MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 620, 24 March 1852, Page 3

MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

(Fiom the Spectator, Feb. 2 1 ) A Meeting was held at the School House, Thorndon, on Thursday evening, at eight o'clock, pmsuant to advertisement, of raembeis of the Church of England for the purpose of furthering the necessaiy measuies for obtaining a Church Constitution in this colony. The meeting was lather thinly attended. Pi dyers having been read by the Rev. T. 13. Hutton, Mr. Fitzherbert was requested to take the chair. The Chairman said, in the few observations he was about to offer, his only claim on their attention was his zeal and sincere desire to piomote the objects they had in view. There was an importance in tbe present movement which could not b ■ exaggerated, as on theii efforts depended chiefly, if not entnely, the futuie existence of the Church of England in the^e settlements. The idea of a Chinch was one on which generally persons were apt to form an incorrect opinion. They thought for the most pirta Church consisted ot liihops and clergy, and this fundamental en or was caused by the cucumstance that in colonies laymen weie seldom called upon to take an active pait in Cliuich matters., or they would be more impressed w.th the tiue idea of a Chuich as composed ot bishops, cleigy, and laity. Adverting to the building in which they wore assembled, he said he could not allow the present opportunity to pass without alluding to the efforts by which so handsome an edifice had been erected, and the brief space of time since they had commenced their labours which Ihid been crowned with unprecedented success. There was something analagous in their piesent undeitalting, but in this case the budding was one not mared with hands ; the work, if set about in a i ight and proper spirit, would in like mannei prosper in their hands, and prove a blessing to future generations. lie was sure a Chiistian spirit wou'd guide them m their proceedings and the resolutions to be proposed were so unobjectionable that no tiue son of the Chuich would dissent from them. Sir Geoige Grey, in moving the first resolution, said, be aliva^s felt Irom his position as Governor, some leluctince in taking paX in public pioceedings, but this reluctance was lemoved as on the present occasion he appealed among them in hispuvate capacity as a raem> ber of the Chuich. He v\as much gratified at the simple nature of the resolution, as he thought there could not be two opinions that some form of constitution for the government of the bianch of the Church of England in New Zu.ilind should be established with as little delay as possible. In tho mother countir the laws and institutions, and the persons to administer those laws were provided lo their hands, and persons tarely teflected how much they owed to the wisdom and foresight of their ancestors, how many years of thought and centuiies of experience had been spent in bringing these institutions to perfection, la coming to a new country they earned out with them tbe laws, the customs, and forms of religion in Gieat Biitain, and aa the persons employed in the administration of the laws « ere paid as in Great Bntuin, so far as the State ia concerned they were relieved from any care or anxiety on this subject. In the case of the Church, they carried with tuem the Christiau faith, and were accompanied by their ministerb, but no peinuuient provisirn was made for their support, and they must either bund up for themselves afabuc conesponding in somedegun to that in the mother coifntiy, or thebmnch of the Chuich to which they belonged would fall to thegtouiid. In the fiist instance, funds for the buppoit ot the Chuich had been supplied from home, but they could not expekt that these subscriptions would be continued lor any length of time. Some excuse for ap.itliy existed at first fiom the cares of early settlement, but almost every anxiety winch had pressed upon them h.id been removed ; they had been protected in crossing the net and in tbe difficulties ot a new and untried couutiy by the good i'lovulence ot then Makei, they were now at peace ; their <oe& were cou veiled into warm fiuuids, their houses were built, their flocks and licids had multiplied, and ho thought that individuals so blessed by

