THE WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9366, 16 March 1896, Page 7

THE WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

(PKI...- ASb'CiCIATION TK___R._M.) AUCKLAND, March 14. At the Wrsleyan Conference '"it v/as decided that ihe miuutcrs iv tho cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Danedin and suburbs of those cities will be directed to hold monthly meetings for the promotion of brotherly intercourse and the consideration ot ma.tera affecting church questions aad providing for the examination ot candidates for the ministry and ordiuatiou. At the ministerial session the S.cretary submitted the Committee's proposal:, iv regard to the Board ot Examiners, and the arrangements for the examinations. It was resolved thab the examination of all probationers be conducted at the district Synod, ex-President Ready to draft v pastoral address. After the examinations wcio adopted it was resolved that they be referred to the District Synod, 1895, to report to the next Conference, if no other suitable arrangement can be made within a month. Mr D. Wetherall was appointed assistant to the Principal of Wesley College at Three Kings during the year. This completed the work of the Ministerial Conference. The Conference then resolved itself into a representative session. The Children- Fund showed receipts £1631, expenditure £1630. The report was adopted. The assessment for the ensuing year was fixed at 17 per cent. It was resolved that the 1397 Conference be held ab Wellington. Tho balance-sheet for the Contingent Fund Bhowed receipts £1027, expenditure £783 9.. >. The Prince Albert College balance-sheet showed receipts £1067 83 and payments £1111 Is Bd.

The Supernumeraries and Widows' Fund balance sheet showed receipts—Circuit contributions £772, ministers' subscriptions £522, arrears paid £85 15s—Total £1385. Expenditure—By rumittancc to General Treasurer leas exchange, £1380 18s 6d. During the past year, there had beeu a lose of something like £36,000, partly through the bursting of the boom in Victoria, and partly because of a too groat readiness to make supernumeraries. On the motion of the Rev. W. Morley it was resolved— "That, in order to provide for the deficiency referred to in the Rev. J. Cope's report, the Conference recommeuds that allowances to supernumeraries and widows be reduced by 7 per cent, during the next two years (pendiug tbe approval ol the general Conference), and that ministers in full work pay eight guineas per annum during the years 1896 and 1897, and _o do their chare in meeting the present difficulty. That the special payment of an extra guinea bo nob required from the ministers coming from the United Methodist Free Churoh aud Bible Christian Church, as these have not hitherto been members; thab further consideration of the report be remitted to the Board of Advice (with whom shall be associated for this purpose the Rev. P. W. Fairclough and Mr J. T. Prudhoe); that the Board correspond with the General Treasurer in Melbourne with reference to the present, state of the fund; that in view of the large deficiency now reported and considerable .urns written off, the Boards of Treasurers be requested to consider whether it is nob 1 desirable to have an independent valuation of the fund, .also' that, in terms of Mr Cope's report,'.lie working expenses should be examined, and, if possible, reduced." The receipts of the Probert Trust amounted to £1094, the expenditure to £1051 14s 2d. It was resolved—" That the Conference be advised to recommend the Probert Trustees to vote (if in accordance with the testator's will) such sum of money as they may think fit, to cover the costs of the training and maintenance of Te Tulii as a theological student for the period of two years, during which he was ab the Theological College, Three Kings." Ihe Jubilee Thanksgiving Fund balance, sheet and other statements, as pointed out in the Agenda, were adopted. The thanks of the Conference were presented to the Rev. W. Morley, General Secretary, and to the General Committee for their services during last year, and the Committee was re-appointed, with the exception of the Rev. D. McNicoll, for whom the Rev. H. R. Dewsbury was substituted. The following reports and balance sheets I were adopted—Theological Endowment Trust, Native Education Trust (with the addition of a footnote st .ting that £150 was still owing to the Book Association), the General Connexional Mission, bhe Gray Institute, and Kai Iwi Mission Estate, Wellington aud Native and Destitute Children's Trußt (cash account, revenue account, and balance sheet), the Canterbury Home Mission Fund, Sunday Schools and Foreign Missions. Resolutions in favour of temperance. Sunday sermons and in favour of the prohibition of the liquor traffic were carried. The. Bands of Hope were eighty-six, with a membership of 9440. 1 A resolution for tne suppression of gambling was carried, also in favour of the Scripture Text Book being introduced into public schools, bub the latter was strongly opposed by some members. All the members who spoke expressed opposition to denominational education. With respect to Connexional Fire Insurance, it was decided that nothing should be done at present. The statistics showed an increase of 801 Church members, 18 Sunday schools, 849 scholars and 104 teachers.

Dr. Hosking and the Rev. J. Orchard thanked the Conference for the courtesy shown their people and themselves during the Conference. The usual votes of thanks were passed, and the Conference closed at 6 p.m. All that remains is the reading of the journal on Monday.