H.—2lb

23

Grant, Carterton. .■.-.. No. 12. —This religious and educational reserve was bought by the congregation. Thecemetey was given by the Provincial Government, as at Greytown. Grant, 1 acre, Masterton. No. 13.—This land consists of one acre for religious and educational purposes. It was given by the Trustees of the Small-farm Settlement at Masterton. I think is kept for a cemetery, whether actually used or not I cannot say.

Wesleyan Church.

[Evidence taken before Mr. Hart, at Wanganui.] Tuesday, 12th October, 1869. Wanganui Toiun, 1 rood. — Church Site. The Rev. George Stannard, being duly sworn, states :My name is George Stannard. I reside in Wanganui, and am a Wesleyan missionary. I know the land comprised in the Crown Grant, of which the copy is produced and referred to as No. 127, Eecord iv. A. It was reserved for the special purpose by the New Zealand Company. In 1859 a church was first erected on the ground, which has since been enlarged. There is also on the ground a building used for a Sabbath school. It has been used as a day school, but is not at present. The church and school are of timber, and shingled. The church contains 320 sittings. The sittings are not all let (about 130 are). Such as are let are charged for at the rate of 10s. per annum. It is the usage in our churches to reserve a considerable number of sittings as free seats. There is no other income derivable from the ground. Divine service has been celebrated in the church from 1859 to the present time. The church is supported by voluntary contributions, supplemented by a grant from the Home Mission Sustentation Fund. The average attendance at worship will be 200; that in the Sabbath school will be about 120. The cost of building the church and enlargement, and school-house and manse, was about £600. I know the land (385 acres) comprised in section numbered two hundred and forty (240) on the plan of the right bank of the Wanganui Eiver. It was purchased by me of the New Zealand Government, with funds supplied by the Wesleyan Mission, to provide against the contingency of their failing to acquire a grant of land in the Ngatiruanui country, which contingency happened. The cost of the buildings and improvements of the land, and of the stock afterwards placed upon it, was .defrayed out of funds supplied by the New Zealand Government .in this way : Out of the £7,000 annually appropriated for Native educational purposes, £700 per annum was granted to the Southern Wesleyan District. In 1856 expenditure commenced, in the fencing of the land and erection of a minister's house and school-house, and dormitories and refectory were afterwards added. These buildings were of timber and shingled. There were rough Native buildings for the farming-man employed, and a stockyard enclosed. Farming operations were carried on —first preparatory to putting on stock, and afterwards in support of the Natives residing there, and towards the support of the establishment. From 1858 until the commencement of the war, the school was prosperous, having fifty resident Natives. It was at its great height before the war commenced. When the war commenced the school declined; and when the Ngatiruanuis became involved in war with the Europeans in the Wanganui District, their children, who formed the scholars, were withdrawn from the school. This was about the year 1863. After the complete withdrawal of the children, the missionary in charge left the place to reside in Wanganui. The premises were theti left in the charge of a farmer who afterwards became tenant at a rental for the premises and stock thereon of £150 per annum, subject to a provision for the resumption of the premises by the Chairman of the Wesleyan District, in the event of opportunity offering to re-establish the school. His term expired in 1866. Since then the stock has been sold. The net proceeds amounted to £359 15s. 6d. From the commencement of the school till the close, the accounts were regularly audited by Government Inspectors. The land has been let for a term commencing in September, 1867, of ten years, at annual rents of £125 for the first three years, and of £150 for the last seven years. The tenant is under obligation to keep the two residences in repair, and to lay certain portions down in grass, and erect certain fencing. Provision is also contained in the lease for retaking possession of twenty acres adjoining the " minister's house," if an opportunity should occur of resuming educational operations. The school-house, dormitories, &c, subsequently to the abandonment of the school, have fallen into decay. One of the buildings, to utilise it, was repaired and put up as the Sunday school on the town church ground. The rents are accounted for to the annual Wesleyan District Meeting, and applied to church purposes. During the period from 1859 till the school closed, there was a capitation allowance by the Government of £10 for every child educated at the school. The actual cost must have been nearly £20 per head per annum. The difference was made up by funds in hand, and in part of the produce of the land. The Eev. William Morley, Wesleyan minister in Wanganui, also present, assents to the correctness of the foregoing evidence of the Rev. George Stannard.

[Evidence taken before Mr. Domett and Mr. Hart, at Wellington.] Monday, Ist November, 1869. Wesleyan Reserves, Wellington. Mr. Lewis, trustee of the Wesleyan Estate, attended, and suggested that his evidence should be taken to-morrow. The Commissioners furnished Mr. Lewis with a list of the trusts upon which his evidence would be required.