PRESBYTERIAN.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2280, 11 November 1897, Page 23

PRESBYTERIAN .

Ninth Day— Thursday."

The Presbyterian Synod resumed its sittings yesterday forenoon. The Moderator (the Rev. W. Will) presided, and there was-a fair attendance of ministers and elders.

CHURCH EEECTION AND FINANCE. '■ • Mr A. C Begg (convener) presented the report .of the Church Erection and Finance Cjmmittee, from which the following are extracts : —

Your committee has to report that the following payments of grants have been made during the year ending 30th September : — Grants for churches : Chinese Mission Church, £189 18s ;■ Ophir, £120; Bhieskin (bilance), £70; Middlemarch (balance), £100 ; Dunrobin (balance), £50 : — ' .total, £5-28 18s. Grants for manses : Gore, £50 ; Inverc^rgiU, South, £50 ; Tapanui, £50 ; Clutha, £50 ; Winton, £50 ; Invercargill. St. Paul'?, £50 ; Kaikorai, £50 ; Pukerau, £5'J ; Caversham. £50 :' Lovtll's *h»t, v £3')o-; Forest Hill, £250; Kast Taieri, £50; North Taieri, £50; Wallacetowo, £50; Clinton, £50; Bueskin, £50; Ksutanguta, £50; Oamaru, St. Paul's, ,£SO; Brighton, £50; West Taieri, £50 ; Chinese Mission, Dunedin, £250;— total, £1702. Grants for sites : Queenstovvn, £50 ; Forest Hill, £43 ; Dunedin, Chinese Mission, £200 ; Ophir, £11 ; OlyUevale (survey fee*), £4;— total,4 ;— total, £313. Your committee conaideied the following applications, and recommends that they be sanctioned, subject' to the regulations : — Purakanui, grant for new church ; Tahatika, grant for newchurch ; Ravensbourne, grant for new chuich ; Hyde, grant for new church (renewal of grant) ; Puerua, grant for new church (renewal of grant) ; Queenstown, grant for enlargement of church ; Orepuki, grant for church repairs, .£39 ; Arrowto wnj grant for church repairs,* £50 ; Mabel, 'grant tor church repairs, £6 3s ; .f altnereton, Crant for church repairs, £50 ;■ Maheuo, grant forchurch repaiis, £30; Waikoikoi, grant for church repairs ; Blue Spur, grant for chinch lepairg, £10 ;, Lawrence, grant for chuich repniis, £30 j Dunedin, First Church, grant for church, lepaira, £50 ; Anderson's Bay, giant for church repiirs; Green Island, grant for church repairs ; Saddle Hill, grant for church repairs, £11 (renewal of grant). •An application, through the Southland Presbytery, for grants for repairs made to Flint's Bush and Grower's Bush churches in 1890 aud 1892 respectively was considered, and it was resolved that as these case^ do not come under the regulations they cannot be sanctioned.

An application, through the Oamaru Presbytery, for a futther grant for the manse at Dunbank of £50 was considered, and as it was not in accordance with the regulations it was decided to refer the matter to the synod.

An application, through the Southland Presbytery, to authorise the sale of the manse and site at Bluff and for a grant for a new manse and site was referred to the aynod.

Mr .Fred. Smith, general treasurer, applied for an increase of salary, and, after full consideration of all. the circumstances of the case, your committee agreed to recommend the synod to p*y Mr Smith a salary at the rate of £200 per annum, Mr Smith providing office accommodation. .

The accounts of the several funds of the church for the past year are submitted herewith, and show an increase, the am ou tits being : 1896, £29,175 14s 10 1 ; 18^7, £30.885 6s 6 1.

Your committee ag4iii draws the attention of tbe synod to the very oppressive amount of taxation levied by Government on .the church land, the gross income of the . ecclesiastical and manse reserve funds being £3981 l(k 9d. and the land tax paid on same being £606 15a 6d, or at the rate of over 3s in, the pound.

