PRESBYTERIANISM

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 51, 23 November 1928, Page 13

PRESBYTERIANISM

, GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN SESSION REV. COMRIE’S RETIREMENT Dominion Special Service. Auckland, November 22. The communion service with which the proceedings of the Presbyterian General Assembly opened in St. David’s Church was attended by about 750 people, largely delegates to the assembly, and to the Women’s Missionary Union Conference. The Moderator (the Kight. Rev. Professor W.. Hewitson) presided, and preached on the subject of “Fellowship and Service.” Maori Mission. The Maori Mission committee reported that the staff remained very much what it was twelve months ago. The outstanding event of the year had been the opening of the new Maori girls’ college at Marton, where there were 38 girls in residence. The total cost was £14,976, of which £4194 remained still to be raised. The general fund ended the year with a credit balance of £Bl9. The committee, which has been located for the past eight years at Napier under the convenorship of the Kev. J. A. Asher, tendered its resignation. In presenting the report of the committee Mr. Asher referred to the recent visit paid to several of the mission stations by Lady Alice Fergusson, who had expressed much appreciation of the work being carried on there. In referring to the resignation of the committee, he expressed the opinion that such work should not remain in the same hands for more than eight years. They were handing back their trust to the assembly at a time when the prospects had never before been so bright and happy. • The report, with its recommendations, was adopted, and it was agreed to ordain Mr. John Mann as missionary to the Maoris. Two elders of the Maori Presbyterian Church, Messrs. William Bell and Timu Timu, were introduced to the Moderator and were welcomed by the assembly. Mayoral Welcome. A cordial welcome to the delegates was extended by the Mayor (Mr. G. Baildon), and the Rev. W. E, Lust, representing the Council of Christian Congregations, at the assembly’s midday luncheon. Treasurer’s Report. “There is need for retrenchment or for withdrawal from any branch of church work,” states the annual report of the Rev. W. J. Comrie, treasurer of the church. “There is need for constant watchfulness to see that the expenditure is warranted and that it is not allowed to increase beyond the normal growth of contributions.” The report, which was presented to the assembly by My. A. D. Thomson, convenor of the Finance Committee, stated: “The income of the funds generally shows an increase over that, for the previous year. The congregations have contributed for missions and other schemes of the church, including assessments, but excluding special appeals for Indian industrial work and for the Maori girls’ school building fund, the sum of £42,396, compared with the previous year, and excluding a special appeal for the scholarship fund that is an increase of £4a9o from congregational contributions and sundry contributions. The income for the budget funds was over 99 per cent, of the amount asked for.” The Finance Committee recommended that the retiring general treasurer, the Rev. W. J. Comrie, should be eranted six months’ leave of absence Md a retiring allowance of £l5O a year “ recognition of his twenty-three years’ service in the position. 7 The grant of a retiring allowance was opposed by the Revs. J. D. and W. McLean on the ground that it would be establishing a precedes and giving specially favourable treatment that could not be extended to others in somewhat similar positions. t* was decided by a large majority not to grant the proposed allowance. PROPOSALS FOR AMENDING ORGANISATION Dominion Special Service. Auckland, November 22. Numerous and far-reaching proposals for amending the organisation of the Presbyterian Church were submitted at the General Assembly to-day. lhese proposals, 38 in number, have already been considered by Presbyteries, but in the absence of any general agreement in their recommendations the whole of the original report was re- | ferred to the Assembly. i The Rev. W. J. Comrie, who presented the report, referred to it as in some respects the most important to come before the assembly, and one debatable in a high degree. The changes, if decided upon, would be brought about by constitutional means after a due lapse of time. The proposal to reduce the representation of the presbyteries; at the assembly to the basis of a third, instead of half was rejected by a majority of about two to one. . It was agreed by a large majority to hold the annual meetings of the assembly in March instead of November. The assembly decided to set up an advisory board to discharge the functions of the existing finance committee and in addition to advise committees in regard to combined action and questions of policy and also to advise officers of the assembly. A proposal that a general secretary be appointed, that his office be combined with that of the home mission superintendent, and that he be located at Wellington was being debated when the hour for adjournment arrived.