Page image

H.—2l

20

If it were proposed to vest the temporal properties of that Church in bodies of lay trustees, I think that suitable persons could be found willing to accept those trusts. The allotment No. 77, Parish of Takapuna, was purchased from Mr. Bellingham by the Eoman Catholic Mission ; but I understood at the time that it was by the assistance of the Government that the Mission were enabled to do so. By comparison of the dates of the first grant of money and of the conveyance from Mr. Bellingham to the Eoman Catholic Bishop you will arrive at the conclusion whether the money paid for the land was supplied from this source or no. I was not aware of any other fund from which it could have been supplied. At the time when the college buildings were erected the understanding with the Government was that the most suitable site should be purchased. I was asked to be sole trustee for this land so purchased at the time of the purchase, but declined to be alone in the trust, as I was about proceeding to England. Mr. Conroy, then solicitor to the Bishop, raised some objection to others being associated in the trust, and I did not become trustee. I certainly never contemplated such a position of the estate as that it should be at any time alienable from the purpose for which it was originally intended to be used. When the land was purchased I did not entertain a very favourable opinion of the suitability of the site; but the reasons assigned to me induced me to alter my opinion. The redemption of the four acres held by Mr. Swanson would not by itself restore the institution to a state of efficiency, unless the remainder of the twenty acres held by Mr. Chamberlin were also included in this redemption, because the four acres would not offer any sufficient means of giving the industrial training which is required in the terms of the grant of the endowment lands. Memo, of search as to Lot No. 77, Takapuna. (St. Mary's College, North Shore.) Conveyance dated in 1852. Entry minuted a nullity, on the ground that the deed was cancelled and left by mistake. Conveyance dated 23rd November, 1855 ; Bellingham to Pompallier. Eegistered, No. 7,672. Crown Grant to Bellingham dated Bth March, 1845. Note. —This search was made by Mr. Commissioner Hart. Lot 15, Section 8, Suburbs of Auckland — lndustrial School. Lot 15, Section 8, Freeman's Bay. The Very Eeverend Father McDonald, being again examined, states : I know this property, on which there is a building at one time used as a Native school. There are generally three catechists residing in this building, but of these two are at present absent. There are at present no scholars, nor have been regularly for about six years. The school was a kind of offshoot from St. Mary's College at the North Shore. The place could hardly be called a church, though sometimes used as a house of prayer by the Natives. It was rather employed as a hospital. Part of this land was let for a term of years, but the lease has lapsed to the Bishop. Lot 1, Section 9, 1 acre, Howick—Church Site. Lot 2, Section 9, 4 acres, Howick — Glebe. Lot la, Section 9, 1 acre, Howick — Cemetery. The Very Eeverend Father McDonald : I know these allotments. There is on them a church of wood, capable of accommodating about 250 persons : also a school, with an average attendance at the present of forty pupils, boys and girls : also a presbytery with five rooms: also stabling and necessary out-buildings. The premises and buildings are well kept. The land is of inferior quality. The cemetery adjoins the glebe, and is maintained in similarly good condition to the remainder of the property. The property has lately been added to by a small purchase adjoining the church site, through the exertions of the resident pastor. Lot 51, Section 2, Panmure — Church Site. Lot 51a, Section 2, Panmure—Glebe. Lot 52, Section 2, Panmure — Cemetery. The Very Eeverend Father McDonald : The church and cemetery sites are contiguous, and contain a church capable of accommodating from 250 to 300 persons. There are also a small room, or vestry, and out-buildings. The public hall recently erected is on a half-acre of land purchased by the resident clergyman of Howick, who takes charge of the Panmure District. The glebe is not occupied as such, there being no clergyman resident in the village, but there is on it a mixed school, with an average attendance of fifty pupils. The same observations made in reference to Howick apply also to the state of the buildings and premises at Panmure, which are under the charge of the same pastor. Part of Section 18, City of Auckland, 1 acre 13 perches — Church Site. The Very Eeverend Father McDonald states (Eecord copy, Eeg. iv., No. 38, Grant of 1 rood 13 perches, allotment 34 of section 18, City of Auckland, produced) : I know this land. It is the site of the Cathedral of St. Patrick and of the Conventual Schools, three in number, with an average attendance of about 150 pupils at present. The attendance was at one time as large as 300 scholars. I believe the whole of these buildings, including also a residence for the sisters employed in tuition, were erected without Government assistance —from contributions of the congregation and funds at the disposal of the Bishop, and perhaps assistance from the Society De Propaganda Fide. With respect to the school conducted by the Sisters of Mercy, no child is refused admission, irrespective of the creed of the parents or their ability to pay for education. On the withdrawal of the Government stipends to the certificated teachers, a regular system of canvassing through the town was adopted, by means of which the schools were maintained in their present state of efficiency, although unendowed.

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert