THE ARCHDEACON OF AKAROA.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XX, Issue 1521, 10 February 1891, Page 2

THE ARCHDEACON OF AKAROA.

Archdeacon Lingard nrrived in Akaroi on Saturday last. In consequence of a new arrangement he will stay here for twelve months' duty from February Ist. While the Archdeacon is in Akaroa the Rev. McKehzie Gibson will take charge of St Lukn's. In the event ol our late clergyman being nominated to a parish, the Archdeacon's stay in Akaroa will of course be brought to a close, but the Archdeacon himself considers this unlikely. Biehop Julius has licensed him as resident olergyinan in the Akaroa parish for twelve months, so in all probability we shall have him with us for that period. Archdeacon Lingard became Archdeacon of Akaroa in 1885. Hβ took the place of Archdeacon Harris, who died in that year.

The Archdeacon gave the following par ticulars to our repoiteryesterdny:—Hβ will during his stay take rooms at Wage'aff'H Hotel, and not go to the Parsonage, as he would have to refurnish it completely, and he thinks the expense is not warranted. Hβ bae stopped at Wagstaff's whenever be has visited Akaroa for any length of time. After a severe illness in 1877 he stayed there for two months, and found that his health had rapidly improved after hie arrival. An erroneons statement got into the papers on its being known he was to come to Aknroa, to the effect that his visit was on account of his il'-bealth, an i that it was owing to medical advice he had come here. Such was not the case at all. He is in excellent health, and is anxious to get to work on the Peninsula, It is true that on the Labor Demonstration in Ghristchurch, which it will be remembered was the 28th of October last, and wag a close holiday, he had gone for a long walk and at the end of the day found he had travelled a distance of thirty miles. On getting home his feet were very sore, especially at the heels, but he did not notice them particularly. Next morning his ankles were swollen up considerably, and he was unable to walk. He thinks the dye from hi« socks got into his feet, ( and that he suffered from blood poison.' At any rate he was confined to hie house until quite lately, and it was only about a week ago that he could get his ordinary boot on to the left foot. He was not otherwise indisposed, but he thinks this may have been the foundation of the reports of his visit to Akaroa on account of ill-heiltb. Hβ wishes it to be distinctly understood that such ie not the case. Hβ his been in charge of St. Lake's for many years, and be is glad of a change, especially so since he can spend his time in Akaroa. The Archdeoon will not bring his family to Akaroa, but they may visit him here occasionally.

He sincerely hopes that people will work with him to raise the condition of the church in the district. The Akiroa pariah has not been treated as it should have been, but the people have been partly to blame for it. It was not right the place should be left without a clergyman for several months. He trusted the church would be restored to its former state of usefulness and popularity, and thought it might be brought op to the state of perfection it was in during the happiest portion of its career—that was when the Rev. Mr Stocker was here. He did not believe in the Bishop's scheme of disfranchising the parish. Akaroa certainly did not deserve to be turned into a missionary district, and he was sure it only needed care and attention, and the effort of the parishioners to make the district capable of supporting a clergyman. He was sure also that if the people got a man whom they could fall in with, the church would not be carried on in the half bearted way it had been for some time. The Archdeacon thinks a great deal more could be made of our harbor, and that wore the place better known, we should be much more largoly visited.