Evening Post WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1881. THE BISHOP AND THE MINISTER.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 134, 7 December 1881, Page 2

Evening Post WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1881. THE BISHOP AND THE MINISTER.

"Bishop v. Minister" is not at all an unheard of association of combatants, as the Home Eccleaidstical Courts could freely testify. Even at this side of the world, where polemics seldom run high, a minister sometimes defies his biahop, and w« believe tho principal business of one session of the General Synod oonsisted ia organising Church tribunals for the trial of obstreperous parsons But thore are ministers and miniaterd, and the genus af the order in the case to which we are about to refer was that to which the specific term " cabinet "is prefixed. It will at once be seen that this makes matters much worse. If it ia a saddening sight to oee a "reverend" minister at issue with his bishop, it i 3 a positively terrifying spectacle to behold an 'honourable" minister and a " right reverend" prelate pntting on the pomp and panoply of horrid w*r, and charging at one another as fiercely as it they wore a couple of Don Quixotes, with an I offensive windmill between them. Yet such is the dieaoful disp ay with which the little world of New Zealand is just now being dismayed. It ia really quite too awfully awful to realiae. Still we will try to control our shudders while we endeavour to make out " what it is all about." It would seem from the curious correspondence just published in the Christchurch papers, that the Bishop ot Nelaon— albeit a manly and vigorous ecclesiastic, with much of the " muscular Christian " in his composition — has not viewed with approving eyea tho recent military demonstration at Parihaka. His Lordship, in common with most of his flock, was, and very justly so, much disgusted with the action of the Government last session in forcing through the .Representation Bill, by which the Nelson provinces was deprived of nearly half its Parliamentary representatives, and some districts totally disfranchised. This injustice etili rankling in the breast of the Nt Isoaians has not unnaturally disposed them to look with jaundiced eyes on everything done by their Ministerial spoilers. Such being the case, and the success of the late proceeding^ at Parihaka being unquestionable, the notable idea wa% struck out that the whole thing was a show got up for tha purpose of pleasing the electors, and influencing, in favour ot the Government, the general elections then pending. The Biahop of Nalaon seems to havecaughtat this notion, and to have warmly embraced it, until it has become almost an article of faith with him. He is not at all the man to sea even a fancied wrong done with mt exposing and denouncing it with the utmost rigour. Nor is hi by any means averse to bestow on his flock an episcopal "word in season" occasionally regarding political matters, when he believes he can advise them to their benefit. And so his lordship appears in this case to have expressed his mind very freely in general conversation aa to the action of the Government and when taking p^rt in the recent servicea in celebration of the consecration of the Christchurch Cathedral, he asked the prayers of hia hearers '' for their Maori brethren who were in soro perplexity and trauble." Now, this seemed very right and proper and L hristianlike at the first blush, but when more closely scrutinised it must be confessed it bears a good deal of resemblance to an ad caplandum appeal to the Chrißtchurch electors against the Government who were causing this "sore perplexity and trouble" by an earnest and modt>rate effortto induce th« Maoris to live in peace and order, anfl to obey the law. Here, then, the Bishop appeara to have gone outside of the lines of strict discretion. But he was not long left alone in his imprudence. Mr. Eolleston, tbe Minister for Lands, and ex-Native Minister, apparently happened to hear ot these episcopal comments whish were being so liberally scatteied abroad, and went on the war-path forthwith. With an evident effort to restrain his indignation, he telegraphed to the Bishop, sternly asking if it was