DUNEDIN.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 399, 27 December 1871, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

("From Our Own Correspondent.) - The past week lias been unusoa l ly quiet ; even amidst quiet weeks we have had no event, of consequence either in the way of meeting or entertainment of political or commercial significance of educational or religious importance. The meeting of Presbytery, with the ministers and officers of the First Churcli is the only event which might liave served as a subject on which t6 string together a few sentences, but this was r re'tty fully reported, in y.ur last issue. T may, however, tell your readers how the action then taken is regarded in town. On this, as on most other subjects, there is a great difference of opinion. Many think tlie Presbytery was too undecided, and failed •in their d<ity in. not giving expression to a distinct 'judgment oh the matter in dispute between .Mr • Sutherland and his offiaara These objectors, I think, fail to appreciate the true position of the Presbytery in the matter, and do not see the reason of the cbui'se that lias been taken. Had the Prssbytpry pronounced judgment, and Mr Sutherland or the officers appealed from the judgment of the Presbyter} 7 to the Synod, then the matters in dispute wmld have to be virtually submitted" to the decision of the two Southern Presbyteries The Presbytery of Duiledin, being made parties in the case, would be heard in defence of their own action, but otherwise their months would be shut, and final judgment would have to be pronounced by what is, I believe, a minority of the Synod, and then if the finding of the Synod should happen to be by a small majority, the future fate of the First Church, and perhaps, as involved to a considerable extent +herewitli, tlie fofcUi?£ Standing aild character of the Presbyterian Church in Otago, would be decided by a very small section of the representatives of Miat Church. By refraining from pronouncing judgment, and referring the whole case to the Synod. the Presbytery retain their voice and influence there, and will be able to give the* weight of their "vote, and influence to the Synod's finding. Mr Sutherland says he is supported in his doings by a majority of the Church and congregation'; he persists in h's complaint that the officers have been rebellious and disrespectful. In order to aid in a •solution, of the difficulties in the case, the Presbytery has instructed or recommended the session to obtain from all the members of the Churcli and congregation a declaration in writing as to their opinion and feelings in the matter Two statements hava been pre-pared,-6ne expressing approval of Mr Sutherland, and one approval of the officers, and these are to be laid simultaneously before the members for their signatures, »eh individual being allowed. to sign eltheWdeclaration he or sle may think fit. In this way the Presbytery hope to arrive at something like a reliable idea of what the opinion of the COngregati&h is, and will be guided to a, considerable,/extent thereby in their future action. < To this proceeding it is objected .that Mr Sutherland is not fairly represented, that the signatures will be necessarily, though not consciously perhaps, largely determined bythe proclivities of thft party who. presents .'the documents /...that Mr has not |beeii consulted. as } ii6f the form in which the enquiry, shall be prt before the members, and that approval of disapproval of. either the minister or officers is not the . only issuej Which may i be -raised-, as there are many who disapprove ' of both. A reconciliation tween. the minister and,,officer9 is out ofi'the question, and the Synod, will have an extremely ;difficult task to accornolisli ? jbjefore they restore, peace and; harmOny '.t0. .-the First Church.. .'Meantinie,' .,' the.V whole -case- is a scandal to .Christianity arf apt .illustration .of the trtithf of the" divrde.it^aching, tiiat . tv-hen one member siiffer^ f Svliole body sviffers withdti" .\I !; - -^..^:.' : . :'■■;?"■:;■';.'■■.. . - - ■ .Ratlier.npvel.action has been taken by tb.6 Proy/ncial jCpuncil; of Auckland, in the matter of refreshments for the exhausted bodies o£ the rh&xd AVorking members of that a« j«|t jLs.seniblyV' It has been determined' that fcea-andACoffee ["shall lie ;pfovi(ied at a (Cost to: the province not to. exceed 25s per .week per iriertibery It appears frdm the brief report as yet to hand, that alcoholic iiquor cannot now be supplied in the House as .heretofore, I presume from the operation of .-the new Licensing. Ordinance^ and tUosB menders who befoi-e uncomplainingly^ paid for- their bottle 6£ sqiiare there p.b.,. or their iwhislteykot, <iilil\ot, dP. will £0t affoM to "p^yiorthe tea and coffee which /now .take itlieir place. would form' the subject of a curious enquiry in what? ■;. political,; (iomesttc or social economy., . S.6cialßcieuce, i physiology, psychology, or dietetic i or wliat ; ever is the science which to 'the propriety of paying for beer, but uofc for tea the wilUngiieta to provide oureielveH witii '"'■■ -'■-■ '■' ' ■'■'. ' "'■''""' ■'■ "■'"•"■■ '" ■-■■;

