FEILDING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5108, 7 August 1877, Page 3

FEILDING.

(from our own correspondent.) In reference to the meeting of the Church of England members, noticed in my last letter, I meant to write that “ the chairman said that he had visited Sandon and Palmerston. . . .

and that he was pleased to state that those places would contribute £IOO per annum each.” In a letter in the early part of June I gave some account of the different religious denominations in Eeilding, but in doing so I omitted to mention the Homan Catholics, who are privileged to have the ministrations of the Hev.Delphine M oreau. I think the entire absence in this part of New Zealand of anything like the aggressive sectarian spirit, is in no small degree due to the influence of those good Erench Eathers who have abstained from secular politics. The Kev. Father Moreau has been over thirtythree years an ordained Catholic clergyman in this colony, and I am told that he has lived to see one of his colonial pupils raised to the rank of a New Zealand bishop. The Homan Catholics of Eeilding have not .'yet built any church ; but they meet together for divine service at the residence of their clergyman. Tho Government having some time ago completed a post and telegraph office, are now getting a railway station and master’s residence erected. The sites chosen for those buildings are very much in need of drainage, and indeed the whole of the Government reserve at the railway station requires something doing to it to carry off the surplus water. It is not, I think, very considerate of the authorities to erect its low-roofed buildings on an undrained site, regardless of the health of the people that are expected to be able efficiently to discharge their duties. Such buildings as are sometimes erected for Government buildings in the country districts are certainly not what they ought to be. Their type is easily recognised, and may be seen all over the cotbny. I entirely endorse the statement made by your Eoxton correspondent that Sandon prefers to be connected with the port of Eoxton or with Hangitikei to that of Eeilding. A petition is in course of signature here, praying that provision may be made in any Education Act for the daily reading of the Bible in schools. , A benevolent society has been in existence here for about twelve mouths ; but its existence was unknown to most people in the district until a fresh movement was made to bring it more prominently before the public. The committee have decided to convene a public meeting, at which the claims of the society to general support will be advocated, and an attempt made to enlist the powerful aid of the ladies in the matter. It is also proposed to get up a series of public readings in aid of the objects of the society. The weather has been so fine and calm here for the last five or six weeks as to be worthy of notice, especially when one remembers the numerous reports to hand of a succession of wet, cold, and stormy days in other parts of the colony.