRUARY, 1874.

By advertisement it will be seen that the promised temperance lecture by Mr Fox at Waipawa, has been postponed to Saturday, and the exhibition of the panorama, to Monday next. Telegraphic communication with Auckland was suspended during the whole of Wednesday, an extensive bushfire north of Grahamstown having destroyed a number of the telegraph poles, thus causing a break in the line. It will be seen by our telegrams that the death of the great African explorer, Dr. Livingstone, is once more reported. It will also be seen that the news is doubted by certain members of the Geological Society. We sincerely hope that these doubts'are well-founded, and that the great traveller is still living, and will once more have the pleasure of setting foot in his native country.

A correspondent sends us the following :—A public meeting was held in the school-room, West Clive, on Monday evening, Mr Ballantine in the chair. Mr ftlackune made an address on the aim and objects of the Independent Order of Good Templars, after which a lodge was founded, with nineteen members, and called the " Vanguard."

We regret to hear that Mr W. Waite, carrier, of this town, has lost a valuable animal—the white draught horse so well known to residents. The horse died on Wednesday evening last, from internal inflammation, supposed to have been brought on by a strain while shipping cattle. The firing for the Volunteer District Prizes postponed from Monday, took place on Wednesday morning last. The following are the names of the seven highest scorers: Volunteer Provo, 61; Lieut. Close, N.R.V., 59 ; Volunteer Moore, 57 : Gunner Cato, 56; Volunteer G. J. Scllars, 53; Sub-Lieut. Wood, N.R.V., 53; Sergt. Chicken, N.R.V., 60. In the second set, the highest scorer was Sergt. Northc, N.R.V.,55.

A shocking and fatal accident to a native woman named Ngahuka, a wife of Hapuku, is reported from Pakipaki. We have heard no other particulars than those already published by our contemporary the "Herald, which are to the effect that on her way from a kainga named Korongotu, Pakipaki, while riding alone, she must have fallen from her horse and been dragged by the stirrup, the result being that she was literally torn to pieces. It is further stated that Hapuku, who arrived with a party of his people to convey the remains to Poukawa, was indignant to find that they had been already collected and buried by the Pakipaki natives.

Capt Dice, of the Queen of the North, sends us the following communication :—As there Appears to be some doubt as to the time of the Queen of the North leaving England, I will give you proper data from the ship's log: Left Start Point Light on the 28th October; crossed the ecmator on the 80th November, after eight days' calm; equator to meridian of the Cape, 23 days; from thence to the South Cape of Van Dieman's Land, 29 days; arrived at Napier on the 2nd February—97 days. The passage to the whole has been a fine one, although the latter part was rather dull and cloudy. The emigrants, without exception, were a most respectable and orderly little commnnity, and I have no doubt will do well here.—l am, sir, yours very truly, J. Dice. N.B. -The emigrants were never on half allowance of water during the voyage. We have to record a death by drowning at Port Ahuriri on Wednesday. Two men, named Daniel German and Hugh Connor, had a wager which could swim the greatest distance, and to settle the matter plunged into the water from the s.s. Manawatu, at about 1 p.m. They swam out to sea, assisted by a powerful current, which, however, they found too strong when they attempted to land. Connor who is a very powerful swimmer, succeeded in reaching the shore; but German, after an ineffectnal struggle, was carried out to sea. Mr Kraeft, the pilot, who was out in the bay with the pilot boat, was signalled, and went to the drowning man's assistance. He was, we are sorry to say, too late, and no sign has since been found of the unfortunate man. It is hardly necessary to say that the wager was a most foolhardy one, and that it is surprising that two lives were not sacrificed instead of one.

In the Eesident Magistrate's Court, on Tuesday, John Bryson, a little boy, was charged by Mr Lound, with orchard pilfering. The boy was dismissed with a severe reprimand and caution, the magistrate intimating that in future he would order such offenders to be soundly whipped. Harrison v. Catherall.—Claim of £4, the value of an opera-glass alleged to have been purchased from the plaintiff two years ago. The defendant disclaimed the liability, alleging that he _ had never bought the glass, but that it had been left in his charge—the plaintiff saying he would rather leave it with him than with a publican. Mrs Catherall gave corroborative evidence. The Court considered that a sale had taken place, and gave judgment for the amount claimed, with £1 1.9 s costs. M'Hugh v. Kelly. —Claim of £l4, value of a saddle detained by defendant, also loss ,pf time and expenses. The defence was that the saddle had been given as a pledge for arrears of house-rent, Plaintiff's statement did not bear .cross-examina-tion, and he was nonsuited, with #s costs. An information of assault, laid by Mr Guppy against a native, was called, but the parties failed to put in an appearance, ,