correct that he had been saying " that the Government's treatment of the natives on the West Coast has been actuated by political considerations, with aview to influencing the elections." Here he obviously committed a grave error in tact and judgment. He had no right whatever to call anybody to account for remarks made in private conversation. The Bishop promptly perceived the mistake, and instantly attacked the weak place, protesting against the Government requiring ot him, or of anyone clee, an account of private conversations, to which his Lordship amusingly added, "We might as well be in Kussia at once." This seems a little bit of anon seqw'tur, but that ia of no consequence. Unluckily for the Bishop, however, he did not content himaelf with ihis perfectly proper refusal to be called to account tor all his private sayings. No ; the preaching instinct was too strong to be repressed, and so there followed a "secondly" and "thirdly." The Biahop expressed his opinion that the remarks complained of, whether made or not," were "self-evident and harmless." This of course was fathering the whole thing, and played straight into Mr. Eolleston's hands by directly asserting to a Minister the vary views at which he had taken umbrage. Further, the Bishop went on to st<tta that much of his opposition would be removed it the Government would assure him that in certain specified particulars the natives had been and would be fairly treated. Here the Bishop obviously was dreadfully indiscreet. Nothing could have played so completely into the hands of his antagonist as the admission of his " opposition" to the Government, and his stipulations as to their policy, their accession to whioh was to be the price of his abandoning that opposition. Mr. Eolleston ought to have scored freely off this sort of bowling had he kept cool and wary. But not a bit of it. Ho flew into a violent rage, and sent the Bishop such a furious telegraphio dressing as must have nearly blown off his Lordship's mitre. He accused the Bishop of " gratuitous and unwarrantable slander," of "imputing disgraceful conduct" to the Government, of " not thinking it inconsistent with his sacred office to privately slander his neighbour and impute to public men base motives in actions involving possibly the lives of large numbers of their fellow-creatureß," and so on, and so on. And finally the Bishop and the Minister actually ran a neck-and-neck race to be the first to publish tbis funny corres- • pondenco. The whole affair ia exceedingly absurd. The ecclesiastic would have ahowa more wisdom in keeping his own counsel, j the layman in keeping his temper. It is a storm in a teapot. Doubtless it was indiscreet of the Bishop to ht out in this spreadeagle eort of style on political questions, but after all, what he said was, as he truly observed, quite '•harmless," though a trifle illogical. The Parihaka proceeding being in itsalt right and expedient, and its time being, moreover, notoriously fixed and precipitated by the unlawful and aggressive action of the natives themselves, surely the Government were n»t called on to postpone action and risk the lives and property of the Queen's subjects, merely because a general election was pending, when the entire Colony wonld have an opportunity of pronouncing judgment on the affair. We cannot suppose the Bishop really means this, although his remarks would seem to imply it. It is a pity that Mr. Bolleston did not preserve his equanimity and point ont this fallacy in the episcopal logic instead of going off into tremendous tantrums and calling his antagonist, bad names. We must confess that neither of the combatants comes •ut of the melee with advantage, and we are both surprised and sorry that so very foolish and indiscreet a correspondence should have been published, instead of being allowed to paes comfortably into deairable oblivion.

It is understood that the additional Constabulary who go up to Opunake on Friday will be employed on the military roads now in course of construction through the Parihaka Blook. The Court of Appeal at its rising yesterday adjournt d till to-moirow morning, when judgments will be delivered in a majority of the cases dealt with during its extemded sitting.

