CHURCH PROPERTY TRUSTEES.

Lyttelton Times, Issue 1510, 14 October 1865, Page 5

CHURCH PROPERTY TRUSTEES.

A special meeting of the Church Property Trustees was held on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the College Library, at noon. The following were present The Lord Bishop of the diocese in the chair; the Ven. the Archdeacon of Christchurch, Revs. B. W. Dudley, E. A. Lingard, F. Knowles, W. W. Willock,G. Cotterell, J. C. Bagshaw, J. Wilson, and C. Bo wen; Messrs. Coster, Gordon, and Graham. Prayers having been offered by the Bishop,

His Lordship read the advertisement, and explained the objects for which the meeting was convened, lie remarked that it was open for the trustees to appropriate certain portions of the property in their bauds, so as to extend the benefits of such funds to districts beyond the Canterbury block, provided that these conditions be observed:—l. That notice of such intention be advertised for four weeks in the local journals; 2, that twelve trustees should be present at the meeting ; and, 3, that the proposition of so diverting the funds should be sanctioned by two-thirds of the trustees. There was no great difficulty in so disposing of the funds as to benefit the large population now thrust upon the inhabitants of Canterbury. He thought it impossible that the spiritual wants of the population of the goldfields could be supplied without extraneous help.

The Rev. J. Wilson remarked that it was a great fact that a large population had sprung up in our midst. There were several reasons why provision should be made for their spiritual requirements. The pursuit of gold-finding was so engrossing, that it was not likely that the miners would, of their own accord, organise a Church movement; and it was the duty of all Churchmen to aid those who were either unable or unwilling to aid themselves. Another reason for this course of action was the fluctuating nature of the population on a goldfield. Although averse to a permanent alienation of Church property, he thought that the new population should be assisted ; it was a great missionary work. An impetus ought to be given to a movement which would redound not to our credit but to our blessing. The time for assisting them ought to be limited ; for, doubtless, in a few years, a population would spring up at the West Coast far surpassing us in wealth, and then it would not be just that they should benefit from the Canterbury endowments. He desired to see a temporary subsidy, but not a permanent one. Before permanently extending the benefits of the Church funds, he thought that Canterbury proper (if the expression might be allowed) ought to reap the full benefit of such funds, because they had first been orga 7 nized there. A temporary measure of assistance would be all that was required ; and the mining population, once furnished with the means and appliances of religious teaching, would soon complete the work. He should move the following resolutions 1. That an emergency having arisen which calls for a vigorous effort to promote Church organisation on the West Coast of this prothat as experience shows that a work of this kind is not .likely to be undertaken the newly-collected population of a goldfield, it is incumbent on Churchmen in the long-settled parts of the province of Canterbury to endeavour to give the first impetus to it by such a missionary effort as may be expected to call forth the active co-operation of those most directly interested. 3. Resolved that the following by - law be ordained—That, in conformity with the provisions of clause 12, of the Church Property Trustees Ordinance, it shall be lawful for the trustees to take from the Bishopric Fund, the D C£ m and Chanter Fund, or both, a sum not exceeding £200 pir to apply the same for a period Sot exceeding three years, toW "^ a XbuS tion of the Church in the province of Canterbury lying on the West Coast. The Rev. C. Bowen had great pleasure in seconding the resolutions on their own merits; i? win "e '" ? ked t| U P on ro m E°ght n of r agre .S* p-j-Wj » » Btr istinc g the great mass of our fellow-colo-Sfa thegr g eat work of Church organ™-