Your committee recommends that a transfer of £1000 ba made from the ecclesiastical fund to the manse reserve fund, as this sum is now-available for this purpose. -

It was agreed to s?ll the manse at Dunback, and erect a new cottage manse in terms of the regulations, the money received from the sale to form part of the grant authorised.

'With regard to the' Bluff application it was resolved th»t it be gr*nted ia< terms of regulation VIII, and tbat the price of the sale cf tbe manse he added, and that the price of the sale of the site go towards 1 paying the price- of the new site. The synod having considered the position of the general treasurer, agreed to adopt the recommendation of the committee upon it.

The following deliverance was agreed to : — "Adopt the report ; record the special thanks of the synod to the convener of the committee ; also to Mr F. Smith, general treasurer, for' the excellent manner in which the several accounts have been laid before the synod ; instruct, the committee to petition Parliament in reference to the excessive taxation of the church property ; instruct the committee to collect inform»tion regarding.the funds in. -the hands of the various committees, and to report to the synod in M*rch next as to the «/d visibility of forming a board of trustees to hold such funds :r: r further, express satisfaction with the increase in tbe funds' of the church during the past year."

THE JUBILEE CBLBBRATIONS.

The Rev. J. Chisholm said at the close of lust synod members would remember that it was deemed advisable to appoint the Dunedin Presbytery a committee to make some inquiries and ascertain whether some alternative scheme to that then proposed could be suggested to commemorate the Jubilee of the church. ever, after very full and patient inquiry it had been found that there was no other scheme bo suitable as the orphanage scheme then proposed. A great deal could have been brought forward in connection with this matter, but. in order to show the need of something being done he would refer' briefly to the last report of the industrial schools presented to Parliament. He found from that report that during the year 203 new icmat's bad been added to those already iv the industrial schools. Now here was a more significant fact : that in the Government schools tbe number of inmates declined from 1094 to 1087, and in private schoo's the number rose from 451 to 4-72. Those figures showed that destitute orphans ware being taken from the Government; institutions and were being provided for in private schools. Religious denominations were, indeed, bestirring themselves to get these children under their control. The new inmates in the industrial schools were divided with respect to the religious denominations as follows :— Church of England 80, Roman Catholic 72, Presbyterian 38, Methodists 6. Thirty-eight children belonging to the Presbyterian Church it would be seen had been sent to the industrial schools during the year. That, of- course, included the whole of New. Zealand. In Otago. there were at any rate about 100 children belonging to the Presbyterian Church who were inmitesof the Industrial School. By inmates he meant children under the control of the Industrial School. Members of the synod knew that the* Industrial School had adopted the boarding-out system. He had no doubt tbat so far as the bodily wants of the children were concerned they were well cared for. The supervision seemed to him to-be perhaps all that was necersary. The children were carefully looked after, and any neglect was at once found out and remedied ; but so far as the religious education of tbe children was concerned there was no direct supervision exercised by the Presbyterian 'or any other church. Those children who were boarded out ■ with families might receive Christian training, but, if tbe families were nob connected " with any. church, they were allowed .to grow up as they liked. There was, therefore, very great need for the Presbyterian Church to do something to set these children connected with the

church. If they aeb to work in connection with this matter they^rnjght accomplish a great deal .of good., He would move — "That the synod resolve to celebrate its Jubilee by instituting an orphanage scheme iv connection with the church, to be called the Jubilee Orphanage Scheme of the Presbyterian. Church of Ota go and Southland."

The Rev. W. Bannerman said the synod ought to know something about the cost of carrying out such a scheme before committing themselves to it.

