BISHOP SEDGWICK.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13350, 7 April 1914, Page 5

BISHOP SEDGWICK.

KASt COAST TOUR

After a journey of 40 miles, the last day's ride of a torn* which had covered about 160 miles and occupied ninetoen days, and which- was accomplished through storm and flood, the Right Rev. Dr. Sedgwick, Bishop of Waiapu, reached Gisborne about 5 o'clock .-'last night from his "visit- to the East Coast. Tliis was his 'Lordship's • initial visit to the East Coast portion of : this extensive diocesfe, the purpose beili,^ to gain some knowledge, of the needs of the district' ft* Well as to meet the people in that part of his diocese. His Lordship) on .account of weather 'conditions, arranged ,to visit the outlying places before officially visiting • GisborhV, but he was unfortunate, in striking; a time when the dry spell broke upland the corintrv experienced the heaviest'. rain' it'/^ad'dnnc' fol" some months, - resiilting- ; ihV ilrjbded rivers, so that the " Bishop was unable to fulfil the whole of 4 his programme. He had intended going as far as Hick*' Bay, but Tuparoa was as -far as he & ot \ His Lordship left Patutahi (having been unable to reach Motu earlier in the week) on Thursday, March 19, and reached Tolaga Bay that night, being accompanied by the Yen. Arch. H. W. Williams. He went on to Tokomaru on the 22nd, aud on the 23vd Waipiro Bay wa3 reached, the Rev. Mr Meyer, acting vicar at Tolaga, being the Bishop's escort on that part- of the journey. "And there /I got stuck iup\" said the Bishop when chatting with a Herald reporter last evening." It Avas- pourin,*-* with rain when we left Tokomaru Bay, and when we reached Waipiro." He remained at : Waipiro until, the following ! Friday '\vhen,, afifetolipttiliM by- the ReVJ D. Wilson, -'vicar at Waipiro, a further advance was made as far as Tuparoa.. The Bishop stayed with Mr T. S. Williams, and on the Sunday held service and visited various pas. Being unable to cross the WaiaDu river, His Lordshin worked back down the coast. He' called at some dt the pas oh. , the way, enthusiastic welcomes being 'given by the natives; . His Lordship remarked that the country was looking beautiful, especially after the rain. < The rainfall had been much greater up the coast than iii town, and it appeared to . have been all in the watershed of the Waiapu river which was borne out* by the fact that whilst the river was in high flood 'the creeks were not very high. Commenting upon the appearance of the country IJisnop Sedgwick! said he thought it had some of the most beautiful scenery- -he . had ever viewed. The Bishop said he was not at all fatigued bv the journey having been used to riding. He was sorry he liad not more time, but he had to get back to Napier for Holy week. Replying to a question as to the prospects .of church development .on the East Coast, His Lordship said he did not wish to express an opinion '.yet, as he had. only seen a small portion of the diocese, and lie would rather get a grip of the whole, before saying anything in that connection. - Bishop Sedgwick left for Napier last night. He purposes coming to Gisborne in June to preach the dedication service at Holy Trinity Church on Trinity Sunday, June 7. -, He will con>e here a few days before, when the opportunity will be taken to tender him a civic reception, as that Will be his first official visit to Gisborne since his appointment to the See of Waiapu.