PATEA DAILY MAIL. Monday Evening, Feb. 27, 1882.

Patea Mail, 27 February 1882, Page 3

PATEA DAILY MAIL.

Monday Evening, Feb. 27, 1882.

Published every Evening, Price. Id. Circulation nearly 606 : average last quarter 510. Politics, Independent.

Who was the new preacher yesterday at the English church in Patca ? He wore the surplice, yet did not seem strictly clerical ; for a preacher who looks like.a clever worldling, and has not the conventional expression of subdued amiability, is not supposed to be a parson. Indeed so much more interesting and impressive were his sermons than those of the average parson, that curiosity was aroused to know whence he came, whither he was going, if there wasn’t just a chance that he had been sent by the bishop to make a “ trial survey” of the vacant curacy. Alas! he was only a wanderer; a lay preacher; a successful worldling from a digging town in Australia; entertaining the people by his cultivated talents, and inducing regret that he is not one of us. Mr Robson did useful service in a nice way, by preaching morning and evening in the church yesterday. The attendance in the evening was very large. His, manner of reading the prayers and the lessons lent a new charm to an old sweet story; and his extempore preaching was not too much but rather too little declamatory. ,Mr> Robson is a retired bank manager of Ballarat, travelling for health and change. The Pa tea arrived in Wellington from Nelson this morning, and leaves there to-night for Patea, leaving here for Wellington as advertised. Some remarks from ‘‘ Old Cricketer ” on the successful cricket match against the Hawera team will appear to-morrow, for the information of emergency men, and others. A notice of the Harmonic Concert will appear to-morrow. The Flower Show of the Patea Horticultural Society is announced for Saturday next, and is expected to be even a greater success than the Spring Show. Mr Jackson’s sale of sheep at Waverley to-morrow comprises over 4,000.