Church of England services will he held (D.V.), on Sunday next, Bth February; at Puketapu, at 11 a.m., and at the Meanee Church, at 3 p.m. We think the Herald is a little too hard on what, with great originality, it terms " our embryo population"—in plain English, the Napier boys—when it suggests that orchard-plundering is so prevalent that "if every offence of' a similar nature were brought before the Court, there would be but little time remaining for the actual business." If this offence is really so prevalent, the obvious conclusion must be that it is quite time it was checked. As announced by advertisement, a social gathering of the members of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church and their friends, was held on Wednesday evening, in the Church. The proceedings commenced with a tea-meeting in the school-room; the necessary refreshments being provided by Mr Johnson, in his usual excellent style. After tea, the meeting adjourned to the Church. The chair was occupied by the minister of the congregation, the Rev. D. SSidey, supported on his right hand by the Rev. H. JB. Redstone, of the United Methodist Free Church, the Rev. W. H. Root, of Gisborne, and the Rev. J. Campbell, M.A., the recently-appointed master of the Napier Boy's School; and on his left by the Rev. A. Shepherd, of Havelock. The proceedings commenced by hymn 295 of the church collection "The sands of time are sinking," being sung by the choir, after which the Rev. Mr Root engaged in prayer. The choir, we may remark, was strengthened by a number of gentlemen who had kindly given their services for this occasion. A sacred cong by Mr Jones The Chairman then made a few introductory remarks. The report and balance-sheet having been printed and distributed among the congregation, it was unnecessary that it should be read to them. He was happy to say that the report showed a very satisfactory state of affairs financially. Though the past year had been one of extraordinary expenditure, there was still a balance of £7 odd on the credit side of the account. The necessity of making certain repairs to the church and painting it, had been urgently forced upon the attention of the managers early in the year, and an appeal had been made to the congregation, which had been most liberally responded to—a larger amount having been raised than had been asked for. At the same time, the work on being undertaken had been found to be much greater than had been anticipated, and would cost something like £l6O. Nearly the whole amount required had been raised, and he hoped the balance would be raised next year. It would be injudicious on his part to delay them long—his voice was familiar enough within those walls, and there were friends on his right to address them with whom they had as yet a very slight acquaintance, or none at all. He was happy to see so large a number present of his own and sister congregations: he hoped they would work together as those who were agreed, each according to his own convictions. It was important that they should all keep united, in close connexion with each other, and with what he might call the machinery of the church, each in his own place striving to carry out the great designs in which all were so interested. He believed he saw a number of the new comers among them—he would express the feelings of all in heartily welcoming them to our shores, and with them one well-known and esteemed in this Province in times past.—Duett: Dr. Hitchings and Mrs Be.gg: "0 Lovely Peace." The Rev. A, Shepherd then gave a short address. His voice, he said, was a familiar one to the present meeting j and as tljere were others on the right whose voices they had barely heard, he would be brief. It was an amazing consideration when one reflected on the immense treasure which had been wasted by mankind on warlike purposes. The vast and almost inconceivable debt of England had been incurred on this account, and we in New Zealand owed a great part of our public liabilities to this cause, However much opinions might differ as to the propriety pf the colonial scheme of public works and immigration, all would agree that it was a better use for borrowed money than to apply it in administering powder and shot to our dark neighbors. It was pitiable the amount that had been borrowed and expended by the nations of the world in destroying each others' lives and property; and wars were generally carried on with borrowed money. Out of all this evil there was this good—that it showed the practically unlimited resources at the command of the humam family, and encouraged us in the hope of better times, when the wealth of the world would be applied to more worthy objects—when it should be devoted to the spread of the Gospel, to aiding the poor, educating the young, and generally in helping on the work of God in the world. What a noble work among the heathen could be effected by a sum equal tp the English national debt! What an amount of poverty and suffering could have been alleviated by the enormous indemnity paid by France to Germany! And what an amount of good might have been wrought in America by the sum wasted in the civil war! It was not that the world was pQor that the Church of Christ was crippled for means; but because its wealth was so misapplied. The nations of the world found wealth enough to spend on their vanities, and even their vices. Let us strive to bring about the better time, when all would remember that their possessions were not their own—that they were stewards of the good things entrusted to theni ? and that the day was coming when every man would be required to give ah account of his stewardship. Let them then live so as j;o prespnp themselves, body and soul, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Gfdd, which was

