BISHOP HARPER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4857, 24 January 1894, Page 1

BISHOP HARPER.

THE PROPOSED MEMORIAL, A public meeting wbb held last evening iv the City Council Chambera for the purpose of receiving the Committee's report aa to the best- form the memorial to the late Bishop Harper should take. About thirty personß were present. The Mayor of Christchurch occupied the chair at the request of the Very R9V the Dean, and read the Committee's report, which was that a resolution had bee,n unanimously adopted deciding upon thecompletion of the cathedral as being the moßt worthy and fitting form of memorial. Professor Cook moved the adoption of the report, and said that few persons could do otherwise than regard the completion of the cathedral as the best form of memorial. The building had always had the deep regard of the late Bishop, who had taken great interest in its construction. It had been doubted whether the completion of the building was a feasible plan. It was a matter of money, .-215,000 having been mentioned as the amount required. It had been said that this sum could not be - raised, but he would advocate Btrenuous efforts all ronnd the province. He would have a strict canvass made and every wealthy person approached. He wa? sanguine of the result. Large sums had been raised in this colony, and he did not think that it should be assumed that it could not be done again. The support of all classes would be secured, and he would like to ace the appeal for funds go further afield and not be confined to Canterbury or even to New Zealand. If people in England were told that it was determined' to complete the Cathedral, ■subscriptions would flow in, for there were many admirers of the late Bishop in the Old Country. There was au example in the money raised for the Adelaide Cathedral ; £15,000 bad been raised by the Bifehop of Adelaide, and surely this could be done again. It waa not at all wise to sit with folded arms or to cease in efforts to raise enongh funds until it was conclusively shown tbat the money could not be collected. He concurred in what Archdeacon Harper had said regarding the preserving of the personality of the Bishop, and he thought that a niche could be found in the buildlog wherein to place a statue so as to gain this object. The Yen Archdeacon Lingard seconded : the motion. The report of the Committee was hardly correct in stating that the resolution had been carried unanimously. He had moved the resolution in Committee, and he had done so because of the remarks that had been made during the disoussion. The laity -had expressed themselves as being very sanguine, and he applauded the hopefulness tbat believed tbat the amount could be collected. He likewise was sanguine of the results of combined and strong effort. Even if the full amount could not be obtained it was no reason why a portion Af the work shonld not be proceeded with. He saw very strong arguments in favour of the proposed work, and he firmly believed that if everyone laboured heart and soul the cathedral would be completed. While the money was coming in the walls could be going up, and if energy and zeal were displayed the work would ultimately ba completed. With regard to the other suggestions, he considered each to be unworthy of being considered for ast .ment. The only fitting memorial to the Jate Bishop was the completion of the cathedral* The Rev W. A. Pascoe wrote, Btating that he was of opinion that the cathedral schemo was impracticable. If it was attempted he believed it would be even more costly to the diocese than was contemplated, and he did not think that the late Primate would have endorsed the plan. A letter written by Mr C. G. Tripp, and which had appeared in the coirespondence columns of the Lyttelton Times, was read. Mr Banks spoke very hopefully of the proposed efforts, to complete the cathedal, and stated it as hiß firm conviction that they would be crowned with success. There were rich families in Canterbury who would only be too glad of the opportunity to complete or help to complete the cathedral. When the existing portion had been built there had been no lack of gentlemen anxious to subscribe largely, as witness the handsome subscriptions towards the tower and the peal of bells. He hoped the committee would give the rich families of the province the opportunity of subscribing towards the completion in like manner. The Very Rev the Dean supported the resolution most heartily. The plan he considered to be perfeotly feasible. If it was taken up in the right way there would be no difficulty in collecting a sufficient amount to do the work. Everything depended upon the earnest efforts put forth and upon the amount of enthusiasm displayed. Mr Embling spoke strongly in favour of the completion of the cathedral. The present size of the building was far too small to accommodate the large congregations which a3Bembled on Sunday evenings. Nothing could be a better memorial to the late Primate. Mr Beswick thought the subscriptions should be retained nntil there was a certainty of completing the work. There would be more incentive to give if the work was not commenced until it could be carried through. He hoped the chances of obtaining sufficient funds would be well weighed before the step contemplated was taken. He thought that the feeling of the people in the country should be tested, and if there was rer sot able hope they should at once commence to carry out the proposal. Mr H. R. Webb said he felt, with a great many, that an attempt was about to be made that was quite impracticable. He was quite surprised to hear gentlemen with a knowledge of the financial position of the colony speak aa they had done with regard to the possibility of collecting the Bum required. A memorial was wanted for the Biahop, so let something be done at once that could be carried out. He strongly advocated the suggestion of Dr Julius. All would be sorry if the cathedral scheme was attempted and obliged to be abandoned, and no memorial erected to the Bißhop. It would be a crymg shame if any further tax wai made on the church property. He hoped the meeting would hesitate before it adopted the resolution. He moved an amendment — "That this meeting, recognising that it is desirable that the memorial of the late Bishop Harper should enable future generations to recognise in some measure his personality, approves the erection of a gateway to the cathedral close, containing a statue of the late Bishop. It is further of opinion that such a memorial will enable those interested to bring to a speedy and successful issue their desire to honour the memory of their late revered diocesan." The Rev E. Oav_y seconded the amendment, and said that he considered that the very evident wish of the family of the late Bishop should have been given effect to. Archdeacon Harper had written his wishes on the matter, that the personality of the Bishop should be preserved and perpetuated, and he had said that he believed the family desired the same thiDg. Of course all would like to see the cathoiral finished, but even if the work ware completed he (Mr Otway) did not think that it would be a very good memorial to the late Bishop, and certainly tho wishes of the family should have been recognised by the committee. He agreed very much with the propoEal oE Dr Julius, and he would have liked him to | have empba.iied it a little more. The

