THE SUSTENTATION FUND. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3244, 29 June 1872, Page 3

THE SUSTENTATION FUND. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir—Beading the other day the proceedings of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland, I was particularly struck with the Sustentation Fund Committee's report for 1871. . It appeared to me that in enumerating Avhat each congregation paid, arid calling the attention of tho Synod to those congregations which have fallen off in their returns to the Sustentation Fund from what the Church was fairly entitled to expect, tliere was an unintentional injustice done to those who in a subsequent analysis were reported as deficient. It struck me that perhaps if the number of Church members Avere giA ren the comparison might be fairer, and if the wealth of many of these men Avere also taken into consideration. I tried to rectify the first of these omissions. I took the ordinary collections as a test of numbers, and that was in faA'our of the defaulting congregations. Take Knox Church and Port Chalmers : The ordinary collections are nearly as 8 to 1 j the subscription to Sustentation nearly 4to 1. I then tried the seat rents—they were nearly as 12 to 1, whereas the contribution to Sustentation Fund, was nearly as 4to 1. I then gave it up as a useless attempt to get what I desired—the contribution as compared to numbers and means. Perhaps it Avould be possible to put the number of ordinary church attendants in the margin. This would partly remedy the evil.—l am, &c, SuSTESTATIOX FUNO.