LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1991, 16 January 1883, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[NEW ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, January 14.

In the course of his sermon at St. Mary’s Church last evening, the Rev. R. Coffey, preaching from the ninth verse of the Bth chapter of Acts, referred in strong terras of condemnation to the position taken up by Mr Milner Stephen with regard to his alleged powers of healing, and argued that while the gentleman mentioned persisted in attributing the possession of his gift as direct from God for the good of mankind, or for any special godly service, he put himself in the position of the Prophets and Apostles, whose gift of power to work miracles was the credential proving them to be the messengers of God for the exercise of which they dared not and did not receive money; and Mr Milner Stephen dare not take money for the exercise of this gift (if it be a gift) without putting himself in the position of Simon, and all who countenanced him by their presence were equally guilty. The Rev. Mr Coffey mentioned that a number of persons had asked him to certify that they were not in a position to pay the fee demanded by Mr Stephen—viz., two guineas, and said be thought such a charge would amount in a year to at least £IO,OOO, rather a good price for a gift which Mr Stephen asserted had been bestowed upon him for the benefit of humanity at large. This was rather a humiliating way of deriving benefit from God’s gift. Gamble, the Auckland agent of the Pacific Mail Company, and Orstead, a special agent sent from America to make arrangements relative to the renewal of the San Francisco mail contract, arrived by the Ringarooma this morning. They will have an interview tOTuorrow with the Premier and Post-master-General, but it is understood no definite agreement can be come to until the views of New South Wales are distinctly pronounced, as the matter must largely depend on the action of that colony. New South Wales objects to the loss of time experienced in deviating to Auckland, and it is probable that the substitution of Russell as a port of a call, will be strongly urged on the New Zealand Government.

Dunedin, January 15,

At the Peninsula nomination Messrs Donnelly, Larnach, and Bishop Moran were proposed. The show of hands was largely in favor of Bishop Moran. At the Peninsula nomination to-day, the proceedings of which were pretty lively, the following was the show of hands : —Bishop Moran, 27 ; Donnelly, 20 j Larnach, 18 ; Wells, 3. The polling takes place next Monday. Bishop Moran to-day, during his speech at the nomination, in referring to the strictures passed upon him by the local paper, said he had been told by the paper that morning, that he had been sent by the Pope under instructions. Ha did not want to say anything disrespectful, would give them his advice, and try and not let old women be the editors of newspapers. [Loud laughter and applause.] He was there under instructions from no one, and he was obeying orders of no one. He asked them not to reject him because he was a Catholic and advocated justice to 70,000 people, because if they did, it would be a disgrace and would result in injury to thorn and to the community at large in the long run.