INDEPENDENCE. THE METHODIST CHURCH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 50, 1 March 1911, Page 3

INDEPENDENCE. THE METHODIST CHURCH.

POSSIBLE DELAY IN COMPLETION OF ARRANGEMENTS. [BY. TELEGEAPK — I'KESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, 28th February. At the representative session of the Methodist Conference to-day (as already briefly telegraphed), it was announced that there is a possibility of the . completion of procedure for the establishment of an independent Methodist Conference for New Zealand being seriously j delayed. The secretary (Rev. S. Law-ry) said Sir Joseph Ward had promised to do everything in his power to facilitate the passing of the necessary Bill through the New Zealand Parliament. ) Mr. J. A. Flesher stated that they did not anticipate any difficulty would be j experienced in the Australian State Parliaments in regard to passing the necessary legislation. Rev. W. Baumber said that now independence had been carried there would be no more loyal members of the conference than those wEo had opposed the scheme. (Applause.) In answer to a question, the secretary stated that if everything went favourably the first independent conference would be held in 1913. The Rev. S. Lawry moved : — "The third general conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia, held at Adelaide, South Australia, in the months of May and June, 1910, having, at the request of the New Zealand conference, consented to its constitution as an independent conference, subject to the consent ,of each of the six annual conferences concerned, and to the sanction of the Parliaments of each of t.the Australian States and -of New "Zealand, this New Zealand annual conference now assembled, hereby agree to the constitution of such , independent conference for New Zealand upon the plan set out in the minutes of the said general conference, pages 89, -90, 91 and 92, and hereby authorise the president of this conference to sign all things necessary to promote and secure the passing of any legislative measures which may be introduced into the Parliament of New Zealand for the purpose before mentioned." This was carried unanimously. EXPLANATION BY EX-PRESIDENT. The position in regard to the possible delay in the gra-nt'ng of independence was further explained by the ex-presi-dent (Rev. C. H. Laws). He stated that during the discussion in the deneral 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, and in letters to him (Mr. Laws) Sir Samuel assured him that the memorandum was not controversial, and was merely intended to explain the two conditions mentioned in tho motion which were annexed by consent of the General Conference. Now the memorandum had appeared, and it came as a thunderbolt to find that it contained a suggestion that the matter of New Zealand independence should be referred by each annual conference to the quarterly meetings. He (Mr. Laws) felt sure Sir Samuel had no desire to delay matters for New Zealand, and the only conclusion that could be come to was that some men in Australia were obsessed by a fear that the obtaining of independence by New Zealand would mean' a gradual breaking up of the General Conference into a number of independent conferences. Sir Samuel therefore desired to raise a barrier to further separations, and the only barrier he could' think oV was the quarterly meeting. The granting of New Zealand independence would not be warmly debated by the Australian quarterly meetings, but the question of the separation of any Australian conference from the General Conference would be a burning question, and the General Conference would never consent to it. Sir Samuel Way's conclusion on his investigation of the la\v and procedure was that there was no law and no exact precedent to guide them in this case. They were setting up a precedent, and they made it difficult lest there should be any ill-considered separations in the future, and therefore he referred the matter to the quarterly meetings. Mr. Laws went on to say that no one, even with the dignity and learning of Sit Samuel, had a right to come in and vary the procedure definitely laid down' by the General Conference. He (Ma 1 . Laws') had consulted not only those in favour of independence, but those who originally had been against it, and he had prepared a lengthy statement showing the uselessnesß and difficulties of referring the matter to the 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 the quarterly meeting in the case of the separation of affiliated conferences, and he argued that much more they should not be consulted in the present case, where it was not a question of an affiliated conference, but a question of a part of a united conference separating. RESOLUTION CARRIED. To meet the unexpected situation th« following resolutions; were then carried unanimously :—: — (1) The conference having considered the memorandum of the Right Hon. Sir Samuel Way and the statement relating thereto issued, by the ex-presi-dent, unanimously . endorsed the statement and approves of the action taken by tho ex-president. « (2) The conference regards it as of the most vital importance that the conferring of independence unanimously decided on by the General Conference should take 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) The conference desires T-espect-fully to draw the attention of any annual conference that may decide to consult its quarterly meetings to that part of the ex-president's statement which suggests that under such circumstances the reference should be made to the March quarterly meeting of 1911. It is most strongly of opinion that even a year's delay will bo inimical to important interests among us and may, as the statement points out, prevent the securing cf the necessary legislation iv one or more Parliaments before the next General Conference meets. 'It therefore urges any annual conference which may adopt the suggestion of Sir Samuel Way to give a conditional assent to the proposals for independence, which assent shall become effective as soon as the quarterly meetings have given their . approval. (4) The conference requests the annual conferences to cable "their decisions on the matter of New Zealand independence at 'the earliest possible moment. (5) That a cable message be prepared embodying the purport of the above re-

solutions and forwarded immediately to the president of each annual conference, the same to be signed by the president of this conference. (6) That all expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, and circulation of the ex-president's statement be a charge on the contingent fund.