Survey of missionary stations, New Zealand.
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New Zealand.
The B F Bible Society has received 50l. for Bibles from Auckland, and 50l. from the Wellington Auxiliary--P. 220.
CHRISTIAN-KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY.
The Society has granted 1000l. in aid of the endowment of a Bishopric for Canterbury Settlement. Archdeacon Wm. Williams, who has been labouring in the Eastern District of New Zealand, when at the Board, informed the Society that the edition of the Liturgy in the New-Zealand Language, printed and issued at this Society's expense, had been exhausted, and that the demand for copies in the islands was very great. He said, "Every New-Zealander who can read wishes to
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SURVEY OF MISSIONARY STATIONS. [MAY]
Christian- Knowledge Society--
have the work in his possession:" and he added, that the number of actual Communicants during the last year was upward of 5000.
It was agreed that steps be taken, under the direction of the Foreign-Translation Committee, for another edition of the Liturgy in the New-Zealand Language. --P. 220.
CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
STATIONS AND LABOURERS--The Stations are taken in their order from north to south. Kaitaia lies in the north-west of the Northern Island; the five which follow are connected with the Bay of Islands. At a considerable distance to the southward lie Waikato, at the mouth of the river of that name, on the west coast, and Manukau, 25 miles inland; east of Manukau lies Hauraki; and further eastward, on the coast, Tauranga. Rotorua is in the centre of the Island--Poverty Bay, or Turanga, nearly in the same latitude, on the east coast--and Entry Island, or Kapati, off the southwest coast, and is the head-quarters of a district extending along the coast, from Port Nicholson on the south to the River Wanganui on the north. One Missionary at one time resided at Nelson, in the Middle Island.
NORTHERN DISTRICT--Kaitaia: 1834: Joseph Matthews: W. G. Puckey, Cat. --Kerikeri, with an Out-Station at Wangaroa: 1839: James Kemp, Cat. -- Waimate; 1831: Robert Burrows -- Kaikohe: Richard Davis, 2 European Teachers; Nat. As., 49 --Communicants, 560 -- Schools, 68: Scholars, 2689. There are 10 Churches built with boards, and between 30 and 40 native-built rush Chapels.
MIDDLE DISTRICT--Bishop's Auckland: George Adam Kissling: Robert Vidal, Sec. of Mission--Waikato: Robert Maunsell: Kaitotehe: 1843: Benj. Yate Ashwell--Otawao: 1843: John Morgan --Hauraki: Thomas Lanfear -- Tauranga: 1835: Archd. Alfred N. Brown, Christopher P. Davis -- Rotorua: Thomas Chapman, Seymour M. Spencer --Opitiki: John Alex. Wilson, Cat.; 1 European Teacher -- Ahikereru: James Preece, Cat.; 74 Nat. As. --Communicants, 1184 -- Last returns give Schools, 93: Scholars, 5418. There are nearly 100 native-built Chapels, and about 10,000 attendants at Public Worship.
EASTERN DISTRICT--Hicks' Bay: Poverty Bay or Turanga: T. S. Grace-- East Cape: Ralph Barker -- Uawa: Charles Baker -- Wairoa: James Hamlin--Heretaunga: Wm. Colenso; 139 Nat. As. This District contains 5 Stations, viz. Turanga, in Poverty Bay, at which Archdeacon Williams used to reside -- Uawa, 36 miles north of Turanga, where Mr. C. Baker commenced a new Station --Heretaunga, East Cape, and Wairoa -- Communicants, 2893-- Schools, 78: Pupils, 3554.
WESTERN DISTRICt -- Entry Island: Wanganui: Richard Taylor -- Pipiriki: John Telford, Printer: 1 European Teacher -- Kapiti: Archd. Octavius Hadfield --Otaki: Samuel Williams-- 156 Nat. As. -- Communicants, 1064 -- Last year's returns give Schools, 28: Scholars, 2322. The Ven. Archd. W. Williams and Mrs. Williams arrived in England on the 29th of April, accompanied by the Chief Thompson Te Rauparaha. Rev. W. C. Dudley sailed for New Zealand on the 13th of June--Pp. 220-222, 288, 327.
The Committee having learnt that the minds of several of their Missionaries in New Zealand have been painfully affected by remarks which have been publicly made, assigning the origin of the late war in New Zealand in some degree to the proceedings in which they had been concerned, feel it right to de-
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clare that there was no intention whatever on the part of this Committee to give the slightest colour or countenance to the charges complained of; and further, that a careful examination of documents submitted to them connected with these transactions establishes the conclusion, in their judgment, that the disturbances in New Zealand were in no respect attributable to any acts of the Missionaries; and that the conduct of the Missionaries throughout those trying and eventful times was calculated to engender in the minds of the Natives loyalty toward the British Authority, and respect and affection toward themselves. [Committee.
GOSPEL-PROPAGATION SOCIETY.
No report has been received from Auckland since our last Survey-- P. 222.
RELIGIOUS-TRACT SOCIETY.