The Rev. Mr Chisholm said if the synod wished him to go into the mutter more fully he was quits willing to do so, but he had wished to save time. At a meeting of business men in Dunedin the whole matter of expenses was gone infc'>. He had received- a letter from Mr Cameron oq the subject, stating that it was proposed to erecS a house with ten rooms in brick. He might, however, state that the intention was not to erect a horns in the sense of finding a building capable of holding all the orphans belonging to the Presbyterian' Church. He believed it w»s now taken for granted that -the boarding-out system was by far the best system. Tbe advantage would simply be this : that the church would get hold of their own orphans and place them with Presbyterian families, and the children would be under the direct supervision of ministers of the church, and get a Christian up-bringing. But it would be necessary to have a house in which to receivH the children before they were boarded out. Such a house witti the necessary furniture would cos 1 ! from £1000 to £1200. The annual cost of mnintenance-woull be £350. This would provide for a married couple and afford provision for detaining children in the home fora.Bb.ort time. Subscriptions could be obtained to provide for this £350, and the' money thus got could be supplemented ao far as need be "by church collections. Then] Government subsidies would also come in.

The Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland said 6he synod wanted to know what the maintenance of 100 children would be.

The R j v. J. Chisholm said they would cost the synod nothing at all, because the synod would receive from the Charitable Aid Bjard the CGSb of their maintenance.

Mr R. Chisholm said ouq point ought to be made very clear to the synod. The expense of thece children being boarded out would not fall upon the synod at all. If the orphanage was established the method of procedure would be something like this : One hundred subscribers might be got in order to bring the orphanage under the clause of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act with reference to separate institutions. Then the orphanage would be subsidised by the Government as a separate institution. Any orphan belonging to the Presbyterian Church that was brought before a magistrate would be committed to the orphanage, and the synod would not contribute a single sixpence to the support of that child. .

After tome further discussion the motion was put and carried.

The Rev. J. Chtshot,m ihen moved — "That a committee consisting of the Revs. Borrie, He wit sin, Sutherland, Gibb, Cameron, and Chisholm, and Messrs A. C. Begg, W. D.. Stewart;, Henderson, M'Nicoll, R. Chit-holm, Keith Ramsay, and Glendfning, with power to add to their number, be appointed to draw up a provisional scheme for the institution -and support of the orphanage, transmit tha same to sessions and deacons' courts for their opinion; make an appenl to congregations within the bounds on behalf of the Jubilee orphanage fund, and report to the meeting of svnod'to be held in Marcb "

The motion was agreed to,

The synod confirmed tTie action of the Dunedin Presbytery in inviting deputies from the Home country to t*ke part in the Jubilee celebrations.

The Moderator staled that the synod, had learned tbat the Free Cnureh of Scotland hid ■'determined to send a deputation, and a committee consisting of the moderator, the clerk of the synod, aiid the Rev Mr Finlayson were appointed -a committee to address invitations to the several Australasian churches to take . pju-fc ia the Jubilee celebrations.

A.tIANDBOOK.

The R*v.. J. Chisholm reported that the committee appoiuted to reporb with reference. to a handbook foe use in the church, recommended that the work by the lute Professor James Candlish be used. He moved — '• T.hafc the report lie on the table for further consideration." — The motion w*s agreed to.

APPLICATION FOE ADMISSION.

The Rev. D. K. Fisher, of the Congregational Church, Port Chalmers, was admitted as a minister of the church.

A SYNOD HAI.L.

The Rev. Mr Cameron said the erection of a synod hall had been blocked by the fact that the money could not be obtained from the fund that the synod supposed it could be obtaiaed from, *ud the com re it tee who had the matter in i hand thought that the synod ouj.'ht, in fairness to the Deacons' Court, and in order to meet the needs of the* Theological College and its own j needs, to implement the resolution c&rried at last synod. He would therefore more — " Th»t j an interim act be framed and sent "down to' sessions: 'That it shall b« lawful for the 'synod td apply,' in writing, under the 'hand of the moderator for the time being; that so ronch and snch portions or portion of the' fund described in the act of, 1866 as the' ecclesiastical fund shall. be applied by the Board of Property for the purpose of paying £350 per annum for seven years from the date of its adoption towards the salaries of teachers in the Theological College." i

The Bey, D. Borrik seconded the motion, which, after some discussion, was adopted.

RWFORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON STATISTICS.

