A CONTRADICTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4600, 17 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

A CONTRADICTION.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW- ZEALAND TIMES. Sir,—Your cm respondent “ Protester” in this morning’s issue appeals to an impartial public concerning what he terms a shameful wrong, viz,, the. use of the schoolroom at Olaariu for the purpose of Divine service on Sundays. In doing so, “ Protester” displays great ignorance of what has actually been done, or a sad want of candor aud honesty. The facts of the case are these. Per eighteen months past services in connection with the Wesleyan Church have been held every Sabbath in Ohariu, in a cottage kindly lent by Mr. Best. -On the completion of the piiblio’schoolroom, an application was made to the local committee for its us\f. That committee, with the sanction of the Secretary of the Education Board, granted the request, ami for two Sabbaths past the usual services have been conducted there. As the Episcopalians and Roman Catholics have each a church of their own iu Ohariu, I fail to see that any injustice is done or unfair advantage taken hy Wesleyan services being held in the schoolroom. Whether it is likely that those who conduct these services will “ blaspheme or ridicule things held by others as most sacred,” according to your correspondent’s flighty imagination, I leave an impartial public to judge. I may add, that having been in the colony for twelve years past, aud a resident in several of the provinces, 1 have found that the use of public schoolrooms for Divine service has been granted by the committees as a matter of course to any section of the church applying for the same. And as this privilege has not been abused, lam unable to sec that there is by the local committee or Education Board any "harboring or abuse or gross injustice” in this XKirticniar case. 1 am, Ac., Wm, Morlev. Wesleyan Parsonage, Terrace, December 15.