COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9123, 3 August 1888, Page 3

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our own correspondents.]

Hamilton, Thursday. The Public Hall was half filled last night with the large and representative meeting of parishioners, the outcome of the late resolution carried at an informal meeting to dispense with the services of the present incumbent. As on the previous occasion, the meeting was called to consider the financial position of the church, but was on this occasion confined to its legitimate object. Archdeacon Dudley, as the Bishop's commissary, presided, and was very successful in throwing oil upon the troubled waters. A letter was read from one of the prime movers of the last meeting's hostility to the incumbent, expressing regret that he had acted too hastily on that occasion, and enclosing a series of resolutions, two of which, with slight alterations, were ultimately adopted. The one to urge upon the vestry the desirability of keeping the church's expenditure, if possible, below *."250 per annum. The other that a subscription be raised in the room towards the liquidation of the overdraft at the bank, some £78, exclusive of the purchase of the land for a Sunday-school site. A sum of £2S was subscribed. Archdeacon Dudley pointed out that the expenditure might be reduced by allowing the incumbent toofficiate at Taupiri or at Lichfield monthly, the services at Hamilton, in his absence, being undertaken by the lay readers. The question of ritual was then raised, and it was pointed out that the present financial difficulties of the Church arose from a large section of the parishioners being driven away by objectionable forms and ceremonies introduced since the visit of the Missioners. One gentleman said if the brass candlesticks and cross were removed from the altar, he would there and then give a cheque for £20 towards the liquidation of the bank overdraft, and attend the service and liberally assist in meeting the expenditure. Mr. Edwards then proposed and Mr. Stevens seconded, that a committee of six, three to be selected at the meeting, and three by the clergyman, to confer with that gentlemari as to a style of service that will fall in with the views of the parish. This was carried, and Messrs. Jas. Hume, Isaac Coates, and Von Sturmer were appointed. Cambridge, Thursday. The first lecture of the second series of evening entertainments in connection with St. Andrew's Church, was given in the schoolroom on Tuesday bv Major Wilson, the subject being "The Lost Atlantis of Plato." The' lecturer gave an interesting address, which displayed' much research. He held that the lost Atlantis was a continent between the new and old worlds, which was submerged, and gave rise to the tradition of the deluge. Discoveries made by the Challenger expedition supported this view. There was a good attendance, all the seats being filled. The Pakuranga hounds ran a drag yesterday, the last of the season. The drag was laid by A. Storey, from Racecourse, over Forrest's farm to Hautapu School, and back again. Fifty horsemen took part, and as many spectators in buggies, etc., viewed th< snort. The hounds returned to Otahuhu to day. Ngaruawahia, Thursday. A block of 15,000 acres of very superior land, belonging to the Government, and lying adjacent to the Akatea special settlement, will, it is expected, be gazetted as open for selection under various systems of land settlement in a few days. It is earnestly to be hoped that it will be taken up by bona fide settlers. Whatawhata, Thursday. The Waipa County Council meets on the 14th, and it is earnestly to be hoped that the state of our main road, the swamp portion of the pa-Raglan Road, between nere and Hamilton, will be duly considered. For want of repairs on the ten-chain swamp between Watchorn's and McCutcheon's, there is danger that the rest of the road will be rendered useless for through traffic. Ohaupo, Thursday. At a meeting of the members of the Presbyterian congregation, it was resolved to ask the Presbytery to continue the services of the Rev. Mr. Roberts, of the North Shore, as heretofore. It is hoped that the congregations of this and neighbouring districts will enable a call to be made to that gentleman, whose ministrations have been eminently successful and much appreciated. During the period of the next full moon, Mr. Roberts has promised to deliver a lecture on astronomy at the Paterangi School house. Mr. W. Buttle has just negotiated the purchase of the. Innisfallen estate, some 800 acres, the property of the late Mr. Gubbins. | Alexandra, Thursday. The natives remaining in this neighbourhood are going' in heavily for wheat planting this season, having seen the advantage to the settlers the sowing of a large breadth of wheat was last year, even at present prices One paddock of 100 acres is being sown,