LOCAL INTELLIGLENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 234, 27 January 1855, Page 5

LOCAL INTELLIGLENCE.

REPORT OP THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHURCH TRUSTEES IN THE TEMPORARY CHURCH OP LYTTELTON, JANUARY 25th, 1855. Present—Revels. O. Mathias (in the chair), Dudley, Cotterill, Jacobs, Mackie, VVillock, Wilson, and Raven ; Messrs. Donald, Hall, Simeon, and Hamilton. The business of the meeting having been opened by the Rev. O. Matbias, with prayer; the minutes of the last meeting were then read by the Rev. Mr. Jacobs, Sec, pro. tern. The Rev. Chairman then proceeded to confirm the minutes, whereupon Captain Simeon submitted that the question of confirmation be put. Mr. Hxhx, agreed with, and seconded the proposal; before which, however, the Chairman proposed the reading of some letters received from Mr. Sewell, in which Mr. Sewell acknowledges tie receipt of £45, being the sale of Church Land; to be applied to building Riecarton Church. Mr. Jacobs then read several letters one from the members of the church at Lyttelton protesting against the Bye-laws as passed by tlie Church Trustees, on the ground that sufficient notice had not been 'given, so as to allow «'f all the Trustees being present, and intimating their refusal to elect Trustees. After a slight discussion between Captain Simeon and the Chairman concerning the number of communiants in Lyttelton, in which the llev. Mr. Jacobs

joined, another letter was read by Mr. Jacobs, in which it stated that everything necessary, as ordered by the Church Property Trust Ordinance, had been done, and that it was not usual to publish an adjourned meeting, and that it appeared the principal objection rested in a jealousy existing between the Chrislchurch and Lyttelton Trustees concerning the number of members^for each Parish, in which the latter appeared to think that the Christchurch Trustees wished to swamp them. Captain Simeon rose to say that there was not the slightest ground for any such suspicion as far as he was concerned, andhe believed so of all the rest: it was merely to promote an amicable arrangement between the two parties. [Here Mr. Hamilton rose, asking what question was before the chair as he had no time to waste.] Captain Simkon then read the following resolution ; although he claimed the right of addressing the Trustees before he submitted the resolution to them, if he wished to do so : — " Whereas a meeting was held at Cbristchurch on the 7th December, 1854, which purported to be a meeting of Church Property Trustees, under the Church Property Trust Ordinance, at which meeting certain Bye-laws were passed, dividing the Province of Canterbury into Parishes ; and whereas due notice not having been given to the whole body of Trustees that such meeting would be held for such purpose, only a very limited number were present; and whereas it does not appear that the division of the Province into Parishes, as adopted by that meeting, was one advantageous and suited to the wants and requirements of the members of the Cliurch of England in this Province; it is resolved— "That the adoption of the aforesaid Byelaws be rescinded, and that the draft of Byelaws be referred back to the Sub-committee for ; revision, with instructions that it is generally desirable that wherever the services of the Church are regularly performed by a Clergyman of the Church of England and the Lord's' Supper administered, a district be formed." Dr. Donald rose to second the above resolution, and stated that it was with great pain he found himself compelled to be a party to a division in the Church, but that the confirmation of the Bye-laws of the late meeting bad been passed by a bare quorum, and further that he believed it to be a general feeling that should they determine to cany out their measures, neither Lyttelton nor Ivaiapoi would proceed to election. He said that according to the late Bye- , laws many rising districts would be left out; he particularly referred to Stunner, Christchurch Quay, and Papanui; the feelinjj.on the Plains also was one" of great discontent. Mr. Willock emphatically denied the latter. Mr. Raven thought that the B3 re-la\vs ought to be rescinded, and declared his intention that should the present Bye-laws be carried out he should resign his position as Trustee. Mr. Dudley proposed that the election be adjourned for one month, in which time an amicable settling might be brought about. He stated that a new church was in process of erection at Stricklands. .Mr. Mathias said he had not heard of any such thing. The Rev. W. Mackie said that at the time it had been brought forward, the rev. gentleman was absent, but they had intended to inform him of it on the first opportunity. ggjThe Rev. Mr. Dudley further stated that not one of the trustees nominated lived in Papanui or the Ferry road, which were both rising districts, and said that he spoke out of no unkind or unfriendly feeling, but merely to promote the welfare of all. The Rev. Mr. Mathias said that full powers were vested in his hands at any time to constitute new parishfls. Mr. Jacobs said that many new parishes were in the process of formation, and probably in a few months they would be enabled-to subdivide ; he considered that the members who voted against the measure hail not duly considered the subject on the.grounds on which the bye-laws had been made. Mr. Hall rose U> order, and wished that the meeting-should be conducted more like similar ones, and that a member having once spoken be not at liberty to speak agnin. Mr. Jacobs replied that he merely answered a question. The Chairman observed that lie had allowed any member to speak, considering they were .merely-discussing the question in a conversational manner, but he must say that neither of :

