THE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14288, 26 February 1912, Page 6

THE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

If we m.iy judgo by the published list of members the Methodist Conference which ope'na at Auckland next Thursday will be. a very largo one. Fully 230 names appear on the roll. It is doubtful whother siieh numbers are an advahtago in a body which is largely administrative. In a year or two when Union with the Primitive Methodists is complete tho Conference may number 300, and some readjustment will become necessary. Xo doubt much of. tho business of Co'nferenCc Would be as effectively and more expeditiously done by more or less expert committees. If the larger -body doalt with questions of policy aud legislation only, three or four days AVould bo sufficient, instead of ten or twelve. This would at least lessen tho difficulty of entortaining th« conferences. Already, in fact, there are preliminary committees which sit on \Vednc-sdny and Thursday next. Theso committees deal with candidates for the ministry, of whom, by the way. there appears to bo an abundant supply, no fewer than thirteen names appearing on the list. There are also six candidates for ordination, eighteen other probationers in various stages of their novitiate, besides a dozen students in training, all of whom are dealt ivith by tho preliminary ■ committees. With 49 young men in preparation for tho ministry, all of whom may bo ordained within the nest seven years, the ranks of tho Methodist Ministry appear to bo in a fair wav to be maintained.

Probably the most important, question to come- before tlio Conference is tho providing of a suitable college in Auckland for the training of students for the ministry prior to their entering upon their four years of probation. Circumstances have compelled tho Conference to face this costly undertaking, and the Rev. C. H. Garland, of this city, has already been appointed "Principal, and will begin his duties in April. An excellent- sit© has been secured and

several thousands have been subscribed towards the cost. It is hoped that the Conference ivill be ablo to give a great impulse to the movement, and add a substantial sum to the building fund.

Methodists devote a great deal of attention to Home and Foreign Missions. This year tho income for these purposes will approach £9.000, there being a considerable increase in tho amount subscribed for South Sea missions.* The Maori mission is treated as part of the home mission work, and on account of the small amount contributed by the Maoris themselves, is felt, by many, not to be an encouraging department of work. This peculiarity of tho Maori is probably due to tho competition of missions for converts in the early days. Is is found in the South Sea Islands vhat, where there is no such competition, the native church can, in a generation, be made largely self-supporting, which is halfway to salvation.

Union with the Primitive Methodists will, of course, be a prominent question. When the matter, which has perturbed tho Church for nearly thirty years, is finally settled, as it probably will be at next Conference, there will be a sense of relief in many quarters. 'Tho partial union of somo years ago, involved a change of name on the part of the chief body, which, while the union was incomplete, proved confusing and troublesome, especially in -he census. This, and the evils of competition and overlapping, will be remedied by the, final amalgamation.

Wβ pointed out the other day that, in neglecting to float tho loans which had been authorised, and leaving the Public Works Fund in a depleted condition, Sir Joseph Ward was evidently determined to make matters as difficult as possible for his successors, and playing a somewhat dangerous game, so fur as the Dominion is concerned. Those who are watching -what is going on caunofc fail to have noticed with disapproval the unseemly activity which the Ministry have shown, sinco- the general election, in letting contracts and in otbuways committing the'country to further expenditure. The turning of the first sod of tho Napier-Gisborne rail.vay. and the promises which have been made in tho House as to the prosecutiou ol various other works, may not involve much itnmcdiato expenditure in cash, and probably mean very little if we could get at the inmost mind of the Cabinet. They have the effect, bowever, of embarrassing to some extent those who are to come after them, and no doubt this is the main purpose intended to be served. It is only another illustration of tho readiness of tho Government to subordinate tho interests of New Zealand to the interests of th<> Played-out Party.

Tlio sdvncatc'E of Women's Suffrage in England arc evidently beginning to exor<:iso ri.nsulcra'.le influence over tho present Government. Mr Lloyd Gvovgo, who is in favour tit Women's Sufffugo, etates that tho Government will carry tho Reform Bill this year, and although they have not included Woman's §uftrage in tho extension of thiV franchise for which it provides, jut if a Women's Suffrage amendment is carried they will accept tho responsibility of it. In other words, wo tako it that while tho Reform Bill, as it stands, is to be regarded as a policy measure, members will bo allowed to vote as they please on a Women's iiuffrago amendment. If it should bo cunied by tlio united votes of suppjrtttrs on botn sides of the House, then the Government will agreo to its incorporation, and adopt tho measure as a whole.

It is generally bolieved in political circles that the Local Government Pill brought down by th 6 Prime Minister immediately after tho opening of Parliament, is a legacy left to the Country by Sir John Findky, It shows signs of a good deal of thought in its care and preparation, although we fear it fails in tho essential, point of providing an assured finance which shall be sufficient for the poorer districts as well ■as those with large resources in the shape of rateablo value. There also seems to be, as tho Mayor of Christehurch points out, too much Government interference and control. Very little interest, however, is takon in the measure, owing to the fact that it has only come to light just as the Government which ■produces it is on the point of going out of office, and cannot carry it into offect. A Ministry, which has been in office for twenty years, ought not to havo delayed such an important work until its dying hours. It would bo a good thing n such a question as this could be treated apart from party, both sides uniting in the effort to 6ettlo it once for all in a satisfactory manner, with a view to promoting the best interests of tho Dominion.

The motto of Sir Joseph Ward just now seenis to be "Don't shoot; I'll como down I" One of the Labour inombors is reported to havo said that ho oould sco a way to Vote lor tho Government and still keep Ins pledges. That, however, is impossible, a thing cannot bo tiud not be at mc same time. A majority oi tno members wero pledged to carry a vote or Want ot commence in the Jliinsiry. Thcro was no saving clause that tuey niiglJt, voto lor the Government if tho i'rimo .Minister would agree to commit tne nappy dospatcti aitcrwards. Why should tney lend themselves to a laiseuood in saying tnat tiio House, as lepio&entiug tno country, has cunaueuce m Uie uovernnient, wnt-u xtivy kuot that mc country Has no sueu confluence, and irwy were expressly instructed to say uiut tho Ministry iiud been tried aud lound wanting.- li ,ur anicnuiuen: ii> defeated the Uoverninent. will no doubt try to get Parliament prorogued till June. li they suoiud bo successiul—which, however, we very much doubt—it may be taken that tho intriguing wnich has gone on lately will bo. as nothing to tne intriguing umcp will go on in the interval beforo Parliament reassembles. In other words, the people's veruict is to be set asiue tor tne time being in order to give the Ministry' time to 6ce if they cannot defeat it altogether by political chicanery and intrigue. Such an idea cannot be defended for a single moment, and wo aro surprised that it has been seriously put forward.