THE VEN ARCHDEACON DUDLY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18578, 28 September 1928, Page 19 (Supplement)

THE VEN ARCHDEACON DUDLY.

Throughout a ministry in township and borough extending over 27 years no one was held in warmer esteem, or more affectionate regard than the Ven Archdeacon Dudly. He was one of the pilgrim clergy of the First Four Ships, and spent the first ten years of his col onial life in Lyttelton. Being appointed to the newly constituted incumbency of Rangiora he made fiis way to his parish on foot. Mr G. J. Leech and four other parishioners went as far as Southbrook to meet him. In the distance they espied a man floundering through the mud thrown out on the roadway from the drain recehtly made from Southbrook to Flaxton. As he drew near they found the wayfarer to be their new pastor, but only recognisable by his clerical collar and belltopper, the rest of his habiliments being smothered with mud.

On April 8, 1860, he was formally instituted to the cure, and a new church just finished was consecrated on April 25. Two years later it was deemed necessary to enlarge the church, but it was not till the latter end of 1864 that this was put into effect. By 1875 the congregation had increased so much that it became evident a new church

nust be built. On November 4 of that rear the foundation stone of the preent handsome building was laid, but it vas not completed until 1882. Thus

Archdeacon Dudly had the gratification of seeing the evolution of his hurc.h from a very small and primitive structure to a fine edifice with a eating capacity for 500. He built his jwn parsonage known as Earnley when e first came, and generously gave 4 cres of land on which the present vicrage stands. Five years after the new church was •pened Archdeacon Dudly resigned the parish to give place to a younger man, his ministry terminating on December 29, 1887. Ele remained in harness, however, taking charge of the Fernside Church until the morning of Sunday, April 28, 1892, when he died suddenly while preparing to go to his church to hold service. The Archdeacon endeared himself to the people of the place, irrespective of denomination, by his kindness, and for his thoughtfulness for others. He had a deep sense of his duty in respect to his pulpit service. It mattered not to him whether the church was almost or entirely empty on week days set apart for worship; he would go through the service from A to Z not omitting the address. In proof of this the verger's boy (still alive in the person of Mr F. Gulliver Cradwick) tells the story that he rang the bell for service on a week day, and afterwards peeping into the church and seeing it quite empty ran away to a sports gathering being held. Next day the Archdeacon chided him for not attending the service, saying that he had delivered an address specially prepared for young people, which he was sorry he had not stayed to hear. Once upon a time the Archdeacon tried an experiment in church finance that was unique, but failed. Concerned at the large number of threepenny bits the collecting bags yielded on Sundays, he conceived the idea to impound all the little coins in the hope that when they became scarce ones of larger val. e would be substituted. There being no banks in the place at the time from whence new supplies could be drawn, the nimble threepenny became scarce in the township, but alas for the Archdeacon's hopes, the bags became burdened with coppers, with not a few buttons amongst them, and the sum total of the collections materially decreased. Regretfully the Archdeacon had to release his cornered coins. Another story in connection with the iurch collections is told by the erst-

while verger’s boy. One stormy Sunday only the verger (Mr James Guliiver) his son and one other person were in attendance at morning service.

When the collecting plate, then used was handed out to Mr Gulliver he dredg ed his pockets for a coin in vain. His boy too was penniless, but hopefully he made for the remaining worshipper only to be halted by a vigorous shaking of the man’s head to indicate that he too had empty pockets. Disconcertedlv Mr Gulliver handed the empty plate to the Archdeacon, who after gazing at it with a solemn face for a few moments, produced a half crown from beneath his surplice, being probably a shilling for each adult and sixpence for the boy, and placed it on the plate before carrying it to the altar. In the latter part of his ministry Archdeacon Dudly became a very pro nounced Prohibitionist, and in this connection used to tell a good story against Himself. The Archdeacon had a florid complexion which deepened in colour when he became earnest of speech. One day he was at the bedside of a sick man to whom he was speaking earnestly when the patient sudden ly exclaimed: “Hold on a minute, Mr Dudly, I want to know whether it :s true that you are a teetoaller?” “Certainly it is true,'’ replied the Archdeacon, “but why do you ask me?" “Well," said the man, “I want to tell you that your face belies you.” MR ANDREW H. CUNINGHAM In Mr Andrew Hunter Cuningham Rangiora possessed a citizen who did some very valuable service to the community, especially in the realm of education. Mr Cuningham arrived in

the year 1859, and in partnership with Mr T. S. Mannering, purchased the Fernside sheep station from Mr C. O Torlesse. The partners also acquired interests in other stations, Mr Mannering living at Fernside and Mr Cuningham on one of their holdings at Loburn. Their land ventures did not turn out as profitable as they expected and in the early seventies the Fernside station, which had been reduced from 20,000 acres to about 6000 by land purchase, was acquired by Mr George Hart, of Winchester, who subsequently-re-sold it to Mr Mannering, who in time disposed of the whole property, Captain A. Parsons getting a good share of it Eventually the main portion was purchased by Mr E. Wilder, who re-named the station Nga-pari.

On leaving Loburn Mr Cuningham took up his residence in Rangiora about the year 1870 or 1871. There he first came into prominence by the active part he took in the establishment of a public library, and erection of the Institute Hall. Later he was amongst those who advocated the constitution *if the borough, and in 1881 he initiated the movement that led to the Rangiora High School coming into existence. When the High School Board of Governors was formed he held the chair manship for several years, and in connection with primary education he was for a very long period a member of the District School Committee, almost all the time filling the office of chairman. As a Justice of the Peace he took a full share of the Magistrate’s Court duties that fell to the lot of the great unpaid. He was also Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and in that connection accomplished on one occasion what might be thought to be the impossible by marrying a young couple without their being aware of the fact that they had been made husband and wife until a week afterwards. It came aboTit in this way. The young man had been told that when he went to the Registrar for the certificate authorising marriage he would have to take his intended, and a friend as witness. Very naturally Mr Cuningham concluded by the size of the party that marriage was intended, and he acted accordingly. The certificate authorising the marriage had been duly drawn up and the fee of £1 2s 6d paid. Mr Cuningham proceeded to join the couple in holy wedlock. “Have you the ring?” he arked, and, unfortunately, the bridegroom had it in the corner of his vest pocket, otherwise the mistake over the ceremony would have been discovered. The ceremony proceeded and the vows of love and fidelity having been made and the ring duly placed on the bride’s finger, Mr Cuningham called in Mrs Cuningham to act as second witness, made out the marriage lines, and handing the document to the young lady, addressed a little homily to both, with his congratulations. Then he rather surprised the bridegroom with a request for another £1 2s 6d. This he paid, but thought the preliminary expenses were rather high, seeing that the parson had yet to get his fee. The youthful pair and their friends were rather perplexed over their experience, but came to the conclusion that it was the lawful official preliminary to the grander event to take place the next week, and the young lady handed hack the ring and with it the marriage certificate. The wedding day came and there was a crowded church. Just before the bride arrived at the door the minister asked the bridegroom if he had the Registrar’s certificate. “Yes,” he said, “I have a long document here which cost me £2 55.” On producing it the minister, taking in the situation at a glance, ‘ exclaimed: ‘Man alive, you are already married!” “Good heavens!” said the astonished bridegroom, “have I been married a week and didn’t know it?” There was consternation for a minute or two, but there was nothing for it but to carry on and, the happy couple were none the worse for being married twice in one week, although, of course, j they were subjected to a good deal of } chaffing.