EARLIER AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21224, 2 July 1932, Page 1 (Supplement)

EARLIER AUCKLAND.

SEEN AFTER SIXTY YEARS.

BY THE TIEV. W. J. WILLIAMS.

When the Southern Cross published its startling announcement of the invasion l>y the Russian warship Kaskowiski I was living at Coromandel, and the steamer that brought the news to us brought also the news that the whole thing was a newspaper hoax, due to the fertile imagination of the Southern Cross editor, Mr. D. M. Luckic. He attempted to justify his action by saying that his object was to call attention to the utter defencelessness of Auckland, and indeed the whole of New Zealand, against such an attack. Post hoc propter hoc. The defence of New Zealand became thereafter the serious concern of the Government; what share Mr. Luckie's stunt had in it we can only conjecture. He further stated that the hoax might easily have been seen through by persons of ordinary intelligence, as Kaskowiski was only a thin disguise for "cask of whisky," and whoever knew a cask of whisky to be brought to Auckland that did not bring with it an element of danger'! But there was another newspaper stunt in those days, the effect of which was extended much further and lasted much longer. Its author was Mr. G. M. Reed, one of the ablest journalists that New Zealand has ever known. His flight of fancy took the shape of describing the adventure of a party of travellers in Armenia, who found their way to the top of Mount Ararat, which has the perennial interest of being the spot on which Noah's Ark is said to have rested after the Flood. In exploring this historic spot the travellers discovered certain time-worn relics which, in their judgment, could only be accounted for as being the remains of that famous Ark. With such artistic skill and verisimilitude was this amazing story told that it deceived the very elect, and for a time it became the sensation of the religious world. The will-to-believe whatever seemed to confirm the credibility of the Bible record was so insistent in many quarters that the huge improbability of the discovery announced was lost sight of, and so in sermons, lectures, conferences and religious publications prominence was given to what was hailed as a. welcomo aid to faith. Seeing that he had gone too far m trading on the credibility of so many excellent people in relation to what to them was of vital interest, he published an apologv and a disclaimer, which, however, must have failed to reach some paits of the world in which his flight of fancy had been accepted as solid fact. It was some vcars afterwards when he told mo himself that he still received letters from people inquiring if any further light had been shed on the discovery of the remains of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat. Sir George Grey. I was one of a big crowd that swarmed to the wharf one day in the early seventies to join in a welcome to Sir George Grev. It was the occasion on which he had been induced to leave his quie' and beautiful retreat on the-island of Kawau to enter the stormv arena of local and colonial politics, the abolition of the provinces was in the air and Sir George Grey had promised, if elected, to resist such a proposal to the utmost. He was elected, first, of all as Superintendent of the Auckland Province, and then as a menibci of the House of Representatives. When the House met it was found that the antiabolitionists were in the majority and a Ministry was formed of which Sir George Grey was Premier. He had as bis colleagues in the Cabinet some of the ablest men available, but it was soon discovered that the man who shone in solitary eminence, as Governor of South Africa and New Zealand had no genius whatever for team-work. There was disruption in the Cabinet, which strengthened the cause of the abolitionists. That cause was further strengthened by the defection of four Auckland members who, it was claimed, had been elected on the anti-abolition ticket. I was living in Wellington at that time and was in the House when the decisive vote was taken which gave a majority for abolition. I was there, too, when Mr. W. L. Rees, the fiery henchman of Sir George Grey, metaphorically skinned alive the " four Auckland rat's." as they were called, who had brought Sir George Grey's political career in New Zealand to an ingloiious termination. Church Organisation. As in every other respect, church organisation has grown amazingly since. I first saw Auckland sixty years ago. My first glimpse of Auckland was through the captain's glasses on the Sunday morning w'hen we were thirty miles away. A glance at the skv line showed a windmill and near it a red brick building, which the captain told me was the Pitt Street Methodist Church. That same evening I was conducting my first service in New Zealand in that church, just two hours after landing. At. that early stage it would be cor. sidered too much of a conformity to the world to advertise religious services in a secular newspaper. Tn a Saturday s lleralp T now count one hundred and seven different places in which religious services are announced to be held, and as most of these places have two services every Sunday there arc about two hundred invitations to public worship. Ihis leaves out altogether all the Roman Catholic churches, which somehow seem to get big congregations without advertising. Away back there in the seventies I call to mind such notable Anglicans as Bishop Cowie, starting out on his arrival from India with Ihe alertness that marked his career to its close; Archdeacon Maunscll, with a fine missionary record; Archdeacon Dudley, of St. Sepulchre's; the Rev. C. M. Nelson, beginning his long period of incumbency at St. Paul's; and the Rev. R. Brec, followed by the Rev. W. Calder, at All Saints', Ponsonby. Free Church Ministers. Thai sturdy Presbyterian pioneer, the Rev. David Bruce, held the fort' at St. Andrew's, followed by the Rev. A. Carrick; the Rev. Dr. J. Wallis held his flock together in Benedict Street, and the Rev. R. F. McNicol at St. James', Wellington Street. The Beresford Street Congregational Church, till recently in charge of the Rev. Lionel B. Fletcher, was admirably served in those early days by the Rev. Warlow Davies, as it was by his estimable successor the Rev. Josenh Robertson. The Rev. Samuel Edger was the minister of an Independent Church. The Baptist Church was then in Wellesley Street West, and ils minister was the Rev. Philip Corn ford, who was followed by the Rev. Allan Webb. The Methodist ministry was then ruled by the iron law of compulsory itinerancy, under which no minister could stay in charge of the same circuit for more than three years. Among the outstanding personalities in church life in Auckland sixty years ago were Methodist ministers who had spent many years of faithful service in mission work among the Maoris, such as the Rev. John Hobbs, who came to New Zealand in 1823, the Rev. James Wallis, tho Rev. George Buttle, the Rev. Thomas Buddie, the Rev. James Buller, the Rev. W. Kirk, the. Rev. Alexander Reid, and the Rev. H. H. Lawry. Some of these were too far advanced in years to take up work among Europeans, but some of them, such as Thomas Buddie, James Buller, William Kirk and Alexander Reid, took a foremost part in establishing and extending the Methodist Church in various parts of New Zealand.