The Committee on Statistics reported that the membership of the church now stood at 13 965, showing an increase for the year of 421, pretty equally distributed amoug-it six presbyteries and 77 charges. The number of persons received by examination was 713, as against 732 la«t year. Last year the committee recommended to moderators and clerks of sessions care and accuracy in the keeping and purging of the roll. They were pleased to notice indications of increased attention to the completeness and correctness of the returns. "The. reports from year to year might be looked upon . as « perfectly reliable statement of the growth and expansion of the church. The aggregate statistics of presbyteries were as follow :—: — -

The. synod subsequently adjourned till the evening, ~

On the synod resuming in the evening, The Moderator intimated that at a meeting of ex-moderatora it was agreed to recommend jthat the next moderator ba the Rev. G. Lindsay, of Invercargill. — (Aoplause )

CHURCH INSURANCE,

The Rev. A. Cameron brought; up the report of the Committee on Church Insurance. It showed that in 1896 97 the total insurance on churches was £71,640 and that on manses, including ministers' furniture and effects, £50.155. The total premiums- were: On churchee, £271 5^ 2d, or *n aversjre rate of 7s 7d per cent. ; on m\nsrs. &?., £270 17a 6d, or an average rate of 10a 9d per cent. The Committee stated :

Thu3 it appears that we are paying for insurance more than £siO per annum. During the last six years we have paid through the general treasurer £2397, and not one panny, so far as cxn -be di; covered, has been paid for loss by fire. If we go further back, we find that no building haa been even damaged by fire during the last 20 yeurs — at least with trifling exception? Compare with this the exparieuca of the Otago Edncitlon Board, which insures its own property : — Losses by fire during the last 10 years, £810 ; total annual premiums required to insure the board's property, £588 12a. Thus one year's premiums almost cover the whole loss for 10 years. Having thus found how matters stand within our own church, we sought for information, regarding the churches in Gi-eat Etibain which have tried- a church insurance scheme. We kn.ow of Ffeven churoh scheme?, and find that .in all ra«es they are a pronounced success. F.om all quarters your comrriittee have received information which nrakes it evident that the insurance of its own property by the church would result in a large annual saving. But *when we turn to ways and means we find our.selve* face to "f-«-<SP with unexpected difficulties. The;churches at " Home have in eich c*se, where ah insurance "scheme is at work, formed a company with a "sniaU pu/d-up capital, on which a miximum. dividend of 5 or 4 per cent, may be paid, the remaining profits goinp to form a reserve fund to pay grants to church schemes. Your committee be ieve that the formation of a small company, whore shareholders would receive not more than 5 per cent, on piid -up capital, is the only safe way of floiting a church schema ; but at present we are precluded from following this course; as our Parliament demxndshy its Stamp Act an annual fee of £200 fiom all registered insurance companies, besides requi ipg that the liability of all shareholder* be unlimited. The advantages to ba gained from self insurance by the church are such as to warrant the committee in recommending that it be continued, with instructions to take whatever steps it may see fit for overcoming the obstacles in the way, and to report to n«xt synod.

On the motion of Mr Cameron, seconded by Mt R, Chisuolm, the report was adopted.

THE UNION QUESTION.

