METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 452, 10 March 1909, Page 3

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

CONCLUSION OF BUSINESS. Tho Methodist Conferenco resinned its sittings yesterday under the presidency of tho Rev. l'hos. Fee. A committco was set up to deal with matters arising during tho year in connection with tho Central Mission, and a final hatch of reports was presented and adopted. Tho usual votes of thanks wore passed, and tho conference adjourned at 3.30 p.m., to meet again to-day, 1111011 tho formal business of signing the journal will concludo the session. HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONS. ?° V ' reported in regard to the finances of the Foreign Mission Fund that tho total income from all sources for tho past year, including all tho States of Australasia amounted to £29,492 75., and tho expenditure £31,057 4s. 6d. Included in tho receipts is tho sum of £3285 18s. 5d., subscribed for tho purchase of two mission boats, llic mission districts had contributed £9373, a considerable advance on tho previous year, amounts received from tho various States 5a51 v® V \ S ° ut JUl alC n S £40C0 ' Queensland £824, Victoria £5130, Tasmania £207, South Australia £2032, Western Australia £273, Now Zealand £2101. On the motion of the Rev. H. R. Dewsbury, it was decided to instruct the home mission executive to pay £100 to the trustees or tho deaconesses' homo if it is required. The Rov H. R. Dewsbury and Mr.' F. L. o Pnme were appointed treasurers for In connection witli tho Homo Mission, resolutions were adopted to tho effect that tho treasurer of tho fund bo instructed to pay the grants for the March quarter on the basis of tho amounts voted at the 1908 conferenco; that tho'rules of the fund be revised by tho' executive committee during the year and submitted to next conference; that the question of church sites at To Kuiti and Tauniarunui bo refe -red to tho Homo Mission secretary, who shall visit theso places and report to the executive committee. A recommendation from the Homo Mission Committee was adopted to tho effect that some means bo. dovised so that the sisters working among tho Maoris may take into training Maori girls for future usefulness in mission work. CHILDREN'S FUND. Tho report of the financial condition of the Children's Fund was presented by the Rov. W. J. Williams. It showed that whereas the year had begun with a credit balance of £395 lis. '7d., at the end there was a deficit of £257 16s. sd. This was owing to the rato of assessment having been lowered, and to remody this it was proposed to increase the levy from 12 to 17 per cent. Tho expenditure for, the year amounted to £1628 165., and the receipts, including tho balance brought forward, to £1350 19s. 7d. It was decided to adjust tho basis of taxation and fix the levy so as to wipe out the deficit in three yea-s. A special vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. J. H. Helliwoll, tho retiring co-trea-surer. • THE CENTRAL MISSION. Tho question of how best to secure the Rev. Charles Tregear for the Central Mission occupied some' timo at tho afternoon session. The position at present is that the conferenco requested that the Rev. Charles Tregear, of Victoria, bo permitted to take charge of the Central Mission in Wellington. _ Tho Victorian Conference refused to sanction tho transfer for this year, but a from Dr. Morley announced that' the question of transferring Mr. Tregear next year was favourably received, and it was advisablo that an exchange bo arranged for.

The Rev. S. J. Scrpell reported to the conference that as yet no minister had volunteered for the transfei' to Victoria. A suggestion was nihde that tho matter be left foi a committee to deal-with during the year, hut it was pointed out as against this arrangement that a committee could not make a final settlement in regard to an exchange, nor even commit tho corjferenco in ' any way." • In order, howevor that tho matter might not be allowed to drop, it was resolved, on the motion of the Rev. W. J. "Williams, that a cablegram bo sent to Victoria requesting that tlie transfer of Mr. Tregear next year be pressed for, and if necessary an exchange would be arranged. Tho following were appointed as a committee to negotiate during the year the affairs of the mission:—Superintendents of tho Wellington (Ta'ranaki Street), Thorndon, and Wellington South circuits, Messrs. G. Tiller, W. E. Redstone, C. H. Jones, W. Dimock, J. Lomas, It. W. Waterhouse, E. Tonks, H. N. Holmes, H. Hart, G. Keall, L. J. Clark, and E. Christie, with power to add to their number. - , . THANKS. . Thanks to the Wellington hosts and hostesses were proposed by the Eev. C. H. Garland, who spoke highly of the way the members had been entertained. This was carried by acclamation, and tho Rev. S. J. Serpell replied. Thanks were also accorded to the Arrangements Committed and the press. MISCELLANEOUS. It was .'ecided to transfer the Rev. Neho Hemi Papakuro from tho South to the North Island. On the motion of the Rev. H. Bull, it was resolved that the chairman, of a district be chairmtu of tho connexional and educational trusts in that district. A recommendation that the removal expenses of ministers changing from one circuit to another bo. equalised did not meet with the approval of the conference.