METHODIST SYNOD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 283, 26 November 1908, Page 5

METHODIST SYNOD.

The Auckland District Methodist Synod resumed its sittings after lunch yesterday, the president (Rev. Geo. Bond) again presiding. FJBCOMMENDATIONS TO CONFERENCE. It was recommended to Conference that additional preachers be secured for the following circuits:—-Onehunga, a probationer for Otahuhu; Whangarei, a probationer for Hikurangi; Hamilton, a home missionary for outlying , places. The request of Auckland East Cir- | cuit, to be relieved of its obligation to take an additional married minister for next year, was supported by the Synod. HOME MISSION WORK. The report and balance-sheet of the Home Mission Fund were presented by Mt F. L. Prime. The amount raised in the Auckland district was £742, and the expenditure, £1870 9/5. The estimated income for next year is .£S4S, and this amount has been allocated among the circuits. The Home Mission grants recommended for the district for the ensuing year are as follows:—Tauranga, £10; Coromandel, £30; Helens-ville, £2,0; Bay of Islands, £20; Hokianga, £20; Whangaroa, £30; Mahurangi. £30; Paeroa, £50; Upper Thames, £20; or £40 if two home missionaries are employed; Whangarei, £40; Huntly, £20; Rotorua, £30; Franklin, £25. The thanks of the Synod were presented to Mr F. L. Prime for his services, and the Conference was recommended to reappoint Mm. REPRESENTATIVE TO CONFERENCE The ballot for representative to Conference resulted in the election of the Rev. G. W. J. Spence, with the Rev. J. Dukes as substitute. CONVERSAZIONE. The Rev. Geo. Bond presided over a conversazione in the Pitt-street schoolroom in the evening, when an excellent musical programme was rendered, Messrs. J. H. Tray and E. H. Nicholas were the accompanists, and the following ladies and gentlemen took part:— Misses Peake, Mitchell, Violet Ellrngham, Tonkin, Taylor, Hannchen, Tudehope, Mrs J. H. Tray; Messrs. H. L. Jordan, Gleeson, E. E. Pierce, James, Stewart, Gosnell, and the Rev. Jas. Wilson. TO-DAYS SITTING. MINISTERIAL SESSION. The Synod resumed in Ministerial session this morning, and dealt with the work of probationers. Book lists were presented, reports oi trial sermons and circuit work reviewed, and the Keys. H. A. G. Keck, C. B. Jordan, 8.A., and K. Cox were recommended to be passed in their respective years of probation, subject to the results of written examinations proving satisfactory. On resuming in representative session, it was reported that the total deficit on circuit accounts in the district amounted to £290, the smallest amount reported for several years. NEW BUILDINGS AND SITES. The following report of the Church Building and Loan Fund was received I from the Rev. H. Bull concerning sales, j purchases and erections within the I Auckland district: —(1) Kawakawa. —Acquisition of the freehold of church site at j Kawakawa. (2) Thames.—Sale of old parsonage for £375, proceeds towards purchase of new house. (3) Mount Eden. j —Sale sanctioned of small strip of laud I for £10, to the Mount Eden liorough ; Council for the purpose of widening the i road on the grounds of public safety. (4) .' Birkenhead. —Purchase for £210 ot sec- | tion 3 roods 22 poles, adjoining ciiurch ' land. (5) Wellsford. —Erection of new church, 32ft. x 20ft. Cost £ 105. (6) Hamilton.—Sanction to sell I2oft. x 150 ft. of that part of parsonage property adjoining Thackeray-street. (7; Prince Albert College Estate.—Sanction given to j the transfer of a strip of land 13ft. in ; width for widening road through