With regard to tho3e whose names were recently collected by the detective authorities at the Hntt racecou3e as being engaged in sweepstakes, the whole of the evidence connected with the niatter has; we understand, been submitted by Mr. Superintendent :-hearman to the Law Officers of the Crown, who are expected to advise, in the course of a day or two, as to whether any of the cases ought to be taken into the liesident Magistrate's Court. While referring to this matter, we may state that we have been informed that on the list of names alluded to appear those pf several ladies of high social position, who witnessed the races from the grand stand, and who are said to have indulged ia a few Bweepa by way of amusement. At the Eesident Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, after we had gone to press, the following defendants were fined for various breaches of the municipal by-laws : — Carl Foster, fd 1 driving round a corner at more than a walking pace, 5s and 143 costa ; Dennis M'Kenny, furious driving, 10a and lls coats ; Zachariah Nimm'o, horse wandering at large, 5s and l4s co3ts ; John Meyers, negl-cting to keep a light on certain hoarding, 5s and 7s coats ; Charles Luke, leaving his vehicle unattended without previously Massing a chain through the wheel, 5a and 7s costs ; and Isaac Mcrriaon, for neglecting to keep a light near a certain excavation, 6s and 7a c sts, The following gentlemen attended the ÜBUal Weekly meeting of the committee of the Benevolent Institution, which was held yesterday after+xoon-.— Mr. J. G. Holdaworth '(chairman), Eevs. W. Kirk, W. H. West, J. T. Hinton, and H. Van Staveren ; Councilor Danks, Mr. '. F. Smith, and Mr. A. G. Johnson (Secretary and Eelieving Officer.) The usual monthly account for provisions, the amount of which did not transpire, was passed for payment, subject to the approval pf the Treasurer. A barmaid employed at Auckland, whose three children are being cared for in Wellingt >n, wrote to the committee asking that one of the children might be sent to Sydney, where a lady had expreseeda desire to adopt it as her own. 1 he mother intimated her intention of keeping the remaining children herself. It seemed to be felt by tin committee that the whole of the children should be sent to their mother at Auckland, at the expense of the institution. Meanwhile, however, it wa? decided to communicate with the mother at Auckland, with a view of ascertaining the name and circumstances of the lady at Sydney who was willing to adopt one of the children ; also, to point out the desirableness of hor making arrangements to keep the others at Auckland in case it should be decided to send one of them to Sydney. Among the other c»b s dealt with, the only one calling for epeo ; al notice was that of a woman who has been in the receipt of charitable assistance for some time past and who now wished to bo sent to Sydney. It was decided to comply with the request. Referring to the Eupposed volcano at West Wanganui, we are indebted to Dr. Heator for the following extract from a letter received from Mr. John Eos?, of Collingwood :— " On my return here, 1 found one of the men from the Golden Eidge claim, who had brought in the news of the volcanic eruption at VVanganui, and I have ascertained from him that the precise locality is at Malone's Creek, about a mile south of the Golden Kidge claim, which you may perhaps know is at Slaty Creek, at the foot of Bald Hill. One of the coal seams at Mai one's had become ignited some four or five years since, and the Hill has at last elippsd, and left the chasms open which were mentioned in the report. Tho Binoko ia stiil issuing from these, and I am told that some loss of wood thrown in were rapidly burnt." Some further particulars have reached us regarding tbe snicide of the unfortunate young man, Bailey, during the last passage of the barque Malay to Sydney, Every care seema to have been taken by the captain, who, seeing the condition in which the young fellow was when he went on board, told off a couple of men to watch him. Bailey, however, managed to evade their vigil anco and jumped overboard before they could prevent him from doing so. Between Saturday afternoon and yesterday the rainfall in Wellington has been 1J inch, and a great deal of good has been done in the country by tho heavy rains. The reservoir has preatly benefited, the depth being increased by 18 inches, bringing the supply up to within 2£ft from the top of the receiving basin, while the streams have been set running freely. Mr. W. Seed, J.P., occupied he Bench at the Ke-ident Magistrate's Court this morning 1 . Three defeudants, viz , William Colville, James Head, and Henry Johu Lear abas Harry Tracey, were charged with drunkenness and discharged with a caution. t.'ead was called '-'S a witness in a case heard yesterday afternoon, in which a publican at Pahantanui was charged with permitting a game of euchre to be played on his licensed