ELL BLOCK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8133, 13 June 1906, Page 3

ELL BLOCK.

A. SKETCH OP TIIK WOKE. OF ; MR BENNETT, , (From Our Own Correspondent.) Arrangements were mule for Mr i Bennett to leave New South Wales and talce up work among the people in . the Bell Block district in December, 1809. He arrived here in February, 1900. When he commenced his lab. ours here, his son (the Kcv. Mr Bennett) was Maori missionary in the district, and was doing noble work with both the Maoris and European population, and during the past six yoars both father and son have continued the good work here, Mr Bennett, senr,, working mostlylamoiig tho Europeans, and Mr Bennett, junr., doing every, thing lie pissi'' could for the wellbeing.botii spiritual and tomporal, ot tho Maoris of the district. Among tho | many good works carried on by Mr Bennett, sen., the first and most im--1 portant is his interest in tho spiritua, growth of the young oE tho parish Almost overy Sunday during the past six years tho children of the neighbourhood have attended his 11 o'clock service, and have thus been brought in contact with the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. Many of those young people will never forget Mr Benuctt, or the good he did for tliem. During all those years Mr Bennett carried on the church work here. A clergyman attended one service oyciy forlniglil, and (he remaining services were conducted by Mr Bennett. Sinco the arrival of Mr Bennett, the attendance at the 7 o'clock services hns been continually on the increase, and may be stated as averaging 50, while previous to his arrival the average attendance at the 3 o'clock services was I about 20. I see from the church records that durin? the year 11)00 Mr Bennett eon--1 ducted no less than 31 services; in • 1001,53 services; in 11102, 20 services. - in Bell -Block church alone, hoi.les conducting services in other parts of St. Mary:* p:,rish when re.|ii'nvd, as

well as rendering willing s-'rvi'V m other parishes when request, d, and so on yuiir nl'lcv yciir.

The people of Hell Block acknowledge the very great yalue of Mr Bennett's services. They are exceedingly sorry thai he is leaving the district, and they are wondering' how the reli-

gious work of the district is tobccirrlcl on when Mr Bennett leaves. They