their reasonable service. It gave him great pleasure to be among them this evening, and to see so large an attendance. —Solo by Mr Bell: " He was despised."—The Chairman then introduced the Rev. W. H. Root, of Gisborne, who, he said, was a stranger to them at present; but he hoped that the longer they knew him, and the better they became acquainted, the more they would like him.—Mr Root hoped the Chairman's wish would prove true. He was about to put them to the test, however, by coming round on the morrow and asking for their subscriptions for the church at Gisborne. It was now some twelve months since he had arrived in Gisborne, and he had had a great desire during that time to visit Hawke's Bay. He looked upon Poverty Bay as a kind of Napier colony, three out of four of the settlers there having come from this Province. There was another tie between this place and Poverty Bay, his church being in the Napier presbytery. The present public meeting was the first he had addressed sines leaving England: it was so different from preaching, that he really felt nervous, especially as one speaker after another had excused themselves from a speech, saying they would leave it to their "brethren on the right." He was much pleased with this town, yet he hardly knew what to make of it—he had not yet decided whether it was built on the plain, or was a city set on a hill which could not be hid. It seemed to him to extend, like a huge spicier, in all directions, and as he went round and about and back again, he found he lost all idea of latitude and longitude. In Poverty Bay it was very different—those who knew the place would remember that there was only one road out and the same road back. They were not quite so civilized as the Napier folks—they had no streets as yet; but they would not be long without them. They had one element of civilization there —an excellent brass band ; and if Napier had one too, he only hoped it was as good. It was pleasing to find that their balance was on the right side ; and it led him to take it for granted that the church was prospering. He hoped it would continue to prosper. One good earnest prosperous church in a community would reflect its prosperity on the others, and exert a wide and beneficial influence. By this time his speech would have betrayed him, that he was an Englishman. Some people had wondered that he, an Englishman, should be a Presbyterian minister, and thought Presbyterianism was a religion for the Scotch people. In Poverty Bay as yet all denominations had worked cordially together. He had a bazaar in aid of the church at Christmas, which had cleared £177. "When they considered the population they would admit that the people there had done well, and that Poverty Bay could not be called the Bay of Poverty. At present there was only one Sabbath School and place of worship there, and now that the Presbyterians were about to build a church, two others were to be erected, on the principle, he supposed, that there could not be too much of a good thing. He hoped that on his expedition next day he would not find the people doing what he had been told was their practice —going out at the back door when he came in at the front. He had really come to do them fact was, they were making so much money that they could not find an investment for it; they were suffering from plethora—a physician might prescribe leeches—he would bring his subscription list. During that day he had collected £3O in Napier, for which he thanked the people. He had much enjoyed the singing this evening. At Poverty Bay they rather prided themselves on their singing—when they had a public meeting there was no one but himself to speak, and they were obliged to have singing and readings: they must leave the speeches till Gisborne became as great and celebrated a city as Napier.—The Chairman expressed the gratification of the meeting at seeing Mr Root among them, and hoped his hints would not be without value. The choir sang the 312th hymn: "Hail to the Lord's Anointed.—The Chairman introduced the Rev. J. Campbell to the meeting. He would be a stranger to many there present j but it was to be hoped he would not long remain so. The cause in which lie was engaged was one of great importance to the community.— Mr Campbell said that although a stranger here, his impressions had not been so lively as those of Mr Root—in fact they Imd alj been, absorbed in the one sensation of the excessive heat of the weather here at this season. He had been fain to walk along the beach and cool himself with the refreshing breezes from the sea. It was satisfactory to find that there was no less warmth in congregational affairs—the position of the church was creditable alike to minister and people, and without the cordial co-operation of the people with the minister, the prosperity of a church was out of the question. The Presbyterian Church was one which had always taken a strong hold on the affections of the people, and deservedly so, for it had ever been in the forefront of the battle for civil and religious liberty. He often saw articles referring in a spirit of laudation to the present age as one of progress, sometimes in connexion with the sentiment that the pulpit and the Christian Church as a power had become effete; but to what, he would ask, was this mighty progress, owing, if not to the Christian Church and its influence ? There were still triumphs to be won in the cause of liberty, and shackles to be removed, and still the noble cause would be advanced' by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.. No doubt the Church would partake of the general progress, and would to some extent be remodelled; but the power of the Church, he trusted, would be more felt in the future than in the present.—Solo, • by Mrs Begg; " Waft her, Angels," from f'-Jephtka"—The Chairman, in introducing the Rev, Mr Redstone,