premises, for money or money'a worth, the information, however, being dismissed. He was the principal witness for the prosecution, but in consequence of the condition he was in on stepping into the witness-box, hia evidence had to be dispensed with. He was removed to the lack-up, where he remained until brought up this morning. During his address to the South Wellington electors last night, Mr. W. B. Edwards made reference to the ill-treatment of one of hia supporters by 6ome of the supporters of an opposition candidate. Several voices here exclaimed "Hutchison!" but Mr. Edwards replied that ho did not believe Mr. Hutchison would be guilty of instigating his supporters to do such a thing. Tho sufferer is still in a bad condition, and it is stated that he waa knocked down and aeverely kicked because he was advocating Mr. Edwards' cauße in the presence of the supporters of another candidate. Mr. Edwards further publicly stated that Mr. O. Johnston was supportisg Mr. Coffey's candidature. Colonel Pearce convened a meeting of officers on Monday evening last, at the Empire Hotel, to fix the district prize shooting for 1881. There were present, ropresenting companies — Caotain Crowe, Captain Simpson, Captain Monaghan, Lieutenant M'Credie, Lioutenant Bennett, Lieutenant Davy, and Lieutenant Camaron. The rifle prizes amount to £io, the highest being £b; tho carbine .£lB, the highest prize being .£5 ; cadets, J216. The ordnance prize-money this year is more than usual, amounting to £16 16s, the increase being in consequence of the strength of the Naval Brigade. It is divided 'into two sets, the Artillery competing for £6 Gi, and the Naval Brigade for ,£lO 10s. At a general meeting of tho shareholders ig£ the Try Again Goldmining Company, T'erawhiti, held at Mr. Elliott's office, Willis-street, last evening, Mr. H. H. <Travera presided, and the proposed articles of association were unanimously adopted. Mr. H. Elliott was appointed legal manager, and Mr. C. P. Powles auditor, while the Colonial Bank was appointed the Company's bankers, and Messrs. Travers, Cave and Travers were appointed the Company's solicitors. It was decided to communicate with the Golden Crown Company, whose "operations were beinjr carried on adjacent to the Try Again ground, with a view to a joint survey of the companies' leases. Messrs. Elliott and H. H. Travers wer* authorised to sign the rules on behalf af the Company for •the purposes of registration. A somewhat amusing soene was witnessed at the E. M. Court yesterday during the hearing of the charge of roll-stuffing prefeired against Cornelius Eyan. At one stage of the proceedings a certain member of the detective force was in the witness-box, in the act of being cross-examined by the counsel for the defence. It so happens that the detective in question is slightly defective in his hearing, while the learned counsel is ,also afflicted to some extent with deafness. During the cross-examination botk witness and counsel held their hand to their ears, and strained every nerve so as to catch what each Ssaid to the other ; and to make matters Worse, it chanced that one of the gentlemen on tho Bench engaged in " hearing" the case experienced considerable difficulty in hearing what was going on, and be, too, had his hand to his ear and his head bent 'forward. To add still more to the difficulty of the parties hearing one another it may ba mentioned that the acoustic properties of the Court itself aro of a very defective character. The soeno raised a smile on the countenances of many spectators. Presents of various kinds, for the use of the Hospital patients, have been thankfully received from Mesdames Kitchen and Morehead and the authorities of the Baptist Church. ' The following are the scores made in the second competition for Mr. R. S. Ledger's Cup: — Bandsman Plimmer, 51; Gunner M'Kenzie, 51 ; Gunner Shaw, 50 ; Corporal Kuchin, 47; Gunner Williams, 46: total, 245. The ranges were 200 yards, 400 yards, ! and 500 yards. Gunner Shaw made six bullseyes consecutively, making the possible at 400 yards. The three highpst scorers in the two competitions are -McKenzie, 100 ; Plimmer, 96 ; and Williams, 92. The third and last competition takes place in January. ¦ The meeting of the Wellington Bine Association, which was to have been held last evening, did not take place, owing to the Bmallness of attendance. This is rather to be regretted, as an institution of the kind should not be allowed to die out for want of D little interest. The next meeting ia fixed for Monday, when it is to be hoped shooting men will tnrn up in force. [ A meeting of St John's Literary Association was held last evening, Mr. Baker in the chair. A discussion as to whether " Chinese immigjation should be prohibited" formed the business of the evening. Most of the speakers favonred the negative view, but on the question being put to the vote at the close of the debate the majority was found to affirmative.

