THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOURERS

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 227, 8 December 1893, Page 7

THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOURERS

The Christian Endeavour movement as an aid to Church work was the subject of considerable discussion at the meeting of the Auckland Presbytery Most of the ministers spoke in favour of the movement, although some objected to anything that tended towards sensationalism in religion. The Rev, Scott West considered that if they got leaders full of the eensationa Clmsliauity of the present day, they were more likely to .develop hypocrites thanstrong, manly Christians. Be did not be lieve in tha t Christianity that made children of 18 or 14 get up and lecture, when tin v should be- sitting on the benches getting taught. He thought the Churches shorn , brighten the service with more music, an - they would get not only the children bat the voang people as well. Several of th > ministers spoke in eulogistic ‘terms of do good work done by the Christian Endeavour Societies, and the Kev. G, B. Monro pointed out taut the Cb.riss.ian Endeavour Societii-i brought into the Clnicches las' y. at- 158,000 members At the same time he agreed that there was some farce in what Mr .West had said. Ultimately, tbe Presbytery decide 1 to recommend the Christian Endeavour mo - oraenc as one of the best means < i keeping hold of young- people after leaving the Biibuatb Schools. THE KAURI TIMBER COMPANY. The director’s report to be submitted at the annual meeting- of' the Kauri Timber Company, which takes place iu Melbourne on Decern bkr 14th, is as follows:—" Tour directors bag- to submit the balance sheet for the fifth year of the Company’s operations to 31st August, 1893. The depressed condition of the timber market alluded to in the last annual report has been intensified during- the past year, as building operations in all the colonies have been almost sus - pended. Tbe Board have, however, steadily pursued the policy adverted to in previous years of realising the stocks ®f sawn timber and logs which have from tbe first so lieavi.y weighted the Company. In this they have been fairly successful, inasmuch as the Company’s indebtedness to sundry creditors, to banks, and for deposits has during the year been reduced by £30,197 12s Bd, while the debenture sinking- fund account and fire and marine insurance funds have been streuthened by the addition .of £5,319 10s 7d during the same period. It will be the object of the directors during die ensuing year to still further reduce the Company’s stock and its indebtedness, as there are still large accumulations of logs and sawn timber ta be disposed of. The realisation of heavy timber stocks in weak and depressed markets has caused a loss upon the year’s transactions of £16,402 16s 4d. The directors have always felt that what has been practically a force,d realisation was bound to result in loss, but in the end the Company should recoup itself when these old and deteriorated stocks have J

neon exhausted. In connection with the s-mlance at debit of profit, and loss account, £.16,40.2 10s 4d, the Board would point out ‘hat £2.995 of this amount is composed of : h-kns and charges accruing during previous years, but which have only been written off in the present accounts, as final adjustments have been made. The nett loss shown on the transactions of the year is therefore about £13,300. In present circumstances, the directors have not deemed it necessary to write anything off debenture expenses and pflslijninary expenses accounts. In accordance with the articles two directors retire. Mr George Hay Mann has recently resigned his seat and as the Board intend to propose f be reduction of the number of directors from seven to six, his seat will not require to be filled if the proposal is adopted. Mr Harvey Patterson retires by rotation and is nominated for re-election.” R. M. COURT, DARGAVILLE. ' Monday Eyening-, 4th December. (.Before R. S. Bush Esq., R.M) Enquiry into the petition of Patrick Conolly and ot.-.ers against the return of Mr ¥m. A. Spiers for tbe Dargaville Riding as a member of the Hobson County Council whereas Mr John Mitchelson having voted as agent for L. D. Nathan. Tbe petitioners contended that the s-ims was illegal under certain clauses or the Counties and Local Elections Acts. Mr Piikington appeared for the petitioners and Mr McLeod represented the Council. Mr McLeod moved to quash the petition on the grounds that ihe allegation did not come within Section 50 of ; The Regulation of Local Elections Ad 1876,’ as the statute required a distinct declaration that, the person 1o whose vote objection was taken either was not entitled to vote or being entitled to vote recorded more votes than he was entitled to give, while the petition merely raised the question of the legality of votes by agent and no provision was made by the statute for such an enquiry. His Worship held that the allegation implied what was required by statute though not in the exact words of fbe Act. A further motion to quash the petition on the grounds that the prayer was to declare ‘ the said election void ’ instead of ‘ the election of the. said William Archibald Spiers’ and that the allegation was bad as it did not show or state that Mr Mitchelson’s vote affected the result or that it was recorded for Mr Spiers, was overruled. Messrs P. Conolly, E Meur-ant, H. Corden and E. H. Fail were called and stated that they were electors and ratepayers in the riding ; they knew the contents of the petition, and the signatures thereto were theirs. Mi J M Dargaville deposed that he was scrutineer for Mr F. J. Dargaville at the election. Mr Mitchelson came into the polling booth and the Returning Officer gave him two ballot papers. Gross-examined: Could not sweii- that Mr Mitchelson actually mentioned Mr Nathan’s name but thought so. Did not know of any local custom of voting by agent. Hid no recollection of caving himself voted as agent f r ]£ iim Valley Railway Company Mr Piikington then briefly addressed the Court contending that an illegal act had been committed, and that Mr W, A. piers could not have been only elected. His case, was now closed. Mr McLeod contended that the petition must be dismissed on the grounds (1) That there was no legal proof that an;s election had been held; (:) That there was no proof that Mr Conolly was a candidate at the election (if any) and that therefore the petition was not proved to have been signed by a candidate : (3) That there was no proof that, tiro' other persons signing the petition were County electors, no Roll having been produced ; (4) That, there was no proof that the person-petitioned against (Mr Spiers) had ever bean declared duly elected.; Mr Piikington then tendered the local newspaper containing the election notices as proof of the holding and the. result of the election, but Mr McLeod objecting that the petitioners’ case was closed His Worship refused to accept this further evidence and dismissed the petition*. After delivering judgment the Magistrate remarked for ihe guidance of the County Council that votes by agent were absolutely illegal. The present case had broken down but had the evidence supported the allegation in the petition the votes must have been struck off the poll