MEETING OF JUSTICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1841, 8 December 1869, Page 4

MEETING OF JUSTICES.

TBANSFER OP PUBLICANS' LICENSES. (Before T. Beckham, Esq., J. O'NeiJl, Esq., J.P., ana A. W. East, Esq., J.P.) Market Hotel: from Cliavles Carter to Phillip Ilackett; Tattersall's: from James Benateadto John Hanson; Cottage of Content: from Robert McDonald to William Jeffery. adjourned fob a fortnight. City Club: from John Menzies to Kowland Campion • Victoria Hotel: from Antonio Martin to John Menzies. BUSH TIIAXSMH. Wai&oumiti Hotel: from J. A. Calvert to Duncan McLaren. new isusn r.ierasK. Otamatea Hotel: a license had been granted by bis Honor the Superintendent. Tl'<syss confirmed by the Bench.

i; WESLKYAN HOME MISSION. * The following is the Report and Fin an" eial Statement submitted to the Wesleypn Home Mission meeting, on Monday even- „ ing Inst :— e Report. t Helorc this country was eolonized, it had s been for many years a port ion of the licld in which AY esleyan Missionaries were spreading 1 " the glorious Gospel of the blessed God." When in ISIO, the lirst settlement (Auckland) s was formed, the -Ministers of the Wcsleyan s Church wevo ready to minister, not. only to l the members of their own communion, but to any that were willing to receive them. Some s of the older residents can remember the preach - e ing within a saw-pit, in Mechanics' Bay ; then > in tlie raupo whare in Princes street, which, u for sonic tune, served the manifold purposes ti of church, court-house, &c., tfce. Soon after s this, a class was formed ; a church organised ; an eligible site obtained from Governor Ilobt son ; and what, nt. that time, was a neat and 1 ornamental structure, as tho.//V.s7 church builde ing in Auckland, occupied a commanding t position in High-street. That was " the day L of small things." but there are not a few, now. enjoying the rich blessings of a bountiful I Providence in the form of ample fortunes, and • what is dearer still, of large and happy fami--5 lies, who can recall those days with a feeling ( of thankfulness to the Giver of all good. May ; not some truce up their present worldly ami domestic prosperity, under God, to the reli- ' gions good which they then enjoyed in a ■ strange and desert land ? And if (heir hearts be now right with God, can we appeal to them iu vain when the time has come to throw the 1 support of this work upon their own hands ? To them the Gospel eamo without charge, and it may be said "Freely ye have received ; freely give." Not only to those who claim a place in the Wcsleyan fold, but for many beyond its pale, did the Wcsleyan Ministers gladly take t he pastorate—Christians of every name, who. for the time being were unable to obtain their own pastors. We speak "of whom the greater part remain unto this day, but. some are fallen asleep." Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, and others, found a spiritual home among the Wcsleyan Methodists, until, in the order of God's gooil Providence, they were themselves able to send for, and to maintain, ministers of their respective churches. That all of them havo not forgotten those days is proved by the amount appended to their names in the following subscription lists, as well as in our own Annual Report of the Foreign Missions. That which took place in Auckland was also tlio ease in other places, as for instance, in Wellington, Kelson, New Plymouth, &c., &c. In all these places the Wcsleyan Ministry was sustained for many years, mainly at the expense of the Missionary