The Premier and the Colonial Treasurer are expected to return to Wellington on Sunday next. We understand that Mr. E. Baker lias been appointed Deputy .Returning and Registration Officer for the Maori Eeleotoral District. The polling place appointed Jor Wellington is the Native Hostelry, Moles-worth-street. The election will be he>d tomorrow. A meeting of the creditors of James O'Flaherty, tramcar driver, was convened for noon to-day. The liabilities are £&l, small tirade debt 3, and the assets .£49 9s, in the shape of debts. The meeting lapsed, Mepsra. O'Malley and Easted are ille successf nl tenderers for the Vernon contract, Picton-iiurunni railway. The amount is £42,10. We ara requested toetaie tlixt IT>'. Parkes, owner of the freehold of the Molbonrnfi Hotfelj is oce of the plaintiffs in the case Miller and another" v. Youog and others, heard in the Appeal Court on Monuiy. Iho anniversary services in conrection with the Primitive Methodist Church, Syd-ney-street were held on SnnSay last, when two B9rmons were preached — in the nlorrnng by the Rev. D. Dutton, F.K.A.S., and in the evening by the Rev. J. Paterson— to good congregations.. Last evening the usual tea took place in the dehoolroom adjoining the chnrch, and was well attendee. After the tpa, a public meeting was held in the ohuroh. where a large congregation had gathered. Mr. J. Kitchen was to have taken the chair, but, owing to some unavoidable occurrence; he was unable to be present A lengthy report was given by the .Key. Mr. Dutton, treating btfth tri(h the financial and spiritual affairs of the church 1 . He stated that a good deal of work h*d been done during the paßt year by the ladies belonging 'o the church. The meeting w-is afterwards e-Mressed by the Revs. J. Patcraon, W. H. West, and J. T, Hinton, and Mt. Coatiill, eSoh speaker" exhorting the members of the charcK to f Work harder during the coming year. At intervals, the choir, under the management of Mr. J H. Dean, sang some choice anthema. After the Rev. A. J. Smith had propo ed a vote of thanks to ihe several ladies who had presided at the tables, to the varioru speakers, and to the members of the choir, the meeting was brought to a close by the Rev. Mr. Dutton pronouncing the benediction. Mr. T. W. Kirk delivered a very interesting lecture in the 1 Baptist Church, Vmanstreat, last night. Mr. John Enowles oocupied the chair, and in introducing the lecturer said that he had the pleasure of listening to a very able lecture on Birds and Bird Life," delivered in that place s me months ago by the same gsnt'eman. Mr. Kirk was wel known to most of the audience, and an old friend of his own, he need thereiforo only introduce him formally to the audience. Mr. Kirk then commenced hi* lecture by urging upon the aud'ence the desirability of studying nitural history, pointing out thn great interest it possessed and the advantages accruing therefrom. He then proceeded to treat of the different classes of mollusca, from the giant cuttlefishes down to the lamp shells, winding up with some very able remarks on the more useful species, especially the oyster, mussel, y earl shells, and shells useful for cameo cutting. The lecture was a very enjoyable and instrootive one, and was handled in a manner which snowed that the leoturer possessed an intimate knowledge of his subject. The lecture was profusely illustrated by diagrams and specimens of shells of various kinds. Mr. Kirk's stylo as a lecturer is very pleasing. We understand that the proceeds amount to JcQ. Herr Wilhelmj, the eminent violinist, will make hh first appearance in Wellington, at the Athenaeum Hall, on Friday, the 23rd instant, commencing a limited number cf performances in this city. The Montague-Turner Opera Company, we understand, will proceed straight to Auckland from Chribtchurcb, where thoy are now playing, but will return to Wellington in January next and play for a shorb season. Mr. D. H. Harkins, a tragedian of considerable reputation, will join the company at present playing a!; the Thaatro Royal in about three weeks' time. Mr? George Beetham has written to the Wairarapa Star, explaining that his presence at the Koman Catholic Church on Sunday last was purely accidental. Had he known, he says, that his name or candidature would have been