THE PRESBYTERY OF SOUTHLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 935, 17 April 1868, Page 5

THE PRESBYTERY OF SOUTHLAND.

The stated quarterly meeting of the Presbytery of Southland was . held on "Wednesday last, in, the vestry of the Presbyterian Church. Commissions, were received and sustained from the.. Kirk Session of Invercargill, in favor of Mr Dunan W Arthur; and from the Kirk Session of Eiverton, in favor of .Mr Dugald M'Phee. There were presentRev. Thos. Alexander (Moderator), Beys. Clark, Stevens, Stobo,and Messrs Duncan, M' Arthur, and Dugald M'Phee. . Mr Stevens was elected Moderator for the next year. Communications from the Eeligious Tract Society, the Tract and Book Society of Scotland, and the National Book Society, were read, stating on what terms they were prepared to furnish books and Bibles to a Colporteur who might be employed in connection with this Presbytery. It was agreed that the thanks of the Presbytery be given to these Societies, and that Mr Stobo be appointed to look out for a suitable person to act as Colporteur, and report at next meeting. No communication having been received from Queenstown, and the Presbytery having learned that the Rev. Mr Alvesj from St. John's, New Brunswick, is about to join this Church, it was resolved that the Clerk be instructed to send an urgent 'request from this Presbytery : to the Church Extension Committee to appoint Mr Alves to Queenstown immediately on his arrival in this Colony., It was alsq resolved that in the event' of Mr Canipr bell leaving Queenstown soon, Mr Clarke be appointed to supply Queenstown for two months, and .in tha]t event that the Church extension Com-, mitteebe requested to appoint Mr Drake to supply Biverton. ; The Clerk was instructed to communicate with the committee at Quens-; town. The Presbytery agreed to declare the. Lower Matarua a preaching Station, and Messrs Stobo and Alexander were appointed a Committee to define its, boundaries. The Presbytery unanimously agreed, to, request the Church Extension Committee to appoint Mr Martin, who has recently, arrived from New South Wales; to the Lower Mataura. A communication was read from the North German Missionary Society with reference to. their mission to the Maqries, here.; It was resolved that the Presbytery should bring , the matter before* the next meeting of h the Synod, of-. Otago and Southland, and, ask leave to ordain Mr Honore as mis- . sionary to the Maqries in connection w^th^ this Church, and ,at the, same time to, receive the Rev. Mr Wohlers, of Ruapuka, . as an ordained Missionary in connection with, this Church; and the Clerke was instructed to communicate this resolution* to . the North German,, Missionary; Society. . „ . ,' . ;,, Mr M' Arthur having v; directed the; attention of the. Presbytery, to, the extent to which Sabbath-traffic,. . was carried on at the Bluff, it was resolved, to memoralise the General and Provincial Governments, to take steps to put and end to such traffic. The Moderator, Messrs Stobo and M' Arthur, were appointed a committee to- draw tip the memorial, and take any other step deemed neeessaay, Mr M' Arthur convener. , -...-.' Mr M' Arthur having brought before the Presbytery the increasing importance of the districts of Winton .and Forest , Hill, and the adjoining Btations, the Presbytery resolved to declare that district a preaching Btation, so soon as .suitable arrangements could be made for the supply of ordinances, with a view to, Wallacetown and Winton, Ac, being; saparate charges. .