METHODISM IN TARANAKI

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1931, Page 11

METHODISM IN TARANAKI

58TH. ANNIVERSARY OCCURS PATEA CIRCUIT FOUNDED IN 1873EARLY ORGANISATION RECALLED. The year 1873 saw the establishment at Patea of a' Methodist Church centre from which a circuit extending from Waitotara to Normanby and. ultimately to Gpunake and Ngaere was operated by the Rev. Thomas Fifield Reeve. To-mor-row and Monday the Patea Methodist Church, now in charge of the Rev. C. Aker, will celebrate the 58th anniversary of the coming of Methodism to South Taranaki. v The first service of Methodism in the district was conducted in an upstairs room of the Old Albion Hotel by the Rev. F. Bavin. Mr. T. R. Bavin, exPremier and now leader of the Opposition in New South Wales, Mr. Lane Bavin, aiderman and ex-Mayor of Willoughby, and Mr. Cyril Bavin, 0.8. E., organising secretary of the migration department of. the London Y.M.C.A., are all sons of Patea’s first Methodist minister. The development of the Methodist Church field is closely allied with the development of the province and the early church pioneers were pioneers in the broadest sense of the word. Out-, standing among them was the Rev. T. G. Hammond, who succeeded Mr. Reeve in 1874. Mr. Hammond’s prowess as a horseman was given full scope. One reads of services conducted at Waitotara at 9 a.m., Waverley 11 a.m. arid the same evening at Patea, or Carlyle as it was then known. Services at Carlyle were still conducted in an upstairs room of the Albion Hotel. The first quarterly meeting was hold at Carlyle on Jjily 0, 1874. Mr. Reeve presided. Those present included Messrs. Dickie, Bridge and Aitken, Waverley, Alexander, Milne and W. A’Court, Hawera, W. Williams and T. North, Carlyle, and Joseph Hawken, Kakaramca. The minister’s stipend was fixed at £l2O for the year. The quarter’s collections throughout the circuit totalled £5(5 10s. In 1875 a church 30ft by 20ft was erected at a cost of £2OO, subsequent improvements being made in 1870 and 1880 at a cost of £l9O.

The Rev. J. Law succeeded Mr. Hammond in April, 1876, his ability and genius for organising being responsible for many churches being erected in the circuit. One of Mr. Law’s sons is now inspector of schools in the Auckland district. He was born at Patea and his daughter, Miss Gwen Law, was relieving teacher at Patea 18 months ago. The first trustees of the Patea Churc\ were Messrs. W. Williams, Joseph Hawken. Thomas North, John Paterson, John Edwards, Alexander Black and James Lett.- The appointment of permanent ministers followed and. the charge was entrusted in turn to the Revs. Paul Fairclough, J. A. Luxford, W. L. Salter and T. G. Hammond. Mr. Hammond was later appointed superintendent of Maori missions in Wanganui and Taranaki provinces. Ho was a man of unbounding energy and a forceful preacher, and throughout his long residence worked harmoniously with those in charge of the European work. Some years later a now policy was inaugurated and only single men. were appointed to Patea. . These included the Revs. Read, W. J. Oxbrow (who in recent years became chairman of the district) and E. D. Patchett, who this year is president of the New Zealand Conference. The Rev. Robert Haddon's work as assistant to Mr. Hammond did much to stimulate the Methodist cause among the natives. Mr. Haddon is now superintendent of the Maori work. Associated with the Patea Church from its early days and who are still attending regularly are Mrs. R. A. Adams (who attended the first service in the old Albion Hotel), Mr. and Mrs. H. Locker and Miss A. Boagey, who plays the organ at Sunday morning services.