"THE RULING ELDER."

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 114, 10 November 1910, Page 3

"THE RULING ELDER."

ADDRESS TO PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY. AUCKLAND, 9th November. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was open ed to-night 'n St. Andrew"s Hall. The retiring moderator, the Rev. I. Jolly, M.A.. pastor of St. Stephen's Church. Auckland, oenducted the service. After the service the assembly was constituted and moderator-elect, the Rev. J. H. Mackenzie, of Nelson, installed in office. The new moderator, in his inaugural address, dealt at length wiih the subject of "The Ruling Elder," being a plea for the better recognition of the position and functions of the ruling elder. The speaker's treatment of his subject consisted in a historical study of the evolution of Presbyterian government by elders, and a dissertation upon the qualifications for, and duties of eldership. The subject, he said, merited attention from the fact that last year it had been reported to the assembly that the numbers of the ruling elders in the Church had decreased by 68, the principal fall-ing-off being in the south. Not a decrease, but an increase .vas much to be desired in the present age. In conclusion the moderator said the Church had nothing either to learn or to fear from the modern spirit of democracy. In its representative government it already had >.'hat every nation, aspiring to be free, demanded. Progress and change of f orm wero necessary in many directions outside the Church. While it might be expedient, it would never be necessary to change a ;imple form of worship for one more ornate, but it was neither necessary nor expedient to depart from the ctiii'stitution oi the Presbyterian Church > built upon the representative principle as embodied in the ruling elder, and buttressed by tho example of the apostles. SHEARERS' TROUBLES. AN OTAGO DIFFICULTY. CHRISTCHURCH, 9th Nov. According to statements made by Mr. Laracy, general secretary of the New Zealand Shearers' Union, trouble is brewing -in Otago between the sheepowners and the shearers consequent upon ' the sheepowners declining to pay tha rates set forth in the award made in the Canteibury ( and Wellington disputes. When that award was made, Mr. Laracy pointed out, Mr. Justice Sim. stated in the Arbitration Court at Wpllington on 24th September that ihe court had made an award fixing therates of pay and embodying the general conditions oi the last Canterbury a*ard, which would be the genera) conditions of the Wellington award and al) other awards, that the court might be asked to make. The Otago Shearers' .Union had filed a dispute prior to the award ip the Canterbury and Wellington cases being made, and the Otago diaputß was dealt with by the Conciliation Court. In view of his Honour's statement above quoted the union did not take further steps. Now, the shearers who have applied for stands in Otago sheds have been informed by the employers that conditions and rates are to b<i as under the old award. Consequently, Mr. Laracy proceeded, as far as Otago was concerned, they were no further ahead than prior to the award, and as there was not now time for the matter -to be dealt with by the court the union was placed in a critical position. In view of the present state of affairs he had telegraphed as follows to Mr. Justice Sim's associate : "When will shearers' case be heard in Dunedin?" lie received the following reply from Mr. Roberts, Clerk of Awards, Duu-. edin : "Arbitration Court will sit at. Dunedin probably on 13th December, when the business will include shearers' disputes." On receipt of this and knowing that they had to take some stens to protect themselves, Mr. Laracy sert tho following cable to Mr. D. Mac Donald, secretary of the A.W.U., Worker Office, Sydney : "Block Australian shearers at all cc-bts; a battle going to be fought in Otago." He also telegraphed as follows to Air. M'Manub, of the Otago Shearers' Union : "Advertise meeting ior Wednesday night. We must fight m Otago as uourt forcing us." On Tuesday night ~\lr. Laracy intends addressing a meeting afc Oamaru, on Wednesday night one at, Dunedin, and others at diifeient places in Ota^o and Southland. ' He added that no difficulty had been experienced in connection with th» award in Canterbury. The majority of the sheds were giving £1 for both machine and blade shearing, and he only knew of two sheds, where shearing was being done for i9s 6d. In tne Wellington district there was, .he felt pretfy sure, only one shed where the minimum rate >vas being ->aid. SALE OF JERSEY STOCK. NEW PLYMOUTH, 9th Nov. A dispersal sale of Jersey stock by Mr. Newton King is said to be a. record for the Dominion. The only animal catalogued that did not reach 'the owner s reserve was the champion imnorted bull Campaniles Sultan, passed in at 350 guineas, Mr. Clarke askino- 600 guineas. Lady Disdain, a famous°pri"ewinning cow, realised the fine price of 107 guineas, and was secured by Mr A. A. Ward, of Tariki. who was heartily congratulated on the purchase The other cows brought as high as 113. 9G and 87 guineas. Altogether, forty- two' animals from the famous herd -ali^d in the aggregate £2125 4b. REPAIRING THE TERRA NOVA. CHRISTCHURCH, 9th Nov. Mr. M. J. Miller, who is overhauling the Terra Nova, has made good head° way with the work. The starf of workers was busy this morning with the

leaks, which have been located in the bow. It appears that the trouble was the outcome of some faulty workmanship when the vessel was being repaired some considerable time ago. Three large bolts in the main stem of the bow were found to have rusted away, and this made an inlet for water. About half-a-dozen of the sheaths on the starboard side have been stripped off. Tho Terra Nova should be ready to come out of dock on Monday morning. METHODIST SYNOD. DUNEDIN, 9th November. At a meeting of the Primitive Methodist Synod of Otago and Southland to-day reports presented showed a slight increase in the membership of churches and Sui'day schools. Motions were pawed we'eoming the Licensing Bill, though delegates affirmed adherence to tlie bnre majority : also wskoming the tia-niiny Bill, but urging the abolition of tbe book- j maker and the tctalhator : appealing to the British Government to put an "end j to the opium tiafiic with China; urging j ministers and Sunday school superintend- j ents to arrange special sermons and addresses on the subject of disregard to Sabbath sanctity; and asking the Government to legislate in the direction of giving legal status to tli2 present visitation of ministers to State schools under ! tho Nelson system for purely Scriptural teaching.