THE WESLEYAN CHURCH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5684, 18 June 1879, Page 3

THE WESLEYAN CHURCH.

On Monday evening a number of trustees and members of the Wesleyan congregation held a meeting to consider the position of affairs, and to consult upon the best means to be adopted for resuming service in a temporary building. The offer of the Rev, J. Paterson, one of the Presbyterian ministers, to allow the Wesleyan .body the use of his church for week night services when not required by himself was gratefully accepted. The Rev. W. H. West, pastor of the. Woodward-street congregational , Church, also made a similarly kind offer. The question of obtaining a building in which to hold Sunday services was then considered. A suggestion to rent the Princess Theatre, Tory-streot, at £7 per week, was rejected, and it was ultimately decided to rent the Arcade at £3 10s. per week, inclusive of gas, and 150 chairs. A discussion then took place as to whether a temporary building or a new church should be erected. It was considered that it would be better to erect a wooden building as a temporary place of worship, and a deputation was appointed to wait upon the Mayor upon the subject. Other matters having been considered, the meeting was adjourned till this (Wednesday) evening to give time for further consideration as to how to best make permanent provision for the wants of the congregation. The deputation, consisting of the Rev. W, Kirk, Rev. W. ,7. Williams, and Messrs. Clark, Tustin, Banks, Elliott, Moxham, and Carthy, waited upon bis Worship the Mayor yesterday, to ascertain whether there would be any objection tp the relaxation of the building regulations, in order that they might be permitted to erect a wooden building covered with iron, to be jased as churchy and school-house during the next two years, by which time it was expected that the congregation would be able to build a new church of brick »r concrete, as required by the regulations.

The Mayor replied to the effect that he could not hold out any promise of the reg.ilations being relaxed in the direction indicate 1, He, however, deeply sympathised with the congregation, and thought he might nr n::io on behalf of the Corporation that, iindn - the circumstances, if the proposed building was erected, the Council would not take any steps to enforce the regulations. He, however, warned the deputation that any person could take steps to have the regulation enforced. A proposed now by-law to bo submitted for discusdon at the next meeting of the Council, havmg for its object the relaxation of the stringency of the building regulations, was road to the deputation by the City Engineer. The deputation then withdrew.