Providence were bound to &hew their grateful sense of these blessings by m.i'unq some return in providing the propei nienns of ieh>;iou-j woiship and education. Ue (Sir George) felt veiy gieat leg ret that none of tba humbler classes had taken a share in the piocwriin^sof the meeting, the c u«e was one to which the Apostles and eaily Clnisti.ins devotod tl on- lives, it called forth our highest energies, and awakened nobw 1 passions of our ua'uie. As Cliiisliatis they must believe thatiohgion would never fail fiom the eaiih, but it was ceij lam that the caie of pioviding and extending the means of religious worship uas a task to be peifoimedhy some one, and it was fo," them to determine whetl er they would be occupied only with the cases ot ibis woi Id legaidk-ss of the-be hi«Ler considerations, or J whether the}' would leave a name to show that a Chinch ! can be established and supposed by a willing- people. The cause in w Inch they uere engaged was simple in its nature, sublime in Us objecs, and eternal in its effects; he, for one, woulii resolutely detetmine to carry it out, and be earnestly hoped that large numbers would join in their effoits, as bo U It persuaded that it would be productive of more good for New Zealand than anything that cou'd be done for it. Su Georgo Grey then moved the following" lesolulion .—. — That it i* extremely deniable that some foim of Constitution for the government ot the biamh ot the Cluiuh of England in New Zealand should be established with .is little dilaj as possible. Seconded by Mr. Ilickscn Capt. Rhodes moved the S33ond resolution, That all adult niembetsof the Chinch of England, resident in the disluct, be united to eniol thenisdves as such, and to aq;iee to pay a subset lption of tUice •hillings pel quaitei ioi Chinch I pin poses Mi. Raymond, in seconding the resolution, said, that as it l elated to money matteis it could not have been placed in more appropriate hands than those ol Captain Rhodes and himself, and observed that the sum required from each member was only 3s. pci quarter, which was so small as to be within the means of all persons in New Zealand. He urged upon the meeting the necessity of those who were members of the Church enrolling themselves, in oider that the objects they had in view might be canied out in an efficient manner. Mi. Moore moved the tl i d resolution. That the adult membeisof the Chinch ot England so ciuolliiig then naiius shall annually appoint a Committee tiom then own membeis, to dcteimme to what specific purposes connectul with the Chinch, and in what piopottioiis, the fmuls they bubacnbe shall be applied. Mr. iianaud seconded the resolution. Mr. Kelbam, in moving the fouith resolution, thought it would not be out of place to offer to the meetingsome explanation of the Chuich funds at Wellington; exclusive of the other settlements, that they might know on what ihey had to depend. The mleiest tiora the endowment fund was £123, this, with the allowance to the Colonial Chaplain, grant from Chuich Fund and Parliamenlaiy Grant for schools, amounted to £478, and was administered by the Bishop. The sums ansing fiom Church sittings, ofFertoiies, and mairiages and banns produced and this fund was administered by the mihlees. The total amount was £683, and beyond this they had nothing to depend on. After the salaries of the two cleigjnian, the expenses connected with the four chinches and schools, including interest on Mr. Williams' loan, were defrajed, there appeared a balance of ;£?0, which would be an instalment in discharging their debt. It was evident with such small means they must look for support beyond these means, and a payment such as proposed from adult members of the Church would neai ly double their income, In the proposal for founding this settlement he legretted there had been no reserve for lehgious purposes, and he much wished thai si provision had been made for these objects. A lemedv had been provided for this at Otas;o and Canterbury, but the funds in each settlement le^pectively were devoted to one religion only, whereas he should wish to see the fund* appropriated to religious purposes given to all denominations. Mr. Kelham concluded by moving the lolloping resolution :—: — Tint such Committee shall be authonsed to icceive subscriptions foi Chuich put poses tiom any peisoiis wishing to subaciibe, fithei Erenttially foi Chinch puipose<, oi tor some specific object connected with the Cliiuch ol England. Seconded by Mr. Spin k s. Moved by Mr. Brandon, seconded by Mr. Bishop, That this Committee be authorised to conespond with the merabeis ol the Chuich ot England in the othei set I laments ot New Zealand, and invite then co-opeiation , ami that they be also requested to disseminate tiom lime to nine niloi matioa ielatmg to a Chuich Constitution for the Colonies together with any books that may have been published on the subject. | Moved by Mr. St. Hill, secon led by Lieut .-Colonel M'Cleverty, That a Committee shall bs appointed by such eniolkd membeis ot the Chuich ot England to piepue petitions to both Housts ol Pai liament, piaying that an> lnws> which may be deemed neces=aiy oi piopei loi the puipose of em oiling the members ot the ChuiLh ot England to manage then own Jlituii.il aflaiis in the New Zealand Islands, may be enacted by Act of Pailiament. A resolution was moved by Sir George Grey, seconded by Mr. St. 1 1 ill, to the effect that the senior cleigymau of Wellington be authoiised to call the next meeting. After a few observations by the Rev. E. Wheeler, a vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman, and the proceedings ot the meeting concluded as they commenced, with prayer. All the resolutions were carded unanimously.

Notis ofNewspaplus. — There were sold of the Times of Tuesday, February 10, 181-0, containing an account of the Royal nuptials, 30,000 copies, and the followingcurious calculations were afterwaids made respecting this publication. The length of a column of the Times i* 22 inches. If eveiy copy of the Times then punted could be cut into 48 single columns, and if these 48 columns were tacked to each other, they would extend 494 miles and 1,593 yards. To give some idea of the extent of that distance, it may be sufficient to say that one of the wheels of the mail which luns from Falmouth to London, and again from London to Easmgwold, a small town twelve miles beyond York, might run all the way on tliu letter -press so punted, except the last 1 67 yards. The same extont of letter-press would rea 1 li fiom London to Pans, and hack again from Pans t>> Canteibuiy, and a little fuither. The 30,000 papeis, if opened out and joined together, would cover a length oi 22 miles and 1,280 yaids ; or, in other words, would reach fiom the Times' office in Printing-house square to the enhance Lull in Windsor Castle, leaving a t\w yards for stair carpets. It id recoided that 20,000 copies were in the hands of the new smeii at 8 u'cloilc in the morning. Since 1840, the circulation of the Times, has greatly increased ; and v\ hat was then deemed wonderful on an extraoulmary occasion, is now exceeded daily by 8,000 copies— the piesent daily ciiculation being about 38,000 which ate woiked by greatly impiored machineiy at the rate of between 8,000 to 10,000 per hour. On the 2nd of last May the Tiih^, containing an account of the opening of the Great Exhibition by the Queen, circulated to the enormous number of 52,000 copies, the lnvgppt number ever known of one daily newspaper publication. Nothing can illustrate more foicibly than these statements the great utility of the machinery employed in multiplying with so miraculous a rapidity such an immense number of copies. When we look at the great talent — the ext tensive airangement — the vast amount of infoiination on a variety of topics — the immense circulation — the lapidity with which it istlnown off, and tlie conectnesa of the deUils ot the Itn.ts paper — we are constrained to pionounce it the mobt inaivellous political journal the woild hab even seen. What would oui iuicfathers have said to this wonderful broadsheet, which conveys information of the world's movements to the teeming population of the United Kingdom, and also to th« people of other and distant climes'! — Note* and Q//enK. Biunding in me Annn. — A suigeon, wriung to (he Time*, says, — "The Older enjoining medical othceis in the army to maik devsr'eis with the letter D,, has been defened until further orders. The Letda town council have determined upon the erection of a new town hall, on a piece of land in Piiklane. The aum vots<l was jL2I,QO(i for the building, and £9,500 /or land, &o. ;