mentioned, he certainly should not have been present. The Wairarapa Star remarks that Mr. Beathain'a disclaimer would have been more satisfactory had he added that ho had no sympathy with Father Halbwach's exhortation. The Naval Brigade mu3ter this evening for captain's parade. The inaugural ceremony in connection with the Wellington Royal Arch Chapter, U.A.0.D., takes place at the Fire Brigade Hall, Manners-street, at 9 o'clock to-night. The usnal service will not bo held at St Paul's Church this evening, owing to the unavoidable absence of the Rev. B. W. Harvey. A very attractive programme for tho Foresters' Feto, Nevvtown Park, on Boxing Day, appears in our advertising columns. '1 he committee last night decided to engage the band of the Naval Brigade for the gat ho- - ing, and thero is every prospect of its being a great success. Tenders are invited by the committee tor the privilege of erecting publicans' booths, Ac. The Inangahua Herald says that good news is to ;hand for shareholders in the Golden Fleeco Gold Mining Company. It is to the effect that stono was obtained on the low level going north a fow days since. Those who have seen the workings consider that this find is a continuation of the Golden Fleece block. At a meeting at Masterton on Saturday, Mr. Georgo Beetham was asked if he believed in protection as carried out in Victoria. In reply, he said :—": — " No ; I have recently been over Victoria and New South Wales. 'Ihe latter has free trade, and will prosper more in four years than the former with its protection in all its existenoe. I believe in the bonus system to foster local industries. If you once establish protection, vested interests grow ap which would be very difficult to tear down when the time came for abolishing the system, but, if bonuses were given, the industry which could claim tham would bo able to exist on its own foundation with the assistance thus given." Messrs. Whittaker Brothers, stationers, booksellers, fancy goods dealere, &c, announce their removal into new premises on Lambton Quay. These premises are situated almost opposite Government Buildings, and consist of a very substantial-looking twostory brick shop and dwelling-house erected by De. Grace, and leased for an extended term by the present tenants. The building certainly reflects very great credit on the architect and builder, Mr. W. Corbett, who lias succeeded in rendering the structure eminently adapted for business requirements, and at the same time securing the maximum of comfort for the tenants. The establishment is well stocked with a great variety ef of goods which are well worth inspection. Quite a large crowd collected opposite the Bank of New Zealand last night, attracted by the American Indian corn doctor, who gave a " free lecture," illustrated by numerous practical experiments. The doctor will repeat his lecture every evening until Saturday night. Mr. Munro's great sale of drapery is now going on, and the goods are advertised as being offered to the public at unprecedontedly I low prices. Mr. J. J. M. Hamilton and Mr. W. J. Ash ton have entered into partnership as boot manufacturers, importers, &c , in Man-ners-street. The fi>m will in future be carried on under the style of Ashton and Jacobs. One of the largest sales of station properties held in Wellington for some years will take place to-morrow at Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co.'s auction rooms, Panamaatreet, at 2.30 o'clock p.m.. when the wellknown estate of the late Mr. James Armstrong, comprising the Akite"), Glencoe, and Aohunga stations, containing in all upwards of 82,400 acre 3of pastoral land on the East Coast of the North Island, a short distance north of Castlopoint, with tbe stock and station requisites, will be offered to auction. 1 he sale it is stated is unreserved, as the accounts of the estate are being olosoi. The fact of such a lnrge property being sold without reserve is one which rarely occurs, and offers an opportunity for investment tj capitalists and runholdera such as are seldom presented. Lithagraphic plans may be had on application at the offices of the auctioneers. Mr. George Thoma3 will sell to-morrow, fruit, poultry, &c." Messrs. Francis Sidey & Co. will sell tomorrow, drapery, clothing, glasaware, Ac.