, the said estate; compensation to be paid. 1(8) Hamilton.—Sanction given to sell secI tion 3 roods 10 perches, Hamilton Kast, I in exchange for another section. (9) ! Warkworth.—Sale of portion of parsonage estate, as sanctioned by conference of ! i I'JOS. (10) Oruru. —Erection of church, I ' 34 x 20, to seat 100. Land purchased. Cost of building £125, loan promised £35. ■ (11) Kairbums.—Erection of church, 34ft. x 20ft., to seat 100. Site donated by Mr. Thomas Coulter; cost of building, ' £150; loan promised, £50; no other debt. ! (12) Grafton-road. — Erection] of new j Bible-class room for young men, 32ft. x. ' 13ft; estimated cost £100, no debt. (13) I Kingsland.—Erection of Sunday School i with main hall, 44ft. x 32ft., 9 rooms and ! gallery; estimated cost, £825. (14) Ota- ' huhu.—Erection of Sunday School, main hall, 34ft. x 24ft., and six class-rooms; ; estimated cost, £450. (15) Paeroa. — Purchase of parsonage site, one-eighth of an acre; eo n t £-25. (16)' Te Kopua. ] Sanction given to the Mission Property ! Trustees to renew lease lor 21 years of I section to the Government for day school purposes. (17) Raglan.—Sanction given: for sale of Section 11, one acre, for £11. [ Proceeds to the Home Mission Fund. (18) j ; Waimana.—Purchase by special branch of i I the Loan Fund for £20, two rods for ! 1 church site. (19) Mamuku.—Church 36 i , x 20, to seat 100; cost f 173; no debt. i 1 The thanks of the Synod wore prei sented to Mr. T. Coulter for a site at! ! Fairhums, and to Mr. G. Wilkinson for ! I timber at Oruru. Sanction was given for ' I the erection of a Mission Hall at Te Ko- j I puru, ami for the sale of the Church at ' Waitekauri. j It was resolved " That this Synod hears ' ■ with pleasure that an effort is being made ' : to build a church at Kussell, a place of I historic interest, and commends the mat- ; ter to the consideration of Methodists ! ■ throughout the province." | REPORTS. The report of the Connexional Fire Insurance Office was received, and showed an increase in properties insured during the j'ear. The balance-sheets of the Auckland j Mission property, Wesleyan Native In- ' stitution, Native Education Trust (Three j Kings), Emsley Theological Endowment I Trust and Book Trust were presented by Messrs F. L. Prime, G. A. Buttle and j. Edson, and were adopted. The report of Wesley College, Three Kings, Native Institution was presented by the Principal (Rev. J. H. Simmonds) and adopted. The re-appointment of the Rev. J. 11. Simmonds as Principal of Three Kings College was unanimously and heartily recommended. The report stated that the year's work had been successful, and every scholar and student ■ j had made a fair record for honesty, obe- ! : dience and industry. In the industrial de- ! ; partment, the system of giving the stud- j 1 ents opportunities for earning a little J j money for themselves after they have I ■! given the statute amount of service to ■ j the college had been continued. In the j i early mornings and for three or four hours on four afternoons of the week they give their labour to the college as a partial return for the benefits reicelvtd. In their own spare time they

are allowed to carry out small contracts , for definite payments. They are thus taught to pay for what they get and to be paid for what they do—both essential elements in education. The committee recommended for the Three Kings Institution for 1909 is as follows: Messrs F. L. Prime, J. Edson, T. Buddie, T. McMaster, G. Winstone, S. J. Ambury, A. C. Caughey, T. Allen, J. H. Gunson. J. Veale, R. Hobbs, J. Henderson, T. B. Arthur, A. Peak, J. E. Wheeler and T. W. Jones. UNOFFICIAL MEETINGS. With one dissentient vote, i£ was resolved: "That this Synod directs the attention of conference to the prevailing custom of holding in our circuits at am early date after the * conference appointments take effect, private unofficial meetings of the members of the quarterly meeting for the purpose of considering the invitation of ministers for the circuit for the subsequent year. This Synod is convinced that the practice is open to much criticism, and is generally inimical to the best interests of our church work, and suggests that the conference considers the effect the practice is having on our Church work with a view to a pronouncement thereon."