OAMARU PRESBYTERY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1141, 11 December 1879, Page 2

OAMARU PRESBYTERY.

The annual meeting of the Presbytery of Oamaru was held yesterday in St. Paul's Church. There were present— The Revs. J. Ryley (Moderator), Christie, A. B. Todd, Sommers (Hampden), Christie (Waikouaiti), Cameron (Waiareka), Stephen (Papakaio), Clark (Palmerston\ and Messrs. Oliver (Otepopo), and W. Smith (Waikouaiti). The, meeting having been opened with devotional exercises, the minutes of previous meetings were read and confirmed. Mr. Gilbert, the missionary up the Waitaki, wrote upon several matters in connection with the mission, and expressing regret that a minister had been unable to visit the district. The Rev. Mr. Todd reported that, with a view of ascertaining the possibility of erecting the district into a separate charge, he' had seut out subscription lists, and so far about L 173 had been guaranteed. Taking into account amounts likely to be received from places from which no returns had been received, he thought the total would be about L2OO. He also read a letter from Mr. Chapman, of Kurow, who said they were- afraid of getting a resident minister in the present dull times, although he thought auoh an appointment was urgently required. The Rev. ?£r, Todd: added that he thought the district should be erected into a sanctioned charge, with either Mr. Cameron or Mr. Steven as Moderator. He proposed a motion to that effect. The Rev. Mr. Christie seconded the motion. The Rev. Mr. Cameron questioned whether it would not be better, in the present backward. state of the district, to maintain- the district .under a missionary. ' There was. no centre of population in which to form a congregation, and he thought, speaking from experience, that the amount obtained would fall below what had been promised. The Rev. Mr. Todd thought if a mini--' ster were appointed that a go.od congregation might be raised in Duntroon. After several other members had spoken, The pev, J. Stevan suggested that an ordained missionary should be appointed, and moved that they shouid ask the Synod to ercot the district into a missionary charge. This was not .seconded, and the motion was carried. Messrs. J. A. Taylor, J. B. Balfour, W. Bain, Hutchinson, and Oliver were appointed a Committee for Duntroon in conception with the-Upper Waitaki. It was decided to inform the missionary now engaged in the Upper Waitaki dia-,