THE METHODIST CONFERENCE. YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 8 March 1905, Page 2

THE METHODIST CONFERENCE. YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

After the Post wcnl to j)reMi yesterday, the Unity-second conference of the Melhodi.st Chinch of Auhtr.iU.Ni.i in Now Zealand cuntiuucd itw sittings at Tiiuity Church. VOTE OF SYMPATHY. Tho following lesolutiou of sympathy with the ex-I'ieaident of the Confidence, moved by tho Rev. Mr. F.iiiclough, was unanimously adopted by (he Conference: — "This Conference lihh heard with piofound regiot of tho decease of Mr. Walter Lawry, of tSpringHtoii, father of tlie cx-Prctiide'nt, and father-in-law of Mr. J. Burnett, repreMcntativo of Jjopston Ciicuil in this Conferenco. Mr. Lawry for more than foity yeais has been one uf tho striking liguras of Canterbury Methodihin. As a local piciichei, a« circuit steward, as trustee, us general adviser and helper, ho has served (lie Church with rare, ability and faithfulness. Tho Conferenco thanks God for such characters, auch lives, and such deaths among our people ; it views with respectful admiration the filial piety displayed by his childieii in his extreme old age ; 'and offers its affectionate sympathy to the ex-Piesident and the other membeis of tho family." MARRIED MINISTERS' MAINTENANCE. In tho courßO of over an hour's argument and discussion it was asserted that Thames, llnwcrn, Wanganui, Wellington, Hutt, Ekelahuna, Waipnwu, Motucka, Westjiort, Diirham-stroi't (Cliristchurcli), nna Malvcru wcro all in need of exemption from tho obligation to support married ministers (additional or now). Voting was then t:iken on tho caso of each circuit. It was resolved that Ekottihunii bo required to fulfil its obligation; that Wnipnwu bo relieved of its obligation. Discussion took place regarding Mnlvcrn, uiid it was finally rosolvod (on tho motion of Mr. Porter), that Mnlvorn and Oxford bo constituted a circuit, nnd Hint a married minister (the present Oxford minister) bo located at Sheffield. An amendment by tho Rev. T. N. firiflin, that a ptohalioner lie appointed to reside, in tho neighbourhood of Cies-conl-road (Christcliurcli), and that a grunt «f £50 for the, purno.se be made to St. Albuns Circuit, evoked discussion. Mr. Lct-f. moved as an iimendincuL that Belfast and Marshlands be attauhed to Papanui (Mr. Grillin's circuit). Eventually Mr. Orillin withdrew his amendment,' intimation having been given thnt St. Albuns could not tulco over lUo localities. Tho bulk of the Conference was of opinion that to attach tho localities to l'.i]uinui would bu inutlvi>ublt> It «ns finally moved by thn Rev. Mr. Fee, and cnuitd by 72 vc'rtex to 42, that Belfast and Marshlands bo attached to Durhain-Mlrcvt Circuit, with v grant of £40 for pastoral oversight, a home miamonary to bo appointed to the charge. An amendment that Wellington be required to fulfil its obligavion to take a third miimed minister came up a second time for discussion. The Rev. Mr. Fuirclough made another appc.il to tho I'unforenco not to hamper tlio good woik now boing done by Tarnnnki-strcet. Of the money now bliing spoilt in th.c district wlicio the Conferenco Miggc-slcd fUitioumg the third married man, thiee-parts wcic already being contributed by Wellington. The Hey. Mr. Hammond s.ud ho had n suggchtion to ftlfer that would probably gladden tho Heart of Wellington.. At Tailiapo the inistnko bad boon made of boginning work by placing an inexperienced man in v position of (ficut resptin.«<ibilily. who roan they should Ikivo got the veiy best man f"ur the pof-ition. Up would suggost that the one married man who had to be provided for be sent to Tnihii|>c\ with n- sutlicjent giant to make hi* loial stipend tip to it rciLsonitble sum. nnd thnl a piiiNoiiHgo be pruvidi d for him. 'l lierc* ■was a population of nbout n thousand people at Tailmpp, within Iho i.uliua uf ono mile, nnd nnlos.<> » movi> was miCih mado by (ho Metliod^ts the l'lohytcriaiiß would be "jumping the claim, s lie would move accordingly Tho motion was lo*t. 'Jim Rev. C. 11. CJurlund then moved that Wellington be. obliged to fulfil its obligation. In looking over the list he was unable to find any circuit that was in a belter position to take a married minister than Wellington was. Sumo ."light hardship might be put on Wellington, but there would bo far more put on any other circuit if it were mimied to take tho married minister. It m-cmod to the speaker that this was a proper time for the application of tho rule of "the lino of least ro«i*tauce." Mr. Tiller objected to the attempt to plunge Wellington into debt just as it wus in the embryo state of financial sur-cw-w. No drcuit had received les-s consideration from tho Conference than Weirington had. Mr. Anderson (of (-SreytowuJ ridiculed tho contention that any haidship would bo done to Wellington by making it fulfil its obligation. If the congiegat ion made one or two special efforts it could raise tho extra, money required over and over again. Mr. Garland's proposal was carried by 72 votes to 30, and thiw the last case of a married man to bo provided for was sotllt-d by Wellington being cast in his maintenance. Relief for one year from obligations to provide for married men wus given in the cases of Upper Thiiinea, lluwera, Wang.mui, llutt, Motueltu, and West port. Tho Home Missions Committee is to bo recommended to consider the advisablenesa of making extra levies on tho&u cir cults thus given relief from obligations NEW STATIONS. Tho Conference considered the question "What new stations, are mow sanctioned r" Tnihapo was recommended to bo appointed a circuit, with a probationer attached. Tho future of tho pluco was verj favourably anticipated on by the Conference, and the recommendation was adopted by a large majority. Discussion took place regarding tho Awukino and Mokiiu districts. It was pointed out that tlia«t districts wero becoming fuirly populouv nna that there were very, very lew services held there. Eventually a committee — consisting of tho President and Superintendent of tho Waitnni Circuit— jvns set up, and instructed to visit tho district, a leport thereon to be submitted to next Conference. Whanganinna was discussed. It was resolved to lefer the matter of this and adjacent districts to the next Wunganui Synod. Incidentally, the President said ho would nui las it hi.-i personal endeavour to tiy to do something for followc-is of tho Methodist Church who wen; isolated in theso distiiets. It had long l)l )t >(;ii v, iepioach I hat the church did little or nothing for tho back-l)loc]{H population. A recommendation fiom Wellington district in lespcct to Tiikapuu— "That the Rev. T. (i. Dorr bo appointed a Commission to visit the district between Iho Waipawn circuit and tho Nuimmiooil Homo Mission station, with a view to Iho appainlmcnt of a homo missionary to Tiikapuu" — was referred to the Home Missionary Committee, with power to act as it thought bust. MAORI MISSIONS. Tho Otago Synod made (ho following lecommendations in rcgaid to Maoii missions: — " (1) That I'onfcicnco accede to the request of the Southern Maori Mission Committee to tiiko over Nplio Heini Papakakura's work, nnd that, for the first .year, a grant of £76 be made to initmto

