WANGANUI PRESBYTERY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXI, Issue 12280, 25 September 1907, Page 7

WANGANUI PRESBYTERY.

The Presbytery of Wanganui held their periodical meeting yesterday, at Marton, there being present: — Revs. B. Hutson (Moderator), Evans, Budd, Gunn, McCully, Hall, Gordon, Ross, Morton, and Fletcher (Taupo), and Messrs Kilgour, Honore, Simpson, Murray, Scott, Mcßeth, Tucker, Brechin, and Bishop. Mr Loan, H.M., from Rewa, was also present; also Rev. Walker, from Halcombe. Apologies for absence were received from Revs. R. M. Ryburn and I. Jolly, and Mr A. J. Simpson.

The ordainment of Mr Ward, of Taumarunui, as a Maori missionary, was recommended to the Assembly. It was decided to continue the Summer School Commmitte and report definitely at next meeting of the Presbytery . Mr Morton moved, and Mr Ross second"cd, that the Presbytery recommend the Assembly to ordain Mr Ward, of Taumarunui, as a Maori missionary. — Carried. The following church extension grants were recommended: — Fordell .£2O, Taihape £25, Taihape Outfields .£3O, Raetihi ,£3O, .£3O, Rewa J530, Halcombe £30, Bullfl £20, Foxton £20, Levin £20, Kimbolton £20, Pohangina £30, Taumarunui £20, Taumarunui outfields £20, Waitotara £10.

Mr Budd gave a summary of Sabbath school statistics. He spoke also of the necessity of dealing with individual scholars and seeking to lead them to decision for Christ.

The attention of the Presbytery was called by Mr McCully to the Sunday school examination papers. The members of the Presbytery considered many of the questions too difficult for young people, also that some of the questions of last year were almost unintelligible. Mr Budd moved that the clerk write to Mr McKenzie and Mr Cairne, drawing 1 their attention to the nature of the discussion that took place on the subject. Mr McCully informed the Presbytery that Mr John Glasgow had granted a site of half an acre for the site of a church at Makirikiri South. — Mr Glasgow was thanked for the site. — The plans for the new church were sanctioned by the Presbytery. Mr Simpson reported that there was JBII7 on hand for the building, and he anticipated that the church would be opened almost free of debt.

The report from Raetihi was very encouraging. It is expected that the people there will be able to proceed with the building of a church at no distant date. It was decided that Mr Lennox continue his services on' the Main Trunk Line for another year.

Mr Roes reported that the new manse at Taihape had been completed, and was now occupied by the missionary. It was reported that Mr Loan had commenced work in the Rewa district, and that the people there hoped to build a church for themselves at an early date, and apply to the Century Fund for a loan of £10©. '. . t Halcombe reported an addition to the communion roll of five young people. It was agreed that Messrs Ross, Ryburn, Hutson, McCully, and Morton, and their representative elders, be a committee to formulate a scheme f<jr holding home mission meetings and to report at next meeting of therPresbytery. It was decided to send the applications of Messrs F. C. «T. Parfitt and D. McKenzie, to be received as home missionaries, to the convener of the Home Mission Committee.

It was- shown that the following churches are entitled to send elders to the Assembly: — St. Andrew's (Wanganui), Fordell, Marton, Feilding, Bulls; ministers, Revs. Ryburn, Ross, McCully, Gunn, Fletcher, and Gordon.

Rev. I. Jolly was nominated as Moderator of the Assembly for 1908.

It was arranged that next meeting of the Presbytery be held at Turakina on Thursday, ' 12th December.

At the conclusion of the above the Presbytery met as a Maori Mission Committee. The chair was taken by Mr Hutson. The Rev. 'H. Fletcher and Mr J. E. Wa*d, from Taumarunui, were present. It was agreed to ask the Assembly to ordain Mr Monfries. It was also agreed that Mr Ward be ordained as a Maori missionary. The committee decided to extend Mr Poraumati's engagement for another year; also the employment of Mr G. Mears and Sister Alison. Mr Heferman was appointed to accompany Mr Monfries for six months.

Reports from Taupo, Taumarunui, Oruanui, Tokaanu, and the Maori Girls' School at Turakina were read, considered, and adopted. * " " A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Hutson for acting as treasurer, and thus relieving the convenor (Mr Ryburn) of a, vast amount ot work. >

To-morrow, Dominion Day, the Post Office will be closed in all its branches. N.o delivery will be made by letter carriers, and mails usually despatched on Thursdays, will close at 6 a.m. A clearance of receiving boxes will be made at 5 a.m. A delivery of correspondence " wijl be made over the counter between 7 and 8 o'clock this (Wednesday) evening. The Telegraph Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 i>.m., and from 7 p.m. to midnight. The Telephone Exchange will remain (pen as usual. The barometer Jn the southern half of the South 'lelaTra this morning was lower than, it has reached for a considerable period, being- down to 28.93 at the Bluff, 28.95 at Dunedin, 29.16 at Christchurch, and then up to 29.41 at Wellington, 29.60 locally, and 29.85 at Auckland. The whole colony was overcast, and rain was falling all over West land, and in various oilier quarters. The temperatures we're higher than they have reached this year at 9 o'clock, in a number of places, ranging from 66 deg. locally to 63 at Auckland, 64 at Christchurch, 56 at Wellington and 52 at Dunedin.