VISIT OF THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 319, 21 November 1855, Page 7

VISIT OF THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND.

The stay of the Bishop of New Zealand in this Province scarcely exceeded a week : yet during that short space of time, besides the confirmations and sermons on Sunday the 11th instant, and the meeting at Lyttelton already reported, which occupied nearly the whole of the Thursday previous, his Lordship visited Kaiapoi and Rangiora on the Wednesday, held a preliminary and a public meeting at Christchurcli on the Friday, occupyingl together nearly the whole day, presided over a Synodical meeting of the Clergy at Casterton on the Saturday, and ever a meeting of the governing body of Christ's College, of which he is Warden, on the Monday following.

A full report of the public meeting at Christchurch would be a repetition in many respects of that of the meeting: held at Lyttelton on the previous day ; the resolutions adopted at the two meetings were identical, with the sole exception that, in that which referred to the duty and means of providing a maintenance for the Clergy, in aid of the church property, committees were appointed for each of the surrounding districts, and not for Christchurch only, to ascertain the amount of guaranteed contributions which might be expected in each towards the support of a Clergyman—viz. for Papanui, Riccarton, Avonside, Christchurch Quay, and the Lower Lincoln Road, besides Cliristchurch itself. We propose however to cull a few particulars from the Christohurch meetings, being either such as were not mentioned at the meetings at Lyttelton, or not reported. In the first place we must premise that it was exceedingly gratifying to see the number's who were present, and the distance from which many came, considering that the rain was falling in torrents nearly the whole day, and the night was extremely dark. This fact, together with the lively interest manifested in the proceedings, may be taken, we trust, as an earnest increasing zeal for the welfare of the church in this province.

With respect to the endowment for the Bishopric it was stated that the agieement was concluded sometime since between the agent of the Canterbury Association and the Church Property Trustees for the transference of portions of the Lyttehon Trust Estates instead of debentures for the endowment of the bishopric. A detailed report, on the present and prospective value of these lands, prepared by Mr W. Thomson at the request of the Trustees, was read to the meeting. Their present value was estimated to he upwards of £14.000, and the present gross annual income is 719/- including timber money. Nothing: remains for the completion of this transaction but the actual endorsement of the land orders by Mr. Suwell to the. Trusfes. It was also stated that there were 200 acres of valuably laud besides among the Jackson Trust Estates, which won.d form an additional endowment- The trustees, n was stated, had. already adopted, subject to the approval of the Bishop, drafts of a pf tition to the Queen, and a memorial to the Archbishop of Canterbury, stating these facts, and praying for the immediate appointment

of a Bishop of Christchurch. These drafts had been already placed in his Lordship's hands. The Bishop stated in conclusion that he would write to the authorities in England to say that he was satisfied with the endowment, and that they need have no hesitation in immediately proceeding to the appointment of a Bishop (Applause)- Being asked if he thought the government at home would be satisfied, he replied that it depended veiy much on the will of the Secretary of State for the Colonies for the time being, but all his experience in England tended to confirm the belief that if the feeling of the Province were definitely expressed, it would be attended to- The colonies have only to express their wishes clearly on any point, and they will in all probability be carried out. (Hear, Hear.)

On the subject of a church constitution for New Zealand, the bishop developed, as at Lyttelton, his scheme for a general enactment, to be proposed in the General Assembly, of such a kind as to include all denominations, and going on the basis of property entirely. He cited an act of the Imperial Parliament as an example of what he proposed, viz. 33th mid 14th Viet., Cap. XXVIII, " An act to render more simple and effectual the titles by which congregations or societies for purposes of religious worship or education in England and Ireland hold property for such purposes." Referring to the tal ular statement of the opinions expressed by the various settlements on the principles proposed by him as a basis of a Church constitution, his lordship emphatically expressed his approval of one provision contained in the recommendations sent from Christchurch, namely, that the right of appointment lo any benefice, or other church office, should be vested in a Diocesan Board, but that no. person should be removed from such benefice, or office, except under canons to be sanctioned by a higher authority, viz., that of the general convention of the whole cnurch in each Ecclesiastical Province.

With regard to the Church Property Trust Ordinance, the bishop stated that he did not object to the provisions of this Ordinance as faulty in themselves but as being imposed by a State Legislature, which could at any time undo, or alter that which it had done. He wished to see general powers given to the church, under such an enactment as he contemplated, to legislate for herself.

On tbe subject of providing stipends for the clergy, the bishop dwelt on the necessity of the contributions being made by way of guarantees, otherwise clergymen would either not be found to undertake the charge of parishes, or if they did, they would be placed in a wrong position. He expressed an opinion strongly adverse to the system of pew rents; his aim was to establish a combination of the endowment and the voluntary systems. It \va« necessary that a clergyman should not be entirely dependent on his congregation, and that no clergyman should be deprived of his income, without at least six months' notice. With the same view of not allowing the clergyman to be directly dependent on his flock, the locd funds should be placed in the hands of the Treasurer of the Diocesan Fund, and the stipend of the clergyman, made up from both funds, be paid in one sum to him. It having been stated that in one district in particular, persons had offered to make these contributions by way of fixed rent-charges on their estates, the bishop mentioned several instances of this having been done by absentee proprietors. He held several powers of attorney for this purpose. In some cases, the rent charge amounted to a tithe. One property at Auckland yielded in this way as much as 40/, per annum for church purposes. The subject of a general Diocesan Fund in aid of the Church Property Fund, as a depository for tithes, donations, and endowments for general purposes, was mooted, but time would not allow of its being discussed at le:igth. The preliminary meeting sat from one to ½ past 6, p.m., the public meeting commenced shortly after 7, and did not break up till nearly half past 11. At the clerical meeting on the following day, a congratulatory address on the safe return of the bishop to his diocese, signed by all the clergy, 10 in number, was presented and read by the Rev. O. Mathias, his Lordship's Commissary. The reply of the bishop was most touching and affectionate; the warmth of feeling, he said, with which he had always been welcomed here, made it a peeuh.ur pleasure to him to come into this part of his diocese. He also stated his intention of paying another visit to Canterbury as soon as possible after the arrival of the Bishop of Christchurch. The chief business transacted ait his meeting consisted in the rearrangement of the duties or the clergy, and in forming plans for the pastoial visitation of the sheep-stations, and the bays of the Peninsula, and for periodical meetings of the clergy.

The subjects discussed at the college meeting on the Monday f'ulluwinjy were threefold, the relations of the college to the proposed general convention, the best means of providing- College buildings, and the general prospects of church education in the Province. Thus ended this eventful visii, which has given a new impulse to the Church in Canterbury, and will be productive, we may hope, of most important and beneficial results to tl»e far distant future,