THE PRESBYTERY OF SOUTHLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 931, 10 April 1868, Page 2

THE PRESBYTERY OF SOUTHLAND.

The stated quarterly meeting of the Presbytery of Southland was held on Wednesday last, in the vestry of the Presbyterian Church. Commissions were received and sustained from the Kirk ocosion of Invercargill, in favor of Mr Dunan M' Arthur ; and from the Kirk Session of Eiverton, in favor of Mr Dugald M'Phee. There were present — Rev. Thos. Alexander (Moderator), Revs. Clark, Stevens, Stobo,and Messrs Duncan, M' Arthur, and Dugald M'Phee. Mr Stevens was elected Moderator for the next year. Communications, from the Religious Tract Society, the Tract and Book Society of Scotland, and the National Book Society, were read, stating on what terms they were prepared to furnish books and Bibles to a Colporteur who might be

employed m connection with "Ms Preibtx tery. It waß agreed that the thanks of the Presbytery be given to these Societies, and that Mr Stobo be appointed to look out for a suitable person to act as Colporteur, and report at next meeting. No communication having been received from Queenßtown, and the Presbytery having learned that the Eev. Mr Alves, from St. John's, New Brunswick, is about to join this Church, it waa resolved that the Clerk be instructed to send an urgent request from this Presbytery to the Church Extension Committee to appoint Mr Alves to Queenstown immediately on his arrival in this Colony. It was also resolved that in the event of Mr Camp* bell leaving Queenatown soon, Ms Clarke be appointed to supply Queens-' town for two months, and in that event that the Church extension Committee be requested to appoint Mr Drake to supply Biverton. The Clerk was instructed, to com% municate with the committee at Quenstown. ; The Presbytery agreed to declare the Lower Matarua a preaching Station, and Messrs Stobb and Alexander were.appointed a Committee to define its boundaries. The Presbytery unanimously agreed fov request the Church Extension Committee to appoint Mr Martin, who has recently arrived from New South "Wales, to the Lower Mataura. A communication was read from the North German Missionary Society with reference to their mission to the Maories here. It was. resolved that the Presbytery should bring the matter before the next meeting of the Synod of Otago and Southland, and ask leave to ordain Mr Honore as missionary to the Maories in connection with r this Church, and at the same time to receive the Eev. Mr Wohlers, of Buapukft, as an ordained Missionary in connection with this Church ; and the Clerke was instructed to communicate this resolution to the North German Missionary Society. Mr M* Arthur having directed the attention of the Presbytery to the extent to which Sabbath-traffic waa_ carried on at the Bluff, it was resolved to memoralise the General and Provincial Governments to take steps to put and end to such traffic. The Moderator, Messrs Stobo and M c Arthur, were appointed a committee ; to draw up the memorial, and take any other step deemed necessaay, Mr M' Arthur convener. . Mr M' Arthur having brought before the Presbytery the increasing importance of the districts of "Winton and Forest; Hill, and the adjoining stations, the Presbytery resolved to declare that district a preaching station, so soon as suitable arrangements could be made for the supply of ordinances, with a view to "Wallacetown and Winton, &c, being separate charges.