spoke of the great pleasure he had always found in co-operating with him, and his hope that he would still continue to enjoy the same pleasure in the future.—Mr Redstone said that one reason of the special gratification he found in being present at this meeting was that he would meet with the Chairman. He had never met with him, but he had profited by the interview. He was also pleased to make the acquaintance of Mr Root, of whom it could not be said that he was a root out of dry ground ; but on the contrary, out of a very fruitful country. Like Mr Sidey, he was one who spoke the truth right out, when he referred to the visit he was about to pay them. Now when Mr Sidey asked him to speak to-night, he said, " Don't be long I '—not " Take your own time ; speak as long as you choose." Well, one great merit of his speech this evening would be its brevity; and after so many interesting addresses he had no wish to detain them. Moreover, he saw they were pleased that their balance was on the right side; and he must not put them out of temper preparatory to Mr Root bleeding them next day. It was much the fashion to decry Christianity ; some of its enemies characterizing it as a harmless superstition, and others contending that it was simply mischievous and ought to be swept away. Looking round upon the many blessings we enjoyed, and for which we could not be sufficiently thankful, he could not think of one which we did not owe to Christianity. He here narrated a very forcible illustiation by a Chinese preacher of the difference between the spirit of Christianity and merely human systems. He was pleased to be with them tonight, and thankful to hear of their prosperity, of the extent of which, however, Mr Root had given him quite a new idea. He hoped they would respond heartily to that gentleman's appeal, and show they had profited by his excellent hints when he came round with his subscription list.—Solo by Mr Jones : " Thy Rebuke."—The Chairman thought, that before the last hymn, the meeting might appropriately thank the singers, and all others who had kindly contributed to the success of this gathering. He unfortunately could not sing, but was always strongly moved and affected by the power of music, and he had no doubt its effect was greater on singers like his friead Mr Root. He considered singing one of the most important branches of worship. The vote of thanks was heartily carried: the choir sang hymn 464, " Rise, ye children of salvation;" and Mr Sidey engaged in prayer and pronounced the benediction, thus bringing a very pleasant meeting to a close, at about 9.30 p.m. The following is a copy of the annual report of the managers of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, which was laid before the meeting on Wednesday , evening last:—

The Court of Managers has much pleasure in laying before the Church the accompanying abstract of their Balance Sheet, for the year 18/3, by which it will be seen that the funds of the Church are in a very satisfactory condition. After meeting every obligation for the year, notwithstanding that there have been various heavy extra outlays, there is a balance in favour of the Church of £7 3s. Bd. Early in the year a very earnest appeal was made to the Court to take measures for carrying away the water from the foundations of the Church and School-house, to get the buildings repainted, and put in a sound state of repair. To accomplish this work, a call was made on the Church for funds, which was responded to in the most cordial manner. The works have been conducted under the supperiutendence of Mr Miller, and, although not yet finished, have advanced so far as to shew the vast improvement they will make on the property. It was found absolutely necessary to make them more extensive- than was originally contemplated, but the Managers hope that the additional expense incurred will be met by the ordinary funds for the present year. Through the kindness of his Honor the Superintendent they have also been enabled to get the street that leads to the Church pnt into good repair. With ordinary attention they think, that the property will be in good condition for years to come,

The Balance Sheet also indicates the moneys that have been collected for missions and the funds of the General Assembly, and shew that we have been taking some interest in these great questions that fall to a Church of Christ.

The Sabbath school has also been well sustained throughout the year, under the superintendence of Mr Craig and ten other teachers. There are 88 children on the roll with an average attendance of 60. The Port school, under the charge of Mr Red ward, though of a mixed kind, including all de" nominations, is one in which this Church takes much interest, and is happy to know is both usefur and prospcious, having about 90 children on its roll.

In calling attention to the heavy debt that rests on the Manse, the Managers suggest that an effort should be made to reduce it sometime towards the close of this year. The extensive library in the school-house has had a few steady readers through the year, and is well worthy of the attention of parties wishing sound and useful information, it is open on Wednesday eveuings, at a'small charge. In clodng their report, the Court of Managers would gratefully acknowledge the satisfactory way iu which the Church has enabled them to carry out their duties, and would impress on all the members and adherents the importance of keeping up a sustained interest in the Sabbath services, the sealing ordinances and the other arrangements of the Church and Sabbath School, and believe, if this is done with consecration of purpose, that, as the Lord hath been mindful of us, E[e will still bless us more abundantly. In name of the Court of Managers, Johx Obb, Secretary.