The Rev. J. Gibb rend the answers to tbe _ protest lodged by" Mr A. C. B9;/g. tbe Revs. "Banne>mTO, Clarke, and obners agdirsst the synod, taking >ny overt action to consummate the proponed union with the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand on the basis adopted by the synod. • The answer to the protest by Mr Begg and ot-hers was-as follows: — "It is inßcsurate to affirm that the bisis adopted by the. synod is not generally satisfactory to the church Forty- nine sessions in their returns to the remit approved of union, and of these 41 accepted the basis practically in its entirety ; only 19 seasons, moat of them smaU, disap-. proved. By-»- majority of almost 2 to -I the the synod has approved of the basis. The law of the church Is that majorities shall' rale, and the members who have voted for the basis not only justify the 0 church in proceeding to consummate union, they leave no othsr course open ' •to ib." The answer to tbs protest by 'Mr,' Banner man was, as foHows : — "The first part of this reason — -namely, the alleged' departure from ordiuation vowa and tli» constitution of the church. — is contrary to fa"t. The doctrinal constitution, preserved by the btsis of uniou i« identical with that of the Oh* go Church as now existing. < In answer to the latter part it only nesds to be pointed out fchab the Amendments made in the basis of uniou involve no material depar'ure from the articles which have been made the „ confederation of the cburch for the lait 12 months." The following were tbe answers -to the reasons of the protest by Mr Clarke: — v (1) t This iff met- in the answer to Me BfeanermWa protest. (2) This if§''Mr-Cl*rke'« opinion. The synod has clearly manifested that ,it thioks otherwise. „(3) Me Clarke does not specify whence the danger to the church will arise. ; There is no. reason, to believe in the existence of | the state of feeling assumed by Mr Clarke. In "the face of the majority in favour of union in synod and throughout the church, the synod is bonnd to go forward with the woik it has ■ taken in hand ; to draw back now would be both weak and dishonourable. (4) There has already been patient and long-continued in- ■ quiry ; the whole subject has been carefully examined in 'all its bearings ; and the voting of tha synod is an emphatic call to resolute action."

After reading the answers, Mr Gißn mentioned that there were originally 40 names on the. protest, but eight hud bsen deleted by the ruling of the moderator.

The Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland protested against any names being- deleted from the protest for the following reasons:— (l) That; the procedure was without consMt-itioiial authority ; (2) that it was without precedent ; (3) that' it was subversive- of the -right* aud privileges] of members of synod. . . ■ : ■ The Moderator,- however, ruled the protest out of order.

CHURCH EXTBNSIOV.

The report of the" Church Extension Committee contains the following clauses :—: —

The sphere of our operations has_ not altered during the year except in a few details.

1. — Church Extension Charges. There are now five church extension charges entitled to grant 3 according to regulations: — L Wanaka — This charge has finished its three years under our regulations, but, by direction of last synod, ha? again been placed upon them for a similar term. This is the fir*t case in which a church extension charge has failed to reach the higher sanctioned platform, or to be subdivided within the tinn proposed by the regulations. For this there is ample reason in the continued depression of the farming and mining industries in that wide district. 2 lliversdale. — Riversdale is now in its third year as a church extension charge, but has be jorae vacant by the translation of Mr Carter to Waikaia.

3< Waikaia.— This charge became vacant during the yeav by the resignation of Mr Lowe, but has been filled up by the translation of Mr Carter from Riversdale.

4. LoveU's Flat and Hillend.— This charge, which was sanctioned two- years; ago, has been filled up by the ordination and induction of Mr P. B. Fraser, and promises well. 5. -Pukerau.— Pukerau has also been sanctioned, and will be settled by the ordinatiop and induction of Mr Howes, one of our students, as soon as he is licensed by Dunedin-Presbytery. • ' ,

Sr- — Mission Charges. By mission charges we m-an tho«e districts under the full charge of a missionary, md not wrought as part of another congregation. ' We have 12 such charges, and report of them, as follows :—: — ' " ~ "*

1. Macraes, Dunback. Ac— This charge is still unable to implement the church extension regu-' lations, and rapks only as- a .mission charge. Since Mr Fraser removed to Lovejl's Flat this district has been supplied by the Rev. W. Panton Srown with acceptance. The Oamaru Preaby-

teiy asks that he be continued there for anothe* six. months. - 2. Forest Hill, Hokonui.— This district still contmueß under the vigorolfa'tiiinistiatton of M» (Jarues M'Caw. "It is not^yet id; a condition ta implement the church extension regulations. 3 Orepuki.— This wide and beautiful district has been vigorously worked as in former years by Mr Main, assisted by a staff of helpers. Mr Hai» is leaving the charge after nine years of earnest, faithful service, and the committee hope to find another suitable sphere for him. The Southland Presbytery request that this be erected into a church extension charge, which request the committee will no doubt gladly grant should their tuuds warrant them in doing so. 4. Oterainika. —Mr Gardner was removed from Pukerau to this district, and prosecutes his work successfully. "5. Waikawa and Mokoreta.— This wide but sparsely-settled district has been supplied «for a greater part of the year by Messrs Howes and Charles Ham. It cost the committee £34 2s for the year, but got "only a grant of £13 10s for the last half-year. The contributions for the district amountedto £41 4s 9d.

