LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1643, 16 January 1883, Page 2

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

The Mail Service. . Wellington, Last Night. Mr Gamblk, of Auckland, Agent of the Pacific Mail Company, and Mr Armsteed, I special agent seat from America to make arrangements relative to the renewal of the San Francisco mail contract, arrived by the Kingaropma this morning. They will have an interview to-morrow with the Premier and the Postmaster-General, but it is understood no definite agreement can be come to until the views of New South Wales are distinctly pronounced, as the matter must largely depend on the action of that colony. New .South Wales objects to the loss of time experienced in the deviation to Auckland, and it is probable that the substitution of Russell as the port of call will be strongly urged on the New Zealand Government. Accidents. Casey, the man who met with a serious accident a few days ago, whilst working at Kaiwaia, still lingers at the hospital. The poor fellow's head is found to be badly iujured by the boulder which fell upon it. George AHsdon, an apprentice belonging to the ship Lady Jocelyn, met with a nasty accident on board that vessel. He was incautiously moving about the freezing- room, which is in a constant state of darkness, when he suddenly toppled over the hatchway and fell a distance of ten or twelve feet, landing on some rough stone ballast. He was much cut about the nose and upper lip. Milner Stephen Criticised. In the course of his sermon at S. Mary's Church last evening, the Rev R. Coffey, preaching from the 9th verse of the eighth chapter of Acts, referred in strong terms of condemnation to the position taken up by Mr Milner Stephen, with regard .to his alleged powers of healing, and argued that while the gentleman mentioned persisted in attributing the possession of his gift as direct from God for the good of mankind, for any spucial goodly service, he put himself in the position of the prophets and apostles, whose gift of power to woi k miracles was a credential, proving them to be the messengers of God for the exercise of which they/lid not receive money; and Mr Milner Stephen dare not take money for exercise of this gift (it it be a gift) without putting himself in the position of Simon, and all who countenanced him by their presence were actually guilty. The Rev. Mr Coffey mentioned that a number of persons hacl asked him to cei'tify that they were not; in a position to pay. The fee demanded by 'Mr Stephen was high, ,two guineas, and he , said he thought s,uch a charge would amount in a year to at least , £10,000. Rather a good price for a gift which Mr Stephen asserted hacl ; been bestowed upon liini for the benefit of humanity at large, while the manner of receiving it freely was to the poor rather a humilating w.iy of deriving a benefit from God's gift. "