"A THUNDERBOLT."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1064, 1 March 1911, Page 5

"A THUNDERBOLT."

AIETHODIST CONFERENCE. NEW ZEALAND'S INDEPENDENCE. IMPORTANT RESOLUTIONS. (By TelceraDli-Prcss Association.) Christchurch, February 28. At'the representative, session of the Methodist Conference this morning it was announced'that there is a possibility of tho completion of tho procedure for tlw establishment of an independent Methodist Conference for New Zealand being seriously delayed. The secretary (tho Rev S. Lawry) said Sir Joseph Ward had promised to do everything in his power to facilitate tho passing of tho neeewary Bill t'hrough.tho New Zealand Parliament.' Mr. J. A. Flcshcr stated that th«y did not anticipate any difficulty being experienced in the Australian 'state Parliaments in regard to passing of the necessary legislation. Tho Rev. W. Baumber said that now that independence had 1.-een carried them would be no more loyal members of the conference than those who had opposed tho scheme. (Applause.) In answer to a question, the secrelarj stated that if everything went favourably lie. nrst independent conference would be' held in 1813.

The Rev. S. Lawry moved as follows:— " Tlla i l,l ° $«rd general conference r of the Methodist Church of 'Vustra- ' lasia bo held at Adelaide, South Australia, in tho months of May and June, 1910. having at (ho request of the New Zealand Conference consent- ■•' eel to its constitution as im independent conference, subject to the consent of each of the six annual conferences concerned, and to tho sanction of the Parliaments of each of the Australian States and of New Zealand, this N«w Zealand Annual Conference now assembled hereby agrees to the constitution of such independent conference for New Zealand upon tho plan set out in the minutes of the said geivcral conferenco (pages 89, 90, 91, and 92), and hereby authorises tho president of this conference to sign all • things necessary to promote and secure the passing of any legislative measures < which may bo introduced into tho Parliament of New Zealand for tho i purpose before mentioned."

This was carried unanimously. The positiou in regard to the possible delay in the granting oi independence was then explained by'tho ex-president' (the Kov. C. H. Laws). He stated that during tho discussion in. the general conference at Adelaide it, was suggested that it would facilitate matters if Sir Samuel'; Way (Chief Justice of South Australia), would prepare a memorandum explaining why the roundabout procedure mentioned in. Mr. Lawry's. motion was necessary. ■ Sir Samuel Way agreed. In letters to. him (Mr. Laws}, Sir Samuel assured , , him flint tho memorandum was not controversial, and was merely intended to explain that tho two conditions mentioned ,, in< tho motion vcro anuexed to tho consent of tho general conference. Now tho , memorandum had appeared, and it cama as a thunderbolt to find that it containcd a suggestion that tho matter of New Zealand's independence should bo referred by each annual conference to. the Quarterly meetings. Ho (Mr. Laws) felt sure Sir Samuel had no desire to delay matters for New Zealand, nnd tho' only conclusion that could ho come- to was that some men in Australia wore obsessed of the fear that tho obtaining of independence by New Zealand would mean Iho gradual breaking up of tho general conference into a number of independent conferences. Sir Samuel therefore desired to raiso a barrier to further separations, and tho only barrier ho could think of was tho quarterly mootings. Tho granting of New Zealand's indeperideuco would not be. warmly debated by tho Australian quarterly meetings, but tho _ question of separation of any Australian conference i'rom tho general conference would 1)0 a burning question, and tho general conference would never' consent to it. .Sir Samuel Way's conclusion on investigation of the law oud procedure was that there was no law and no exact precedent to guide them in this cose. They were setting up a precedent, and they inado it diflicult lest there should be any ill-considered separations in tho ' future, and therefore ho referred tho matter to tho quarterly meeting?. Mr. Laws went on to say that no one, even with the dignity and learning of Sir Samuel Way, had a right to come in and. vary the procedure definitely laid down . by the general conference. Ho (Mr.. 1 Laws) had consulted, not only those in' favour of independence, but thoso who originally had beeii' against it, and he" had prepared a lengthy. statement showing tho usolcssness and difficulties of re. ferring tho matter to Iho Australian Conferences. In the statement every possible step had been taken to present New Zealand's view to Australia. \

Mr. J. C. Stephens (Dunedin) • said ■ that it was admitted to' be a constitutional usage not to consult ■quarterly meetings in the caso of the. separation of affiliated ■ conferences, awiV ho argued that much more should rlieyi not be consulted in the present ca«'i) whore it was not n question of an nffili- , ated conference, but n nuestion of a partf of a united conference separating.

To meet tho unexpected situation, Iho following resolutions were then carried unanimously :—

(1) The conlerenco having considered the memorandum of the' Right Hon. Sir Samuel Way and the statement relating thereto issued by the ex-president, unanimously endorses the statement, and proves of the action taken by tho expresident'. (2) Tho conference regards it as of (ho most vital importance that the conferring of 'independence unanimously decided on by' the general conference should tako effect at the earliest possible date, and/ strongly urges the several annual conferences to expedite in every possible way the steps needful to complete the, matter. (3) Tile conference- dusires respect fully (o iVr'.iw the attention of uny annual conference that may decide to consult its, iiuarl?i'ly meetings In that part of Hm statement whifh sugjiosli that under such circumstances the reference should be made to the IVarch tiM'ly meevings of I'.lll. It is niO'-i strongly of opinion thul even n year's delay will 1)3 inimical to important inlnresls nmoiiyr us, and may, as Ihe stsi'.i'inoiit points out. pies(!;it the securing of the ni?ecs.-:>r.\( legislation in one or more I'arliamenir lipforc (In , uexl gciier: , ! conference , iiicslsj It, therefore, ureses any annual coiiforenn which may iidopt tho suggestion of Sii Samuel AVay to give :\ conditional assoni,., to the nroirasals for independence, which' assent shall become effective a§ soon ai tho quarterly meetings have given theii , approval. (I) Tlyo confoionco requests_tho annual conferences to cable their decision on thr matter of New Zealand's independence at the curliest possible moment. • (■>) That a cable message bo prepared cmb'jdying the purport of the above.resolutions, imtl forwarded immediately tc the president of each annual conference, . (lie sumo to \n % signed by (he president if this conference. ■ . ' . (fi) Tha!' all expenses ill connection wi.tli.. the preparation, yrinline, n.nd circulation of the ex-nresidenl 's statement bi ■ a charge on the contingent fund.