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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18513, 25 March 1922, Page 10

It takes mea of stout heart and indomitable spirit to carve out homes for themselves in the backblocks, writes the special correspondent of the Taranaki News. One man—a, returned soldier —together with his brother kid a 1000-acre block in the middle of the Tangarakau Gorge. In tlie two years they had been there they had cleared 600 acres. Most of the block is standing bush, and is situated literally miles from civilisation. In the same valley are a man and 1 his wife and two little children. The wife came straight out from London to this outpost. Access to (he valley is both primitive and dangerous, and the youjyj settler has asked if the Chamber of Commerce would help him in getting better facilities. The pioneers certainly deserve all the help they oan be given. A remarkable story of a family living under most primitive conditions comes from Shot ley Bridgs, County Durham. A young married woman, with two children, was found last January in a hole deep in a disused quarry. They were removed by the relieving officer to his house, and after being cared for wore sent to the local workhouse. There the woman told a strange story. She hud been married since 1915, and in 1919 she and her husband went to live in a house of their own at the village of Tow Law' where the husband was engaged as a nHjner. When the coal dispute occurred and the man was thrown out of employment, he sold up the house and furniture and took his wife and children to live with him for six months in a quarry. They found a hole among some shrubbery, and having obtained a quantity of old sacking, with which they made coverings, they settled themselves, using straw for bedding. When rescued the children were suffering seriously from fi-ost and rheumatism, and were almost speechless. Should marriage fees bo regarded as the perquisite of the officiating clergyman or the property of the church cormnnuity? There was a distinct cleavage of opinion on the point at the Methodist Conference held recently in Melbourne. Ministers for the most part took (he view that wedding fees were entirely their own, a supplement to the strictly limited allowances generally paid, and in view of the fact that a minister’s only authority to celebrate mar ringos was -derived from the State, there was no inherent claim to the fees on the part of the circuit or church community. One minister related that he had boon lined £lO on one occasion for a mistake for which he was in no way responsible; be hod to pay the amount himself, and would the circuits accept financial lesponsibility in such c iron in stances? In oilier parts of Australia the minister’s rights lo the fee was unquestioned and ministers often solemnised marriages without any fee. During the prolonged debate sinjaestions were thrown out that marriaces might be pooled, and n. dividend declared. It v.as said that metropolitan ministers solemnised many marriages of country people, and- were according in a more favoured position to receive this supplementary income. By a large majority the delegates affirmed the princii lo that the fees were the property of til ; ’nlsto*.