brandy, but the «Jetor:uinatir>n to drink coffee only at the expense of tuft country. I wonder \f it h&3 dawned on 'the mihrtf «>f th© fion the Provincial O<;"anoi]lomi>f / .Anc' ! <lan'l # that beer and brandy, -wine, and whislcv are at beat' bill' useless .'luxuries, which, , if men ■will indulge in, they should themselves pay for, while tea and. coffee on the other hand are good arid nutritious beverages, which, used by the servants of the public in the discharge of necessary duty to which the country has called them, the country has. a good .right to pay for. If this is so I don't khovr ~b.ifc tbit the discovery of this truth- may be worth its cost to the province of Auckland. .„■* nurex-Maypr, ■ &c.,, &c, Mr Thomas Birch, has. sail»d en route for England. 4 I last week stated there was a rumor current I that, this gfentleman -" is efoing home in connection with ihe Government einigratiob scheme," but expressed my doiibtV of auch beincr.the case. The statement has been repeated by the ' Star , which is regarded^here as a semi official organ of the Government. I, however, have yet my doubt 3of the correctness of the rumor. There is, ho doubt, some uuderstandinor or arrangement between Mr Birch and the Government in relation t.6 the immisrration sciieme, and he as a faithful .servant, of -the Yogel ministry, aiid as the true and trusty hshchman of James, Mac'fvhrirew, may.be about to receive his reward, Jhrst Tarn of opinion that the irii migration j business has now become of too much iinpor- | tance to be trifled with, that too much 'h>w. depends on the bringing in of people,/ a<id* that depends too much on the ability, and activity of -the. representative- men the Government may. send ;^o Europe' for. them to ' .distribute their patronage in this matter, as hho reward of political support without any further regard to the fitness of ,thinj?3. We had a very he -ivy f^ale from 'the southwest here oil Saturday ? from early morning till late in the evenihfr The wind swept over the city with great violence, ahd i considerable damage has been done to windows, ro "i s &o. Amongst other caaualitie3. one of i the small pinnacles on the spire of ?he ]SeF First Church has been blown do^n. The advent of the festive Christmas'se'aspn is indicated by the show of all the accessories of social festivities in the shops of butchers, sv 'cers, bakers, confectioners, &c, The Government Offices are closed till "Wednesday morning. . Tliere seems little doubt now but that the neTi.t session of Assembly . b§. held ill Dimedia. This will he.a goo^ stroke of policy on the part of the Government. , We will, in the event contemplated, be enabled to make .tho p-i'3ohal acquaintance of a nmtber of our legislators, and be able t6 contrast the personnel .of the General Assembly with . that of our Provincial Council, and unless I have. been mginformed', the latter will suffer nothing in^the comparison. T^erhaps the opportunity of a close observation of a session of the Assembly will reduce the fever of some of our rabid.cetftralists, and induce them to regard our 'local legislation more favorably.

(From a Correspondent.) the Rev Geo. Sutherland, again officiated in the First Church, Dunediii, on Sabbath morning and evening last,, and throughout both services shewed most unmistikeably the spirit of opposition and antagonism towards t':i^ session and members of ,the church who oppose him. He evidently looks upon hiinsslf as a martyr. Or .self-cons|J£ tnted hero of modern tiroes. The prayers offered, the chapter read, the .psalms^saa^ the sermons preached, had evidently one and the same object in view, and this was none the leas noticeable from the indirect manner in which he chose to convey tho Very perceptible leading idea which occupied his. own mind. The services on the Sabbath fallowing the communion are generally of a thanksgiving nature in remembrance of 'the holy vows then entered upon, but no notice whatever was taken of the fact that so recently the most impressive rice of the church had been administered. At the close of the morning ser\ice an extract rrunni-e from -the records, of Presbytery was read, to the "effect tha.t the private conference with the minister and Kirk Session having failed to produce » spirit of. harmony and good feeling, the Presbytery had agreed to meet on the Bth January next, BO that the congregation might have an opporfcnnity of addressing them by memorial. ' This notice the Presbytery had instructed Mr Sutherland to rerfd. from the puluifc without any comment; bnt he added a lengthened harangue to the effect that he had been informed that the members of * session were obtaining signatures to a memorial in each of their districts, for which, proceeding they had no authority. I quite^ believe they had , not the authority -^£ the minister of the First Church, bnt -they had the authority of the Dunedin Presbytery '•; and it is quite amusing to observe the manner in which Mr Sutherland has r>n every OCO I sioil attempted to override th c Presbytery ', ! as, for instance; when they authorised t.he Deacons' Coiitb to meet. and transact business in the absence !of the minister, Mr Sutherland sent a notice to the clerk,, that unless three members of session waited upon, him asking his permission to hold "the meeting he wauld tint sanction it... ;Qf -course, jit is needless to mention that he was politely informed that the . meeting wdulcl be held independent of' him, and I may add that at this meeting it was agreed 'that, from , the present state of the f 'iiti.dk, E45, only could tfe i given their"minister-as'> supplement to the equal dividend, making Mr Sutherland's yearly stipend L 245, instead of _ L4jso, "as formerly. It would thus appear 'that their appreciation of iaUnfrisGt a very meagre de-scl-iption, and such as to invite Mr t>uther r l&nfi to-gd iir search, of '^asforea new, an<3 rnoth i prontable io himself as •well as his | hearers. Your hotfee 61 last week, in whick you communif'.ated the yresults 'of the private conference was as cdrrect as : could be coitiniunicated in a few sentences, an<^ this correctness has been confirmed by ft counter notice which has since appeared in the ' Daily Times,' ; bearinsf the impress :-'6f 'the 'cloven foot which has prompted it, being no other than that Of the personaeewhp has brought so much scandal up'bri the Presbyterian | Church of Otago. The following is the notice referred i 6 :— " We are • informed that the j -exxhtct we published a few- dayß ago from the j ' Bruce Herald ' about iVi& 3?irSt CllUl'ch', i* ' not correct;, arid is Galeulated to do injury Mr Sutherland, we are informdd, never consented to. do whutr is attached td . Ms namer nor did the Presbytery ask hiir» to do so >" nor ■aid the Presbytery direct the session to do what, is attributedto tbein as their duty "; nor was if determined as yet that the Synod slKJuld in any way be asked to iuterfer e in tft.l3 matter." " ■ •■ "' \ I m?& only acid thai of Mr Siil\«*lind !K'A Hoi presentwheii the session wore m private conferduct! with the Presbytery, he is not in a position to know what advances were mad o by the Priesbytery, nor does it affect the truthfalness of 3'our report that these mns ha^i been, artd possibly tforc made without his icaowledgOi y _.i-