WELLINGTON PRESBYTERY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6495, 15 April 1908, Page 6

WELLINGTON PRESBYTERY

THE SUBURBS OF THE CITY.

The ordinary meeting of the Wellington Presbyterv was held yesterday at St. John's. There wero present the Revs. J. Gibson Smith, M.A. (Moderator), J. McCaw, P. C. Rennie, J. Paterson, A. Thomson, J. K. Eliott, W. Marshall, A. M. Thompson, and W. Shircr (clerk), and Mr Ralph (homo missionary). The Revs. W. Douglas, M.A., G. H. Jupp, and J. Mcßae Osborne, M.A., were associated with the presbytery. THE MIRAMAR-HOSENEATH CHARGE.

The Rev. J. Patereon reported on tho 6teps he had taken in respect to the new charge of Kilbirnie, Miramar, and Roseneath. He had preached at all three places and at the congregational meetings after the services. It was unanimously decided to offer a call to tho Eev. W. Douglas, M.A., who had been working there for eight months. There was a good attendance at the meetings, and the call was signed by fifty-four members and sixty adherents; practically every communicant had signed. There seemed to be every prospect of a good congregation, and he considered the position very gratifying. One of the commissioners (Mr 3,. Smith) Spoke regarding the new charge, and the call having been sustained, tho Eev. Mr. Douglas responded. He felt thankful and proud, and felt that his labours had been rewarded, not so much in his beooming a minister of the Wellington Presbytery, as in having been instrumental in adding another charge to the Wellington roll. He accepted the call. The induction will take place on a Thursday to be fixed. The Moderator (Rev. J. Gibson Smith) will preside at tho ceremony, and the Revs. J. Peterson and J. K. Eljott will address the people and the minister respectively. THE HUTT VALLEY.

The Rev. W. Marshall reported regarding Upper Hutt that the people there thought nothing could be done at present. He -suggested the presbytery should visit them by commission. It was decided that the committee on the subject should be continued, with tho object of securing land for a manse and glebe, in anticipation of the settlement of a minister there. Tho commissioners who visited the Hutt reported that the work of the charge was being faithfully carried out by the Rev. W. Marshall, who was well supported. The number of elders should be increased, and more attention should 'be'paid to tho systematic gathering of finances. Tho commissioners were pleased to learn that an effort wag being made to reduce the debt, and urged the congregation to further effort.

The Rev. A. Thomson said it was a disgrace to the Hutt congregation to be paying their minister only .£175 per annum.' They were quite in a position to pay X2OO, and he moved that the presbytery communicate with the congregation and ask them to raise the el'ipond to .£3OO. The Rev. Mr Marshall said he thought it was time to see about a piece of land for a minister at Hpwr Hutt, and for a church at Lower Hutt. somewhere r<vr the Bpllptuo Gardens, fie moved that the committer on the Upper Hutt nint'ter see also to this. This was agreed to.

Tho Rev. A. Thomson reported tha* the engagement of Mr Stevens, who had bwn labouring for some time at i>nv Bay. had terminated. Sino» then he had been attending to the district. The congregation there was healthy, and he honed would bo able to employ another o""nt in the rammpr. Tt wa« reported that Mr Hiistwi-*!-h.id been engsjred to take the service* at PlimmertcTi "dnriiwr the winter. ACROSS THE RANGE.

There was some dircuwsion on the question of the status of the P.ihiafua charge. The majority of the PrMhrterv considered that the congregation onjht to make an effort to raise the minister's stinend to £2OO, bo as to he independent of the Church extension fund. 'Eventually it was decided not to pass any resolution on the 6ubject,

it being; left to the Hcv. A. D. Thomson to discuss it with tho congregation. It was resolved, ia response to a request from the Kev. A. Woollass, formerly of Pnhintua, to send him the requisite, presbyterial certificate on his commencing work in the Auckland presbytery. He is now at To Awnmutu.

The Rev. J. McCaw reported having taken the e-teps required of him in connection with the vacancy in South Wairarapa. It had been decided to hear three out of tho candidates who had offered for the position.

All congregations will have to forward their records for the next meeting of the presbytery, which will take placo on May 12th. Tho assembly remits will be con6idercd at that meeting.