■ Society, which willingly contributed from its funds for the benefit of the settlers, as well us Tor (lie .Maoris. It would be easy to show how large a sum of money was thus expended when it was not possible for our people, without such aid, to have had those means to which they owe so inueli. On belmlf, then, of the Commit tee of the WesleyanMissionary Society, we claim the thanks, not only of the Methodists, but of many other Christian fainilies in ew Zealand. It- was only just to the'ea-se of the heathen in "the dark places of the earth, lull of t-lie habitations of cruelty," that when the steady growth of wealth in this country had placed in the power of those, who had been so far cared for, not only to provide for their o.vn ministers, in the larger towns, without further help; but also to do mncli more than this—the Committee should desire to be released from the heavy cost oi the New Zealand Mission. Accordingly five years ago a stipulation was made that, an annual sliding grant should be voted to New Zealand, subject to the distribution of the Financial District Meetings, which should cease altogether at the end of 1569, excepting for such claims as might exist on account oi' the children of Missionaries who had been, born before that date. By the terms of this contract the Middle and Southern Districts now receive nothing from the Mission Fund, beyond such claims as above named ; and the grant of four hundred pounds (£-100) for the year ISG9 is the last to which the Northern District (including the Provinces of Auckland and New Plymouth) will be entitled. After that, the entire sustenance of the Methodist Church in New Zealand, embracing Maori stations, as well as English circuits, urban and rural, will depend upon the free will offerings of our own people in the land. At present wo have in this district three self-supporting circuits, viz. : — AucL'and, Otahuhu, and New Plymouth ; ana three dependant circuits, which are Waikato. Waiuku, and W hangarei. By dependant n'e mean such as require assistance from the Home Mission Fund. These three circuits will receive from tltis fund for the year 1869, as follows :— Wnikato ... ... £60 Waiuku 60 "YVhangarei ... ... 40 Also f Kaukupakapa 20 ~) Cub (. Mahurangi 20 j stations. And we have three -Maori stations, viz.:—Kaglau, Kaipara, and Hokianga, on which are employed three devoted Missionaries, who labour hard—as well among the scattered settlers, a.s for the Maori people. They have three Native Missionaries to help thorn. It will be enough to shew the difiiculty of their position, that all can be allotted to those excellent men for the next year (1869) is £100 to each, besides what they may receive from the few settlers near them, and from the Maoris, the whole amounting to very little; and this to meet not only stipend, but expenses of travelling, which are now much heavier Ulan in former times; the repairs of houses, fences, boats, &e., and to exercise hospitality to strangers. If, with the grant of £400 from the Missionary Committee, these good men cannot possibly be allowed more than £100 each, after various incidental charges are provided tor, tile question arises what can be done for them next year, 1870, when that grant will be discontinued ? It is deemed neccssary thus to lay bare the state of things that our friends may see clearly what is required of them. The time has come when those to whom God has given wealth must " devise liberal things," and all the rest must be willing to bear their share of the burden. The Missionary Committee have had the question before them. The Chairman of the Dis- | ti-ict brought up the whole case at the last Conference. They are all of one mind that ! they have fully done their duty to New Zealand, and henceforward, as far as they are concerned, New Zealand Methodism must; help ltsell. And New Zealand Methodism can do do so. Ifill it ? It is certain that God has given to our own people the power to sustain every branch of our work, and to extend its borders. There is nothing wanting but the " willing mind." It would be an easy thing for only a few, to make up the whole £400, which will be withdrawn after 1869. To those, I hen, who can do so, the appeal is made. Is our Maori Mission to be abandoned y Can Methodist gentlemen, for whom God's bounty hath done so much in New Zealand, permit this ? If so, " the glory is departed." And, even if the Maori Mission were given up, the financial obligation would remain; for the men who have given their lives to that Mission must still be provided for somewhere. Wo liave no choice hut thus pluinly to cast the whole responsibility upon those who are able to bear it. We are free to say, that while, perhaps, we come behind no other church in liberality, the scale of contribution has not yet, by any means, come up to the standard which the spirit of the G-ospcl requires. Brethren, this is your cause as much as ours. We disclaim all "begging." To that lve cannot condescend; for " God loveth a cheerful giver." Wlule the rich give of their abundance, let the poorer brethren be also " willing of themselves. With Paul, wo say, »If we have sown unfo you spiritual things, is it a great thing if wc shall reap your carnal things ?" Under a lower dispensation, when the spirit of religious zeal moved the people, David said, "But who am I, and what is my people, that <vfi ehcilld be able lo offer so willingly after

this sort; for all things come of thee, and of thine own have wo given thee." Consecrated wealth thus becomes " true riches." If wo east our eye backward to those examples wherein even " their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality or forward (o (hatgreat day when thou shalt " give an account of thy stewardship," the question should come home with forro and with practical elleet to every Christian heart, " How much owest thou unto thy Lord ?" FJ.VANTIAL STATRAIENT. it S. (I.

We havo no financial returns that, can be given for the current year, but as our collectors are all bus}-, we hope to receive a much larger sum. We believe that, the collections of yesterday were liberal, but all of these have not been reported. The sum of ,L J tss Gel was handed to-day to the Treasurer, by Miss Movie and a friend, who desires not. his name to be known, makes the liberal oiler of .Cut). We have received from Ilowick, 7s oil ; Bemuera, lis lid ; and Miss Lawry, £10 7s Cd.

Amount, collected in the congregation to April lust. ... 37 14 1 Collected by Miss llenrv" ... 17 0 0 „ „ Miss Ashton ... 15 'J (> „ „ Miss Phillips ... 4 >S 0 „ „ Miss Kuggins ... 4 0 0 „ „ Miss J funler ... 0 7 0 „ „ Mrs. Brown ... 2 4 (J „ „ Mrs. AVullis ... 0 15 0 Donation ... fi 0 0 XS7 IS 1 Less expenses ... 1 l(i 0 ,1'SG -1 1