The Society has sent Books on sale, value 50l., to Auckland, and granted 17,900 Tracts. Books, principally on sale, value 56l., have been sent to Wellington, and 16,984 Tracts--P. 222.
WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
STATIONS AND LABOURERS--Auckland: Walter Lawry, General Superintendant of the Society's Missions in New Zealand, and Visitor of those in the Friendly Islands and Feejee; Joseph H. Fletcher, in charge of the School for the education of the children of the Missionaries in New Zealand, the Friendly Islands, and Feejee; Alexander Reid, Master of the Native Training Institution: Thomas Buddle--Kawhia: John Whiteley--Mangungu and Wangaroa: John Hobbs -- Waima and Newark: John Warren--Wairoa (Kaipara): James Buller--Waingaroa and Waipa: James Wallis, George Buttle--Aotea (Beechamdale) and Manukau: Henry H. Lawry, Gideon Smales-- Taranaki, North (New Plymouth): Henry H. Turton--Taranaki, South (Waimate): William Woon-- Waitotara: George Stannard, As. -- Wanganui and Taupo: William Kirk -- Wellington, Kapiti, and Cloudy Bay: John Aldred, James Watkin--Middle Island: Nelson: Samuel Ironside -- Waikowaiti, near Otago: Charles Creed -- Gratuitous Sunday-School Teachers, 484; Local Preachers, 354 -- Communicants, 4422 --Scholars: Boys, 4148 --Girls, 3123--Pp. 222, 408, 488.
Scriptural Christianity has taken deep root in the native mind, and is generally received throughout the land. Very few remain in heathenism. Popery makes no perceptible progress among the Natives, as, by God's mercy, the Scriptures were in the hands of the people before the Romish Priests arrived. Almost all the aboriginal families throughout New Zealand read the Scriptures, and pray together both morning and evening. As a population, they have a high sense of justice, and, generally, they adhere to the Truth: this is the more remarkable, as the very opposite was their character before the Missionaries arrived among them. Colonization has had its influence on the Missions in New Zealand, secularizing the Natives in some localities; but happily the evil has not been so great as might have been feared. Among the rising generation there exists a great thirst for knowledge, especially religious knowledge, which we are endeavouring to furnish as fast as our means will permit; but the supply is not equal to the demand, although the Governor-in-Chief, Sir George Grey, is most anxious to afford us all the assistance in his power, both from his private purse and the Government Funds. Our efforts at the Institution, where there are about 150 young New Zealanders under instruction, have been, so far, most cheering in their results. [Rev. Walter Lawry.
Considerable interruption to the work has been experienced in the Waingaroa Circuit, in consequence of "many of our people having been engaged in defensive warfare during the last twelve months." "It is, however, gratifying to know," says the Missionary, "that while they have felt it to be their duty to make a firm stand against the tribes who have endeavoured to drive them away from their cultivations and their home, the influence of Christian Principle has been so far de-
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Wesleyan Missionary Society--
veloped as to induce them to exercise the utmost forbearance under provocations and insults, which in former days would have resulted in the sacrifice of many lives." [Report.
The Native Training School at Three Kings begins to assume a cheerful aspect. The cultivation rising around imparts to it an air of comfort, which our young folks seem to know how to appreciate; and not the less so when they regard it as the result of their own labours, which have been cheerfully rendered. We have this season about 50 acres. In addition to the usual labour of cultivating, 20 acres have been cleared, and 61 chains of fencing done by the lads. There is at present a fair prospect of all our food for the coming year being supplied from our own farm.
[Mr. Reid.
Of the above-mentioned Institution the Editor of the "New Zealander," speaking of the examination, says--
The character of the impression made on the minds of the visitors by the evidences of the acquirement of knowledge which the scholars exhibited could not be adequately conveyed in any verbal description; and if it could, we almost fear that we should expose ourselves to the charge of exaggerating the facts. It is not too much to say, however, that the highest expectations which any had entertained were greatly surpassed by the reality; and that the gratification produced by the sight of so many Natives in such a condition of intellectual and moral training was equalled by the surprise that, within so short a period as that which has elapsed since most of them were brought from the Bush, a progress should have been made which we do not hesitate to say might put to the blush the improvement accomplished within a corresponding time in many European Seminaries of celebrity.
GOSNERS MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
NEW ZEALAND--Chatham Island: Franc. Schirmeister, Dav. Muller, Oskar Beyer, Hein. Bauker, T. G. Engst--P. 223.
NORTH-GERMAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY AT BREMEN, FORMERLY IN HAMBURG.
NEW ZEALAND--Ruapuki: Wohlers, Abr. Honore, M. Meier--P. 223.
By far the majority of the Natives in this neighbourhood have become Christians through Mr. Wohlers' labours. Not only young people, but old grey-headed men and mothers express a desire for baptism. But by the side of such encouraging news the Missionaries had to announce the detraction of their property and all the Mission Premises by fire. [Report.
Warea: Reimenschneider--Waianea: Volkner--P. 223.