the places brought forward bad a regular incumbency without which they were not entitled to lay Trustees. The Rev. Mr. Dudley considered that at every place where service ha<l been performed, as at Papanui for the lust 3 years, the communicants ought to he able to proceed to vote. The Rev. Mr. Mackik considered that it would be very hard to exclude all but such as had a regular incumbent, there being such a great scarcity of ministers, and that in many districts one clergyman divided his time among two or more. Mr. Hamilton, in reference (o erecting a church at Stricklands, begged to ask how long it would take to complete this church ? Dr. Donald considered the 'question as irrevelant, as the building was not the question, but the congregation. Mr. Hamilton objected to the resolution, and considered that it was brought forward in a very offensive manner. It described the meeting as one "which purported to be a meeting of Trustees." He considered that it implied a doubt of the legality of the meeting, and therefore he should oppose the resolution, not for that reason only, but more especially for the delay that must ensue in case the bye-laws be rescinded. They had beea two years forming them, and now that they had been brought forward and partly carried out, three of the Trustees objected to them, and wished them to be rescinded; Dr. Donald rose to explain, and stated that it was not a motion to rescind the bye-laws, but to adopt the vote that Cap. Simeon brought forward. He believed that the necessary revision would not take five minutes. Mr. Hamilton said that it could not be done in five minutes, or even fiye hours, and he begged to 'propose an amendment, [we regret that we were unable 1 to obtain a copy] to the effect that the legality of the bye-laws as passed by the late meeting be confirmed, and that the time for election be extended to Lyttelton and Kaiapoi for the space of one month, to enable them to proceed to election. Mr. Wilson seconded the amendment. Ater a few remarks fr Gin Mr. Hall concerning the origin of the resolution proposed by Capt, Simeon, which were briefly answered by the Revs. J. Raven and Cotterill, Mr. Hall said that it was a cause of great regret to him that sufficient notice had not been given to Dr. Donald to allow of his being present; as soon as it was over, he hastened into port, and informed him of all that passed. He then spoke at some length against the resolution, asserting that the effects would be lamentable if it was adopted by the meeting. The public trust would be entirely destroyed. Again and again it had been stated that the Trustees met only to wrangle, and now that they had concocted a scheme for the carrying oil of the work of the Trust, opposition was thrown in their very teeth.. Capt. Simeon had stated that it was only to come to an agreement that the meeting liad heea convened—now, therefore, there was a cliance to put what lie had stated to the test by with-1 drawing the resolution. Mr. Wilson : " If all that has been stated is not empty air." Dr. Donald said that although the motive might be pure, it did not make the measure necessarily so too. . After some considerable discussion the amendment proposed by Mr. Hamilton was put i from the chair. For the amendment, Revds. : Mathias, Wilson, WiHook, and Jacob V.- t and.. Messrs. Hamilton and Hail. Against. Rerds."Dudley, Cotterill, Raven,- and " Mackie, ; and Messrs. Donald ami"Simeon, when the-Chftirf „., man (Rev. Mr. Mathias) gave his casting vote for the.amendment. Capt. Simeon's resolutionwas therefore lost by one. ? Dr. Donald questioned the Chairman's right to vote twice. Thp then announced that Mr Raven had resigned his licence. At this stage of the proceedings, the Revds J. Raven and 0. Cotterill, ami Dr. Donald, left the meeting. Tw«> new bye-laws were then passed. 1, !That the time -fur election be extended to Lyttelton and Kaiapoi fur the space---of Oijp month, to enable them'to proceed to eltxctiouV'4'V 2, That in case any incumbent >h:ill refus&qi it) neglect to act according to the rules as laid down by tl>e Church Property Trust Ordinance, the Chairman of the Board shall be authorised to appoin some pi?rsnn to take his place ; and also tha if through press of business the said authorized

person shall be'unable to fulfil his duties, it shall not be deemed invalid. Mr. Doblest protested against any such measure, aud said he believed the Trustees now rresent were greatly exceeding their authority. Mr. Hall replied that if the objection was based on.the illegality of the proposition, it would be easy to ask their legal adviser; but he hoped that should the latter say that it was not in the power of the Board to elect Trustees without the nomination of the minister, that the Rev. gentleman would throw no impediment in the way. Mr. DuDLETsaid that he was not prepared to answer such a question. After a few words from Mr. Mathias the meeting closed.