U °The Rev J. C. Bagbhaw proposed that the resolutions should be read seriatim. This was done" and the first two were carried. On the third resolution being Mr Coster said that he must object to .««!. tied up, hurrow £2000. Assistance to uil » ~ , t tn be a private movement. Had ought to oe . *v , j ie would the fu" d » , fo p \h e resolution, gladly have voted for If the churchmen of e, P | t wou id he «mre * u „ t , c be carried out. I J thftfc t , gtate movement, ana «»«> t» .. t duc i! o£ the fundsdid the as would warrant the lncrettß ed i» proposed outlay. h&d beeil iUlticinunibew and in wtam>. in a position to pated, they would fl """ izat i o n, although found their own clm c -orgamzat i,„ Wttß fully convinced that im,y do;" * first, of B^ught that a portion <)nhe BiHhop^fun^ '""n ifw W.W.LUK® »a«de»iro»."f no means limited to that sum. b<j was not an Hdeqiiafe on , be dc . sorry to «ee the finds irtiWioug^ voted to the . t0 ftn « other object. He revenue a PP r °P" at reßo i u tion, as a greater porshould oppose the reeo f Nd A ; (ion belonged to the d t0 tl)ttt see, new Bishop l>ad en .P p ht thfl t if he was ; a nd he (the speaker) tlw g doubtlegß( deV ote , an active prelate,' lie ortan t portion of I ftver-e to voting t h e Weßt Coftet. He church M -V™* - could not •»<J^ |l ™ c h endowments of Can ' tggSti been put for^-

The Ven. the Archdeacon of Christchurch was averse to the alienation of any portion of the Church property. The new goldflelds were, for tho most part, In the diocese of Nelson. The new Bishop of that see would probably arrive at the West Coast simultaneously with Mr. Harper, to whom it was understood that tho appointment of the Archdeaconate had been offered, and would probably come out furnished with his own scheme of Church organization with him. For his own part, he should prefer to see a large and general Church movement made to aid the West Coast emergency, rather than that any of the Church endowments should be diverted.

The Rev. B. W. Dudley should most decidedly oppose any reduction in the Bishopric Fund, whatever might be done with the Dean and Chapter Fund. But he thought that the best way of remedying the spiritual destitution at the West Coast would be by a public subscription. He was sure that the general body of Churchmen would gladly respond to the call so made upon them. Mr. Gordon took the same view of the Bubject. Mr. Costek, with a view of testing the feeling of the meeting, would propose the annexed amendment Tho trustoos regret that the present state of the funds at thoir disposal will not admit of their voting any revenue from tho Church Trusts in furtherance of the foregoing object, but pledge themselves, as individuals, to uso every exertion to provide funds to aid in so dosirable a work. He thought that the real state of the Church property ought to be looked at, and not any imaginary surplus. The Rev. W. W. Willock seconded the amendment. The Rev. J. Wilson replied to the objections which had been made to his resolution. In common with other Churchmen who were attached to the Church, he looked forward to the time when a separate bishopric would be erected at the West Coast. One plan for increasing the Church Property Funds would be by diminishing the expenses of management. He hoped to see those expenses cut down to at least one-halt. He trusted that the meeting would not altogether reject the proposal of aiding the West Coast Churchmen altogether. The Rev. E. A. Lingard gave some details with reference to the income of the diocese of Nelson; this income was so limited, that unless the diocese of Canterbury made some exertion to aid the West Coast, the whole district would be lost to the Church of England, as it was impossible to expect that the diocese of Nelson could undertake the work. The Right Reverend the Chairman expressed his conviction that the employment of a portion of the Bishopric Endowment Fund towards the maintenance of an organising officer at the West Coast was a perfectly legitimate one. Such an organising officer was absolutely necessary on a goldfleld, and he must be supported by contributions from other places than the one at which he was stationed.

The amendment was put and lost—Ayes : Revs. W. W. Willoek, E. Knowles, Messrs. Coster and Graham. Noes : Yen. the Archdeacon of Christchurch, Revs. B. W. Dudley, J. Wilson, G. Cotterell, J. C. Bagshaw, E. A. Lingard, C. Bowen, and Mr. Gordon.

The resolutions were put and carried— Ayes, 9 ; Noes, 4.

There being no further business before the meeting, the members separated.