CARTERTON MEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9664, 1 December 1909, Page 6

CARTERTON MEWS.

From Our Resident Reporter, Tuesday. The Carterton Gun Club has received the promise of a trophy for competition amongst its members from Messs J. Meyers and Co., merchants, of Wellington. The work of erecting Mr W. J. Berrill's sawmill, at Whakaroa, near Martinborough, is now in progress and the mill should be ready for operations about Christmas.

At a mee ting of the Sma![ Birds Nuisance Society last evening it was decided to approach the Borough Council and the County Council for assistance in carrying on the work of decreasing the pest. List evening tlv; half-yearly summonsed meeting of Totara Lodge, U.A.0.D., was held in the Foresters' Hull, Bro, E. Wallis, A.D., presiding. Two brothers were declared upon the Sick Fund, and two, declared off. One new member joined the Lodge by clearance from the Eltham Lodge A vote of condolence was accorded to Bro. E. E. Dorset on his recent bereavement. Nominating for the various offices for the ensuing year were received as under:—A.D., Bro. P. Ashton; V.A., Bros. F. Roydliouse, J. Gayfer, and W. 11. Baiilie; Secretary, Bro. 11. Hart; treasurer, Bro. E. Martin; 1.(3., Bros. N. McKenzie, A. Thomas and V. E. Fairbvother; A.D.B.'s, Bros. C. Wiiyte, R. Smith and N. Hannah; V.A.B.'s, Bros. W. Abbott, R. Cantin and C. Hewson; ' O.G , Bro. G Hart; Musician, Bro. F. Roydliouse; Auditor, Bro. W. W. Manstiel'l; District President, L'ro. Erickson. :A social is to be held at the conclusion of the business at next meeting. Receipts for the evening amounted to £76 3s 101, and disbursements £29 19s lid. The Methodists at Carterton issued in coniectioi] with their recent cjrio exhibition and sale of work a pamph let which £ave some early history of Methodism in this district. The pioneers uf Methodism in the Waira tapa migrated from the Hutt . and Wellington. Mr Hart Udy and his stalwart sons, and Messrs J. Hall and W. Fi?her, settled in Grey town, and were soon followed by Messrs Wilkic, iiollard, Saywell and Dillon, while Mr H, Jones, and Messrs Perry and Shute found a .home in Masterton. Very early suitable sites for churches were secured in the three principal townships of Masterton, Greytown and Featherston. The first churches were erected al Greytown, Masterton and Carterton, none of them being either large or ornate.

The first pulpit supply was provided chiefly by local preachers, viz. Messrs Udy, Jo :es, Perry, Cundy and S» Hart, with an occasional ministerial visit from Wellington. In 1857 the Wellington quarterly meeting approved of a resident minister, and two years later the Rev. R. L. Vickers was given the pastoral oversight. The earliest quarterly contribution given was only 30.-% and three months later it was increased to £7 5s 6d. To-day the quarterly income averages something like £l5O. j In 18G7 the Rev J. Rishv/orth was appointed minister, and located at Greytown. The first quarterly meeting was held at Greytown at the end of June, 1868. Those'present on the occasion being the Rev. J. S. Rishvvorth, Messrs 11. Jones, B. H. Perry, 11. Udy, senr., and 11. Udy, junr., Ilall, VVilkie and Pool. The present parsonage was then erected, and in 1880, during the Rev. M, Thomas' term,the present Gre-ytown church was erected. Prior to this Carterton was a dense bush, with only a narrow coach road cut through it. Since then Carterton has grown to such an extent as to become the head of the circuit. The first church was erected in 1871 on a section donated by Mr H. Callister. This church was subsequently removed to the present site, and made a schoolroom, the present church being erected, in front and a church parlour added later. County churches have been erected at South Featherston, Dalefield and Belvedere. There are tu-day six churches and ssven other preaching place?, one parsonage, two ministers and a home missionary, nine local preachers, 196 members, six Sunday schools, thirty teachers, 250 scholars, 600 volumes in the libraries and about 900 attendants at public worship. The church property is valued at £5,000, and the various organisations are in very good working order.