METHODIST EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 58, 10 March 1927, Page 8

METHODIST EDUCATION.

LADIES' COLLEGE SUGGESTED! VALUE OF DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS. £44,000 FOR THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE. Matters concerning education occupied the attention of the New Zealand Methodist Conference during the greater part of this morning's session, over which the President, Dr. H. Ranston, presided. The chairman of the Wesley Training College Trust Board (Mr. H. P. Caughey) reported that the most gratifying feature of the past year's operations had been the good work and progress at the college. A high standard of efficiency had been attained. The education received, particularly in agriculture, would prove of great benefit to the pupils and to the Dominion. There was a full roll for 1927, and many applications had to be declined. Mr. J. Veale said it was a matter for hearty congratulation that the services of ill*. 11. P. Caughey had been secured as chairman. The Church should be proud of the work being done at the college at Paerata, where a new wing costing £13,000 was opened last year. Any other denomination would have placarded the country had they made such an addition, Mr. Veale thought, but nothing had appeared in the Southern papers about the opening ceremony, and even the "Methodist Times" had not reported the event. Instead of going on a harbour excursion last Saturday the conference members should have gone to Paerata to see the college.

"If what Mr. Yeale has said is true, it is the first time in the history of creation that Auckland has hidden its light under a bushel," remarked the Hon. L. M. Isitt, M.L.C. (Laughter.) He hoped that the results obtained at this college for boys would give the Church the vision to realise the value that a secondary school for girls would be. The Rev. E. T. Cox, M.A., asked if there w-as any chance of starting a girls' secondary school, even if it had to be on a small scale at first. Methodist ladies' colleges had been an enormous success in Australia. In the course of a general discussion on the question of denominational secondary education, the President and other speakers stressed the fact that Methodist young people were sometimes lost to other denominations, owing to the fact that they had attended a college conducted by another Church. Theological College. The following re-appointments in connection with the Theological College were made, on the recommendation of the College Board: Principal, Rev. Dr. C. H. Laws; residential professor, Rev. Dr. H. Ranston; secretary of the College Board, Rev. W. S. Blight. The sum of approximately £44,000, stated Dr. Laws, had been given or promised to the new Theological College fund. Everywhere throughout the Dominion Methodist people had been most sympathetic with the endeavour to provide a students' training college worthy of Methodism, and the response had been most liberal. He further explained that it had been found impracticable to hold the founda-tion-stone laying of the new college during the present conference, as originally arranged; but at the 1929 conference, which, by the courtesy of the Wellington Methodists in foregoing their claim, would be held in Auckland, it had been decided to observe the opening ceremony of the new college in a worthy manner. Resolutions were adopted recording high appreciation of the liberality of donors, including a number of church trusts, which had made possible a scheme whereby the increasing number of candidates for the ministry might receive a thoroughly efficient training under the best modern conditions. The affairs of the Theological College are to be managed by a council to be called the Methodist Theological College Council, consisting of not more than 30 members, appointed annually by the conference. The council is to report anunally to the Synod of the Church and the conference, and are to nominate the members and officers of the council for the ensuing year. The work in connection with the Collegiate Church (Grafton Road) and its various organisations is to be under the direction of the council. Residential accommodation in the college not required for students for the ministry, shall be available as a hostel for other approved students.