financial state of the colony was not very flourishing, and he wqb sorry to have to accept the view that those who were expected to subscribe to the memorial would be able to do so less largely than wa. presumed. Great calls would be made upon them, and it had to be admitted that times were not co prosperous as to allow of very great liberality on their part. He *.had very grave doubta of the success of tb« canvass proposed. This waß unfortunately not hiß opinion alone, but was one held by many others. The Very Rev the Dean Baid that he did not think there were grounds'for considering that it was the wish of the family that the memorial suggested by Archdeacon Harper should be erected, and he (the Dean) would like to correct Mr Otway in his innocently misleading statement in that direction. Mr Webb said that Archdeacon Harper had expressed to him his belief that the family desired the form of memorial suggested by him. The Rev H. T. Purchas supported the amendment, although he would bave liked to have seen the suggestion of Dr Julius embodied in a motion and no amendment proposed. The amendment was put and lost by 18 to 4. Mr Beßwick moved a further amendment --"That this meeting at its rising adjourn for a fortnight, during which time information be gathered with regard to likely subscriptions." In that time it would be known what large Bums would be forthcoming, and an idea should be formed regarding the feasibility or otherwise of the scheme proposed. He asked the supporters of the motion to carry this, so as to have some grounds upon which to build hopes of completing the cathedral. The amendment was seconded by Mr Webb, who said that he agreed with Mr Purchas that a great number of personß had stayed away because they had considered that it was a foregone conclusion that the report of the committee would be adopted. The Very Rev the Dean said the probability was, therefore, that" thoso who stayed away aßßented to that foregone conclusion. Everyone who had spoken to bim had been in favour of the scheme. After discussion, the amendment was loat by 15 to 4. The original motion was carried by 16 to 2. The Very Rev the Dean moved the appointment of a committee to take immediate steps to carry out the resolution adopted by the meeting, the members to be the Right Rev Bishop Julius, the Yen Archdeacon Lingard, Professor" Cook, Messrß Ainger, Bankß, T. D. Harman, A. Rhodes, A. F. N. Blakiston, F. Trent, G. Humphreys, the Mayor of Christchurch and the mover, Mr Blakiston to be convener, and the committee to have power to add to its number. The motion was carried unanimously. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding. The committee will meet in the City Council Library on Thursday afternoon at four o'clock.