Oamaru Presbytery.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 10018, 8 December 1908, Page 4

Oamaru Presbytery.

The I iamaru Presbytery met this morning in .St. I'aui's \ estry. Sederunt: Ministers— Revs. J. Uarke'l Moderator). Steven, Porter, Wright, Stanching, Patterson, Neave, Rennie, Roseveare, and Hay: elders —Messrs Wylie, Allan, Ross, Findlay,'Goodall Needs, M'Ginipsey, and Patterson. An apology- was received for the absence of the Rev". Mr Nichol. Elders' commissions were Tead and sustained and minutes read and confirmed. The Kev. P. C. Rennie was introduced to the Presbvtery by the Rev. J. 0. Patterson (interim Moderator of the Otepopo charge) and welcomed by the Moderator. The Kev. Mr Wright took the chair in order to allow the Moderator to report on the JJunback-Macraes charge. The Kev. Mr Ciarke reported that the Rev. Mr Campbell was doing well in the JJunback-Macraes charge, and many had expressed a wish that he could be permanently settled amongst the people there. —The report was received. The Kev. Mr Clarke moved the following motion :—'Thar, the Presbytery, in view of the recent local option poli, desires to put on record its deep thankfulness to Almighty Cod for its splendid vote of the people in favor of temperance and better Christian conditions of life ; rejoices in the iarge addition to the No-iicenso vote, and in the markedly growing -majority over the Dominion; commends the temperance workers of this and other electorates for their self-forgetting labors and zeal, ami pravs for the continued blessing of the Most High upon the -Nolicense cause."

Speaking to his motion, Mr Clarke pointed out that whereas the vote for Continuance had been added to by 0477 votes, that for No-license had been added to by 21,366 votes, giving a majority for No-license over Continuance of 00,Z4j votes, or an increase of over- 100 per cent. He quoted figures showing ti:e change in the Dominion vote for the past twelve years to be as follows:—1896. Continuance had a majority of 41.263 and in 1899 a majority of 25,868. 'ln 1902 No-license had a majority of 5075: in 1905 a majority of 15,aii4, and in 1908 there was a_majority of 55.24g> votes —a. majority of 7545 over the total votes in the Dominion. # The figures, although not yet complete for the Dominion, showed that a majority of 41.268 in favor of Continuance in lS96_had been changed to a majority of 05,240 in favor of No-license in 1908. The motion was carried. The Kev. J. C. Patterson reported on behalf of a Congregational Committee set up to consider the acquisition of a site for Church purposes on the Kauroo Hill Estate. The Committee recommended that a site be procured on block 10. After discussion, the Presbytery decided to discharge the Presbyterial Committee previously set up to select a site on Kauroo Estate. The Kev. Mr Patterson then moved that the Church. Hoard of Property be asked to acquire one acre on block 10, near the Main Kauroo Road. The Rev. Mr Porter seconded the motion.

The Rev. Mr Xeave moved as an amendment that the Revs. Steven and Patterson, Messrs Ross and Allan be a committee with Presbyterial powers to visit the suggested site and select an acre, the Rev. Mr .Steven to be convener. The amendment was seconded by thcRev. Mr Hay. On the question being put to the meeting the motion was declared carried. The "Moderator asked that his disse'nt be recorded. The Rev. Mr Standring having reported to the Presbytery that a gentleman had signified his willingness to contribute £2OO more or less for work amongst the young and to visit outiying stations, conduct evancelistic meetings, and dispose of Christian literature, the Presbytery to select an agent, The Rev. Mr Wright, as convener of a committee set- up to consider the offer, renorted makimr the following suggestions on behalf of'the donor: (1) That the Presbvterv should select a suitable agent; (2) that the Oamaru Presbyteryshould be the field of operations: 'and (o) that as the Presbvterv consisted of 12 charges, that the agent" should spend one month in each parisli. The Rev. Mr Wright moved, the Rev. Mr Patterson seconded, and it was carried —"That the Presbytery express gratitude to God for this instance of Christian Hberalitv in connection with the work of the Chiirch. It is much gratified to find that office-bearers and members have the claims of the Lord's -work at heart, and tenders its ..earty thanks to the anonymous donor." It was decided that the Committee be continued with the addition of the Rev. Mr Standring, and that it be an instruction that they prosecute the matter and report to a future meeting. The Rev. P. S. Hay moved—"That aidreceiving conirrcgations be instructed to send at once to the clerk lists showing subscriptions to the Sustentation Fund. The Rev. Mr Standring seconded the motion, which was carried on the casting vote of the 'Moderator. The Presbytery then considered the questions of "Sustentation Fund minima, examined Church records, and afterwards adjourned.