TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
West Coast Times , Putanga 2449, 3 Huitanguru 1877, Page 2
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TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
[PER PBEBS TELEGBAVII AGBNCr.J ■■-'■/. Nelson, Feb. 1. At the General Synod, on Wednesday evening, Mr Ackland introduced a Bi'l to amend th^Ecclesiastical Offences Statute. The Bill, was read a first time. On the motion of Mr Maunsell, a committee was appointed to consider why the marriages performed in New Zealand by the Church of England were so few, and to consider whether any or what alterations should be ' made in present arrangtments. In 1851 ' the marriages by the EnglvaQ Cburci ( amounted to four-fifths of the whole number; in 1861, they decreased to i three-fourths ; in 1874, to two-thirds. Mr Stock introduced a Bill to authorise curates to call extra meetings when asked to do so by one churchwarden, and three vestrymen. Archdeacon Harper then moved for leave to bring in bis Bill re alterations of services formularies, thirty-nine articles, and an authorised version of the Bible. He said^ the: Bill tended solely towards preserving the faith of the Church. The Bishop of Dunedin seconded the motion. Mr Maunsell strongly opposed the motion, and said the preamble grossly misrepresented historical fact, and that for laxity of language and falsity ot assertion, the Bill was a disgrace to the Synod. Mr Pratt said the Bill was Ultra vires. The Bishop of Auckland said the Bill was not contrary to the Constitution, but thought it better to omit the preamble. Mr Calton opposed the Bill. The laity wanted absolute, indenuty with the Church at Home. The Bishop of Wellington spoke long and ably in support of it. The Dean of Christchurch would vote against it. The debate was adjourned till 7.30 on Thursday. Feb. 2. The General Synod met yesterday, the 1 whole clay being occupied with the debate on the Formularies Bill, or in reality on the whole status and constitution of the Anglican Church in Now Zealand. Archdeacons Stock and Williams, Revds F. Faucaurs, E. Williams, JVI. E. Williams ; Messrs Barnicoat, Oliver, and Brown supported the Bill. The liev. B. Dudley, E. Lingard, and A. Penny, Messrs Adams, Lublc, and Quick opposed it. The main arguments in favor of the measure, were, that the Church of New Zealand was autonomon and independent, with the power to make all laws, and that it was desirable to legislate, while men's minds were quiet, to prevent the possibility in future of changes bciug made without due care. The chief arguments against the Bill were that it was ultra vires, as altering the Constitution unuecessarily, as no changes were desired, and the Bill was inexpedient, as calculated to unsettle people's minds, and endanger the tenure of the Church, property. The debate will be resumed at half-past eight this evening by the Rev Mr flsmer. Sew Plymouth, Feb. 2. The Budget has ceased publication ; the reason is that the place has not yefc sufficiently advanced to support a daily paper. The foot race between Selby and Ellis, the best runner in Auckland, for one hundred pounds, resulted in the cricketer winning easily. He is said to be equal to Hewitt. Christchubch, Feb. 2. Land sales are keeping up wonderfully, the receipts for the month are £41,5-21, or at the rate of over half a million a year. OaxMahu, Feb. 2. The railway through from Christchurch is now opened from Makikihi. Several thousand people travelled by the trains. Both the Mayors of Timaru aud Oamaru declared a public holiday. There was a great demonstration in Timaru on the public holiday in consequence of the opening of the railway. At Timaru the weather is so intensely hot that the harvest hands are working at night. There is a dead-lock between the Mayor aud Borough Council. At a special meeting to consider the conduct of the Mayor in giving orders to the Engineer, contrary to the resolution of the Council, a scandalous scene ensued. No business could be done, as the Mayor left the chair, but would not leave the room, and as he was not absent the Council could not cleat one of the members to fill the chair. The Council sat up till half-past twelve disputing, quarrelling, aud chaffing, then all left the room, leaving the Mayor alone with the Town Clerk. The Customs. lievcnue tor the month of January is £1090, as agaiust £3902 last year. The trade of the port is declining alarmingly ; business of all sorls is very dull, and money extremely tight. Timaru, Feb. 2. A train with 300 excursionists broke down last evening, at South Waitaki, owing to the fire plug coining out of the engine, which was in bad order ; assistance was obtained from Oamaru and the train reached Timaru at eleven o'clock, the passengers having suiFered severely. The down train from Timaru was also full of excursionists, and was also detained until the south train could pass. j Wellington, Feb. 3. The Government have received from the Agent-General the following immigration advices by 'Frisco mail: — On the 11th November, Wiltshire sailed for Lyttelton, with 282 souls; on 28th, Oxford, for Auckland, with 239 souls; on 18th, Loch Dee, for Otago, with 17 souls, who were landed sick at Weymouth from the Hurunui ; on 19th, Hi'-imui, from Plymouth, with 171 sov T 3. Twenty-three were landed at Plymouth, and are to leave by the C<?rnatic, for Lyttelton about the 9th December; thirty-one rr -.Migrants insisted on leivi-ig the Hurunui. The following vessels are engaged to take immigrants ; — Fernglen, for Hawke's Bay, Dec.
6 ; Northampton, for Nelson, Wellington, and Westlpnd. The above complete requTements for the year. -All advertisements have been withdrawn and staff reduced.