6 Catlins outfi9lds.— This needy district has been supplied for the greater parti of the year by Messrs Ttut and Gilbert (students). The financial returns from it have been very smallj £29 18s sd, and it has cost your comrnittea the laiye gum of £P8 4s lid, ars they had I ) p*y at $he rate of over ±2 per week. Ib is a standing problem how to deal with this district so as not to cripple our fi nances. 7. Hindon and Lea- Stream. — This mission charge has, been supplied for the yeai^by Messip A. Kirkiand and J M'Leod., In tha winter the diitrict get* iortaightly,- and iv the lummer monthß weekly, services Tim returns for the year show the small amount of £49 12 i 2d. It got a grant of £25 ifrorn your committee and £210s through, the convener. It i» hoped that next year, with a change of the place of service from Lee Stream tq-a more central and settled locality, a more favourable" report iliay be given.' 8: Hurnilton3,'&6'— ThU district has been, vigorously worked by Mr 1 JamiesW (stuileht) and Mr Cawley (a missionary). " Both these gentlemea have done good work, and the returns from th* district nhow contributions to the amount of £62 0* Bd, of which £44 6a lid was for the last halfyear. It has coit your committee £58 0s 4d. These results, as well as the missionary's report, show that the committee acted wisely in beginning work here,<and justify the hope that it will toon be a church extension charge, with a settled ministei

Besides these mission charges that receive grants and report to your committee, there are others that have no connection with our fundi, and do not report. These ara— South Invercargill, supplied by Key. A. Stobo ; Saddle Hill, BHgh. too, *c, supplied by Mr William Stewart ; Tuapeka West, under the charge of Mr John M'Caw ; and Pui\ikanui and Mount Cargill, erected daring the year into a mUsion charge, and under the care of Mr Tennent, jun. Of the work in these charges we have no report, but believa that good work is being done.

S.— Other Mission Stations.

There are other mission stations, either worked in connection with congregations or that have had temporary supply. Thv.se are :—: — 1. Kurow and Hekateramea, in connection with Upper WaiUki, where Mr Parlane has worked during the year with acceptance. This district got a grant of £15 from our funds.

2. There h&s beeu a missionary— Mr Shore, one of our students — in connection with the wide parish of Queenstdwn during the summer. This ww 80 successful that it required no graut from the committee, but had a surplus of about 25s to hand over to the general treasurer for church extension fund

3. Mr Collie ■ did (food work assisting Mr Lothian at Alexandra and . Glyda, .and your committee x made a ' grant of . ;£tl tojprarcis the expense. ■ , ti~ i ' ' • 4. • The Southland ' Presbytery , se'nfc Mr John M'Leod to Preservation. Inlet, for *a few months, and your committee mads a grant of £7 10s to wacds liis salary, the balance -being raised either locaily or in Invercargill. It_is proposed to send some student there Hgaih thU summer. - .'■■•;' 5. The Mfttaur* Preshytery has establialted services 'at M«rino Downs; and;' Mr Nichol Ua3 been labouring there, refusing to tatke a grant while our funds are so low. Mr Tait goes there duting the summer. ' ; * 6. Services are still conducted at^Leitk Valley and Pine Hill by members of" Knox Ohnrch, asfjisted by oth-r help-rs, *nd thus good work is being done in these suburban localities.

