GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 128, 12 March 1930, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, March 11. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church continued, its sessions to-day. In connection with the Beneficiary Fund Committee’s report, on the motion of Mr V. G. Chapman (Church Treasurer), it was resolved that Regulation 5 be amended to read as follows: “(w) Subject to Regulation 9, all ministers, professors and missionaries shall be members of the fund. Ordained home missionaries may become members of this fund.” Mr V. G. Chapman moved and Mr J. S. Gairgray seconded, and it was agreed, “That the paragraph regarding war service in Regulation 20 be amended to read as follows: ‘War service, whether the member was then an ordained minister or not and whether in training camps in New Zealand or on active service abroad, shall count as ministerial service, provided that evidence of such service shall, be submitted to the committee not later than June 30, 1930. In the case of men ordained prior to enlistment, such service shall count from enlistment to date'of settlement after discharge from the army.’ ” The committee was instructed (a) to secure an actuarial investigation of the women’s beneficiary fund as at sent constituted, (b) to supply to the actuary the necessary data and obtain from him an estimate of the cost of placing all the women workers within New Zealand on the fund under the existing regulation. At the evening session, the report of > the ‘Public Questions Committee was brought forward, and resolutions were agreed to bearing on Sunday trains and gambling facilities, with special reference to art unions. The Assembly confirmed the action of the committee in insisting upon the recognition of the rights of conscience and equal treatment of all conscientious objectors claiming exemption under the Defence Act. It was also resolved to request the Government to remove the sentence of deprivation, of civil rights for ten years, imposed on Miller and Richards in Auckland. In regard to compulsory military training, the Assembly reaffirmed its conviction that the military activities of the countrv should be reduced as much as possible, and that compulsory military training should be abolished. A resolution was passed urging that ministers should work through the Nelson system of religious instruction in schools where possible.