the work; (2) That in tho event of tho above iiii.viioii being taken over, Conference delegate some suitable European luinwter to accompany the agent appointed to the work and to l,iy before tho Maoiis their icspon.sibilily m tho ni.Uter." The, Rev. Mr. Slado hoped that thero would be no lepetition of tho events that had nccuried in tho North, where missinners, owing lo iuadeqimto local support and nmillirionl, grants from tho mission funds, had been forced ti> work on the gunifields and at road-contracting to oko out an existence. A niissioncr'M uscfulncNS was of necessity impaired by such demands upon his time. 'I ho Rev. Mr. Law s said that advices received from tho South indicated that the financial outlook was satisfactory, ho theic would be snull fear of repetition of tho Northern difficulty regarding maintenance. Tho natives of tho South had intimated their willingness to contribute to the support of their own minister. Mr. Rosoveur spoko of tho good field there was for Maori mission work in tho locality refened to. He hoped that the Conference would cany out tho decision of the Synod, for tluro was desire on the part of Presbyterian ministers in the South to enter this. Hold if the Methodists did not do so. Tho Row Mr. Lewis said that tho question of finance was the trouble to be faced. On historic grounds the church would be very pleased to enter this field, for an old and valued member— tho Roy. Mr. Saltei — had done much good work in tho localities referred 10. Speaking as Homo Missions Secretary, ho could not but support tho proposals before tho Conference, but he had to say that tho Conferenco would only be justified in taking the work over if it could confidently expect tho peoplo (o como to its succour and givo the necessary means. The Rev. T. O. nnnimond, of Patea, reminded the Conferenco that all theso Maori peoplo Wero originally peoplo of llio Methodist Church — and that church had neglected them. Right through Canterbury and Otago that practically had been tho case. Tho natives at Molueka, Wairau, Waikawa, and the Sounds (Nelson and Marlbnrough) hn'd also been Methodists, but they had been hnnded over to the Church of* England. He hoped that something would lie dono for Nelson and Marlborough, as well as for the moro southerly districts. If success was to bo achieved, howovor, it must bo remembered that the Maon's methods of working were different to those of tho European, and allowance should be mado on that head The proposal was adopted by the Conference, and a committee, consisting of the niinisteis of the Dunedin circuit, with Messrs. Roseveur, Shackloek, Phillips, und Cameron, was net up lo administer the n(T:iir« of Iho mission. Tho money grunt is- to come from tho Home Mission Fund. This concluded yesterday's business at the Conference, tho evening being devoted to a conversazione.