CHRIST CHURCH BAZAAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 83, 8 April 1874, Page 2

CHRIST CHURCH BAZAAR.

To the Editor op the Evening Mail. Sir —The letter signei "A Parishioner o^ Christ Church " has a deal of common sense in it, and many points of defence. Of course it only requires one visit to the parsonage to see the deplorable condition it is in, and had our present respected clergyman been a man possessing a large family, it would have beeo an impossibility for him to have resided there so long without repairs of some kind or other. At a recent meeting of the parish I spoke on taia subject. Tho view of the "Parishioners' Church Warden," viz., that the ladies who get up the bazaar should have tbe veto as to how the money so obtained should be expended, is decidedly erroneous. This I tase to be the duty of the Church Wardens as to how lunds kindly placed in their bands are to be expended. The Lord Bishop having thoughtfully procured gas fittings for the church, of course somewhat defeats the object of the bazaar. The point now is, how is the balance, which I suppose there will be, to be applied? I must say that as a musical amateur I should vote for the church being "groined;" by so doing the sound would be improved, and the organ, as well as the voices, would be heard to better advantage. Thus one or j ct would be carried out. I fancy the amount of ba'ance will do this, but not build a new parsonage. A new parsonage is badly wanted I grant, but this means a sum of at least £500 or £600, the receipts of a bazaar will not do this. I am, &c, H. J. L. AUGARDE.

Tho want of a short, sharp, and decisive means of vesting the debtor's property in the Provisional trustee, immediately upon, and as a consequence of, a fil ing of a declaration of inability to meet liabilities, opens the door to a very great amount of fraud. We also think that tho offence of fraudulent bankruptcy, and departure from the jurisdiction of the Courf, should be made felony, in order to obtain the extradition of absconding creditors from neighboring Colonies." A plague of flying ants has visited Poverty Bay, in some places coming down in showers. Domestic poultry attacked them with great avidity, but it is said that next day the number of dead cocks and hens was considerable. The Rev. Mr Porritt, who for some time wna a. resident of Picton, and who afterwards left to become incumbent at the Kaikouras, has resigned his benefice for the purpose of undertaking the duties of a master at the High School, Wellington. The * Anglo Australian in London ' writes as follows in the European Mail of February 10:— It is clear that New Zealand means to be a great country. The ships which have already sailed for the several provincial ports during the last five weeks are the William Davie, for Otago, with 294 souls; City of Glasgow (from Glasgow) for Canterbury, 250; Dorethe, Auckland, 315; WenningtoD, for Wellington, 291; Apellep, for Canterbury, 301; Golden Sea, for Wellington, '367; Asia, for OtMgo (from London and Queenstown), 320; Veruna, for Canterbury (from Glasgow, about 300; Schiehallion, for ITawkes Bay, about 200; and the screw steamer Atrato, with over 700. Eighteen other emigrant ships are laid on to follow during this and the next month. The Atrato was ready to start on February 5, the day fixed, but a dense fog prevailing on the sth and the 6tb, she was unable to quit the docks until February 7, when this noble steamship steamed down the river, adjusted her compasses at Greenhithe, and finally sot sail for New Zealand on February 10. Great interest is attached to this majestic ship, as she carries nearly 1,000 souls all told, and is expected to make a short run. This vessel will offer shippers an opportunity ' of sending back a cargo of wool, and, I am told, it is not unlikely, if sufficient inducement offers at Canterbury, that she may be laid on as a regular trader to that port. The Ballochrayle is another fine ship also for Canterbury, and she will leave Plymouth about February 23. A select and large body of Oxfordshire farm laborer?, about 200 in number, with their wives and children, have been procured for this ship, which, with other immigrants, will make up her complement to almost 400. This vessel is quite new, and is chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Company. Mr Leggett, the secretary of the National and Oxford Laborers' Union, goes out in charge of the 200 Oxfordshire emigrants. He is assisted by the Agent-General, and intends to settle in Canterbury. A few days ego a large meeting of laborers took place at Isllp, which was addressed by Mr C B. Carter, Mr Reid, aud Mr Leggett. The result was that a large number of applications were made by the farm Jaboreis present for passages, especially to go out in the same ship as Mr Leggett. Since then I am informed that the large agricultural village of Islip, moßtly inhabited by farm laborers, has had its population still further thinned by others of the rural class who have decided to go out in the Ballochmyle. Never before have our colonies had such a pick of agricultural laborers. No doubt good prospects await them, for it would bo uuwise to send for them if the New Zealand authorities were not assured that they had the. means of well and fully employing this large accession of labor. An instructive story was told us the other day by the captain of one of the Melbourne steamers. While at anchor at Lyttelton and on the point of sailing, a gentleman of reverend snd clerical aspect came on board, and announced himself as the Rev. Mr So-and-so, of Christchurch. He then produced a large bag evidently full of money, and ! asked Captain if he would kindly give him gold in exchange for the same amount in threepenny pieces. Captain — expressed his readiness to grant this singular request, but entertaining grave doubts as to the mens sana of his visitor, prepared for a precipitate " bolt" the instant any further sign of mental aberration appeared. On producing the sovereigns, he ventured to hint the very natural question —why did he not go to one of the banks for the gold, especially as small change was very scarce, and such an amouut would be received with joy. The minister groaned. "My Christian friend," said he, "it is for that very reason I come to you. I verily believe this bag contains all the threepenny bits in Canterbury, and I wish to send them all out of the country in order to prevent my congregation being able any longer to disgrace themselves by giving such a shamefully small coin at the church collections. This glorious work I have now achieved. O, let us be joyful j O, let us be joyful !" So saying he departed. Captain — — — conveyed the money to Melbourne, but was by no means so joyful as his late guest, when the bank-teller insisted on hi3 remaining while the threepenny pieces were counted, an operation which (Captain says) occupied nearly 24 hours. ' And this is why small change is so scarce in Christcbnrob. — Post.