CHAPLAIN FOR THE HOSPITAL, ASYLUM, AND GAOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 832, 8 November 1867, Page 3

CHAPLAIN FOR THE HOSPITAL, ASYLUM, AND GAOL.

A deputation, appointed at the meeting of Protestant Ministers, held on the 51st Oct. , had an ' interview with His Honor, the Superintendent, on Monday, with reference to a Chaplain for the Hospital, Lunatic Asylum, and Gaol. The -deputation consisted of the Revs. R. "Connebee, J. L; Parsons, E. G. Edwards, and A. R, Fitchett ; the Rev. D. M. -Stuart being unavoidably absent.

Mr Connebee said that His Honor ■would no doubt have seen from the newspaper that a meeting of ministers had T)een held as to the Chaplaincy of the Hospital, Asylum, and Gaol ; and that arrangements had been made to take care, spiritually, of thfa inmates of the "three establishments, until the next meeting of the Provincial Council. He thought the ministers agreed in the opinion that, •during such time, they could only perform such duties very impexfectly : that to attend to the three establishments was really work for one minister, not so much «s regarded the regular services, as regarded the constant visitings and ministrations which were necessary with those ■who were ill or dying.

The Superintendent understood that the object of the deputation was to get * Bum for a Chaplain put upon the Estimates, for the year commencing the Ist April next. Mr Connebee said that that was the object ; it appearing that there was no such provision at present. The Superintendent supposed the deputation understood the reason which led the Provincial Council to reject the item of L2OO last session.

Mr Connebee : Yes ; that it arose in -connection with the Roman Catholic clergyman. The Superintendent : The Roman 'Catholics claimed to have a Chaplain of their own, for those inmates of the institutions who belonged to their Church; and that being so, the Council thought it •would be better not to have any Chaplain paid out of the public funds. He did not -axippose that circumstances had altered gince that decision was come to. So far as he was concerned, he would put a sum •of L2OO on the Estimates, and then it would remain with the Council to deal with the matter.

Mr Connebee thought he stated the unanimous view of the Protestant Ministers, when he said that they would not raise any objection to a portion of any «urn voted, being given to a Roman Catholic Chaplain.

The Superintendent said that he, as a member of the Council, opposed the vote; and, personally, he was still opposed to it, whether on the ground of principle or of expediency.

Sir Parsons said that he was present only because the Protestant portion of the community had failed to respond to the appeal to contribute towards the support of Mr Smith, as the Chaplain. He thought that the Protestant community ought to have responded to that appeal ; but as they had failed, and as he was sure that the three institutions needed a man who should devote the whole of his time to the duties of Chaplain, he (Mr Parsons) saw no other resource, but to ' look to the Government to provide for ! the payment of such a Chaplain. J The Superintendent said that the amendment on which a division was ! taken last session was, "That an address ! be presented to His Honor, the Superintendent, requesting that he would be pleased to put on the Supplementary Estimates a sum of L2OO, to assist the payment of salaries of two Chaplains for the Gaol, Hospital, and Lunatic Asylum — one of the Chaplains to be nominated by the Protestant and the other by the Roman Catholic Clergy ; the sum voted to be disbursed by the Government, as an aid to the conlributions of the religious "bodies." That was negatived by 16 to | 10. He quite agreed with Mr Parsons that it would be far more satisfactory, if provision was made by voluntary contori- j butions. Mr Connebee : That has been tried •and has failed. Mr Parsons : L 37 was all that was ! raised in six months. j Mr Connebee : And the feeling is general, and I believe is strengthening, that the Government should make the provision. Mr Fitchett believed that there was MBUch a feeling ; but he believed, also, j 'that the Wesleyans, as a body, would willingly contribute their share. Mr Edwards agreed generally with what had been stated. He thought it would be useless to bring the subject again before the Council, unless a Roman Catholic 'Chaplain was recognised— Buch a recognition would be no more than simple justice. If the Council would vote what the Government agreed to pxit on the Estimates, it would be only right that a Roman Ca--tholic Chaplain should receive a share. The Superintendent said that the expresßion of the opinion of the Council was ■most marked when a division was first

taken (on a petition by the Rey. Mr Moreau) in May, .1865. He (Mr Macandrew) then moved, as an amendment to the adoption of the Report of a Select Committee, " That, without pronouncing upon the abstract principle laid down in the Report of the Select Committee on Private Petitions, No. 3, the Council so far concurs in the spirit of the said Report as to recommend to His Honor, the Superintendent, that for the future it is inexpedient that any Government aid should be extended towards the services of a Chaplain in the Gaol, Hospital, and Lunatic Asylum, believing that such services will be rendered voluntarily by the respective religious denominations." That was adopted by 23 votes lo 5.

Mr Edwards thought it very desirable that there should be a distinct understanding that the provision proposed to be made by the Protestant Ministers was to be only temporary. It would be, at the best, most unsatisfactory, that half a dozen gentlemen, • holding different opinions, should be officiating in the institutions ; but the Ministers would do the best they could until the sitting of the Provincial Council.

In the reply to the Superintendent, it was stated that the Ministers did not think that further effort to raise money voluntarily would be effective ; and that it was not believed that any feeling with respect to Mr Smith had led to failure. The only expression of opinion as to Mr Smith's services was one of satisfaction on the part of inmates of the Hospital. It was also suggested that any sum voted by the Council might be divided between a Protestant and a Roman Catholic Chaplain, in proportion to the numbers of inmates of the institutions attended to by each.

The Superintendent said that the Council would have to decide the question. A sum should be put upon the Estimates. The matter had been talked over the other day, by the Executive, and that course was agreed to. The deputation thanked His Honor for the courteous reception given to them.