■ The Staff. . - • The following were employed, or are open for employment under your committee. \Ve do nob include ministers settle 1 in church extension charges : —

Ministers.— Revs.. Pn.nto_u Brown, John Waters, James Niven, B. C. Morrison, J. Watson Smith, P. B.- F/^ser, and R. 1 ircliie-. Mi 1 Fraaer has been ordained and irirJu^.ted into the church extension charge of L^vell's Flat, and j.he Rev. James Niven has been employed for the la*t six months at Blenheim. -Mr Dickia'was also a few months ia 'the' north -

mfcsioriariei. — Messrs Stewart, Ham, Gardner, James M'Caw, John M'Oaw, Parlane, and Caw'ley. Mr Parlane was requested to undertake work at Otagjo Central. Students — Messrs Collie and Hawei (both applying for license), Januoson, Tnir',' Kirklanrt, K. Wiight, D. Wright, C+irney, Bertram", M'Leorl, B'air, Shore, Welch, Gilbert, and M'lvor. Mr Hovro is likely to be settled at Pukerau as soon as he can be licensed, nti-i Mr Collie goes to Kasfc Taieri to .aisitit Mr Will for some time. Mr Jamieson goes to Kiversdale, Mr Tait to Merino Downs, while Mr M'Leod continues at Hindon and Lee Stream.

There are plenty of students to supply all the outfields during the summer months, but -there will be a diifi:ulty when they return to their studies.

'■■ Finance. , » . We began the year with a debit balance of £16 Mi lid, inst-.a'd, of ». "credit, balance, asformeriy. of over "£l6O "td/freet lWfeillties forthe half-year that expires before *n,e.w,contri'butians come. in. <A special ap"p3al-w?2"J niade to the, church, 'and some congregatlbus'i'esporwed liberally, so that the cong eeational contributions this ye*e reach, -the «urn of £376 17a Id, as compared, >vith £27*8**3 d I*sfc year. This amount should be reduced by £ 0 refund and £9 178 7d specially contributed by Dunedin Presbytery for otago Central. Still this shows an increase of about jBIOO on the regular congregational contributions l**t year. This is gratifying. But though we have an increased revenue we have alto jin increased expenditure, and the year end< with a debit balance of J£.')l 0s Bd. We are thus in a very difficult position, and cannot meet our liabilities for current half-year. The fact is, our liabilities, through multiplying church extension charges and the cost ot Oatlins outfield, Otago Central, and Waikawa, aie too hewy for our income, and sorae'hing niU3t be done to equalise them. TJn'ess some of these church extension charges can be advanced to the higher platform we shall have to amend the regulations and reduce grant? all round— a very~unwelcoine task indeed. In conclusion, your committee would thank Miss M. R. M. and the other donors to the church, extension fund*, and would bespeak a deeper interest on the part of members of synod in this very important work — the work of supplying the Gospel and its ordinances to the scattered settler* within our bounds.

The Key. D Borrib moved the following deliverance: — "Adopt tbe report and thank Miss M.R.M. and the other donors for their gifts ; express gratitude to God for tbe increase in the congregational contributions this year ; express the hope that the awakened interest may continue ; request the Clutha Presbytery to take vigorous steps to putr Catling outfields in a more satisfactory condition, that it may draw less from the funds of this* committee ; request' the Mataura Presbytery to do the satna with Waihemo.and Mokoreta ; anew commend church extension work to. the , prayers and sympathy of the church ; instruct the committee to amend the regulations and aend them down to presbjteries for consideration, presbyteries I to report to the committee not later than " August next." - , '«--,.-,, The Rev. I. Jolly leconded tb^ deliver ajaco* which WftiftdOPted,

6 CO I Is .-°s 428 , 301 187 131 J44 74 155 122 212 54 •87 '56 o S 03 j a° 5,734 2,372 1.533 2,308 1,523 ■ 495 Dunedin . . Clutfca "... Matsura ... Southla ad Oamara ... Du'nstan ... 22 13 11 17 8 6 279 155 130 277 J32 110 Total, 1897' Total, 1898 7/ 77 1,015 1,213 i 976 1,191 737 831 13,965 13,544 On the tuotioc (convener) the n of he Rev. A. M. Dabymple wm received* mori