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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 79, 3 April 1868, Page 2

The West Coast Times of the 28th ult. says that by the Omeo, wbich reached Hokitika on the previous day, the Rev. Father M'Taggart had arrived there, charged by the Right Rev. Bishop Viard i with the duty of superseding Father Larkin in his clerical functions. The Times adds that the latter gentleman sets at defiance the authority of the Bishop of Wellington, on the plea that he came to j New Zealand as a missionary priesfc, and i owes his allegiance to the Bishop of another see. When it was known that a warrant had been issued against him, the Key. Mr M'Donough made an appeal to the Government on behalf of the reverend Father, but was informed by an official letter from the County Secretary's office, that Father Larkin had stated to Mr Bonar that 'he acknowledged no authority of any Bishop over him.' Mr Sale's letter continues : — 'The only course therefore remaining to the Government, is to proceed against Father Larkiu according to law, for any offences of which he may be found guilty.' Father Larkin has thus been handed from the ecclesiastical to the civil power, and we trust the civil power will give him an ample meed of justice. It is stated in a letter from the Rev. Father M'Donough, which appears in the Times of the Ist inst. that Father Larkin complains that his words to Mr Bouar had been misinterpreted, and that his meaning was that, should he be deprived of his faculties here, he had letters for other dioceses ; adding, that it would be absurd to suppose that he could exercise the functions of a priest and not acknowledge the authority of the Bishop. The following is given as the approximate population of the town of Hokitika: —Males, 3035; females, 1831; total, 4866. Greymouth, males, 1113 ; females, 494; total, 1607- Total in Westland Boroughs 8745.