Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 575, 8 May 1858, Page 4

Correspondence.

To the Editor, of tTte Lyttelton Times,

SlEj—^lri the 'Lytteltoh Times' of to-day I see a short notice of a meeting of the Church Property; Trustees, held last Saturday, in which it is stated that "a proposition brought forward on -the subject of selling some of the landed property of the Trust for new investments fell to the ground." A.s this appears to me to be a matter of some importance, I may perhaps be excused for calling further attention to it. I knbvvnot how it may be in your neighbourhood, but.here at Kaiapoi, where the Church possesses considerable property,; public feeling is very strongly in favour of such a proposition being carried out, in fact, the way in which the Church land is locked up from the indisposition or inability; of the trustees to dispose of it is a serious cause of evil, for many who would otherwise ba willing to contribute to the support of the church refuse to do. so on the ground that it is absurd to expect it when they see around them large quantities of the most valuable land belonging to the Church lying perfectly idle. When I read" the report of the last meeting but one of the trustees, at which Mr. Willock gave totiee of his intention to bring forward the proposition alluded to above, I was in hopes that shere was a chance of some steps being taken in the right direction, but I find that so far from the late meeting being willing to consider the subject, the proposition actually fell to the ground for want of some one to second it! ks your readers may not have noticed the purpcrt of Mr. Willock's proposition, perhaps you will allow me to explain it as far as nay menory will permit. It was to the effect that it is desirable that such portions of the Church property which at the present time would realize- a laige advance on their original cost should be sild, and that the proceeds should be applied first to the purchase of the same quantity of lane at the Government price, and the balance to jhe building of churches, parsonage-houses, and the other present wants of. the church; that it chould bo clearly ascertained if the trustee have the power to sell, and if not, that they shtuld endeavour to obtain the same from the home government. Uow sir, this appears to me such a reasonable proposition as at least to deserve consideration, and I cannot but think tkat a large number of the members of the

church will feel that their representatives have not acted as they would wish in refusing even to discuss the matter. .

I am, sir, Your obedient servant, JAMES WYLDE

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times,

Sik, —I was on the point of hazarding an enquiry after the fate of " Charity" of the 24th ult., when your Wednesday's issue, explained all. No doubt your reason for keeping it back so long—in. the absence of news of any sort-^----will be amply accounted for by the length and ability of the leader that so courteously introduced it to the public, However, I. am satisfied, and believe that in proportion to the delay was the effort required: but no more! To reply in a corresponding length would be to levy a contribution upon myself not more agrfceable than light, if I could but persuade myself that in doing so I should be acting up to what I hold charity to be in its truest and fullest sense. But I cannot for the life of me entertain any such belief. Neither can I believe that'in answering your reasoning line for line, or in fact treating it with what-the Yankees would call a "falling cut," I should be advocating my opinions a scrappit more than if I left it alone. Alas! Could Ibu t think so, not even the "haze of my praseology" should prevent me from att&nipting, at least, a refutation of your funny argument, much less the difficulty that I might experience in pruning down my style to meet that enjoined brevity so requisite for a correspondent, and particularly as one advocating an alteration in manage ffient that may be admitted as being sanctioned by many of our leading men. The man that is bold enough to write for a reform in any established usagemust expect a growl, if not a bite, and well contented should he be if the growl merely ends in a show of teeth. "It is indeed impossible to please every body;" so remarks the sapient ' Times,' of course I mean the ♦ Lyttelton Times.' So think all of us ! Hence my difficulty in pleasing in style, and hence the difference between me as an individual "I," and yourself as the" Editorial We." Howevei-, I must be brief. Quotations I need- not, or, believe me I could quote much more to the purpose than from Tallyrand, and from a standard rather more generally read and approved of, and from whicn there can be no appeal. As j there is no subject nor command more clearly I defined and laid down than charity, so is there none better understood but less acted upon. For the truth of this we have only to appeal to our consciences: but not publish the result. Conscience must ever be 'the connecting link between the giver and his God. On the unerring faith of this security he leuds, and on no other. This must ever remain a fact, despite any sophistical or ambiguous reasoning to the contraiy. For most things there is a pro for the con, but not in this, and here I leave it. Thus, sir, you and I may conscientiously differ, and let us hope such is the case. I shall now -oluMitljK..have done ! I don't believe in " Pseudonyms " for ~ a population so small and so rt prying " as ours. I believe ..that to spell a name backwards as a disguise would be the crowning act of Canterbury absurdity,and would indeed be a suggestion in every respect worthy of " inve?*ted order." • Only fancy such a military idea for our next programme as—change nominal front to the rear, by the wheelabout of letters. Allow' me to suggest the idea." It may be worth consideration!

What "Sunday clothes" can have to do with charity, I cannot make out. I- should have thought the remark more like a tailor on his shopboard than an editor at his desk. Bub again -we may conscientiously differ. I can only trust that no one will act on your suggestion and fancy that they had better stop away from church, because they may happen to have "no Sionday clothes" to go in. If such were the case " Charity" would never go to church, for there are no Sunday clothes to his name. " Charity is very much mistaken—Modesty is ' not a finer virtue than Honesty"—l quote from oar ' Times.' This lam bound to believe, but can't see through the "haze" i.e. the drift of it. Would the editor kindly remove the film from my eyes, unless it be that " Charity V haze has affected him. Charity was not aware that the suggestions about the "Indian Belief Fund" belonged exclusively to the ' Times/ or else he would not so have used it. Charity regrets that the 'Times' should have forced him into a confession by saying that "he has declinedsubscribing," &c, &c. Such is the: truth but not the whole truth j —Charity has refused to subscribe here from principle;—but whether he has not elsewhere subscribed to the same Fund, and that quite equal to the men of the Cantei-bury list is best known to himself. I have done, and, in conclusion, as an earnest of your articled sincerity, let me suppose that so much as I have written you consider yourself no less entitled to as the " quittance'" of your recipiency than is likewise due to me as the' "guarantee of my Contribution."- I trust it is unnecessary to remark that,my right of [reply is claimed on the ground that my original letter of the 24th ult., was not unlikely, kept back to admit of a leader on the subject. CHARITY. May 6th, 1858.