WARMTH IN DEBATE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 119, 16 November 1911, Page 2

WARMTH IN DEBATE.

PRESBYTERIAN HOME MISSIONS fBY TILKORAPH — PRBSR ASSOCIATION.! • DUNEDIN, 15th November. The Presbyterian Assembly to-day considered the financial regulations of £he Some Mission department (submitted by Dr. Gibb. The Rev.' P. B. Fraser, In supporting the clause making a_ minimum salary of £125 for home mieeionariea, spoke very strongly' about underpayment of epme agents of the Church. "The regulation was adopted' with a'elight amendment. " •Dr. Gibb then moved that the"regulations bo sent to the presbyteries for consideration, the latter to report to the Northern Homo Mission Committee by June, • 1912, and ."ftntiF the matter is finally 'disposed of by next Assembly the committee to operate the scheme a« far as » possible in accordance with' the regulations. The Rev. Mr. Finlayson challenged the competency of the mo tion because it introduced 'fresh legislation without reference to the presbyteries. Tho Moderator ruled that th<» motion \ya« not competent. Dr. Gibb moved that the Moderator's ruling be disagreed with. A show of hands proved unconclusive, and the roll was called, the result being that Dr. Gibb'tt motion was lost by 70 votes to 69.. ' Dr. Gibb then warmly declared that he could do no morfc about it. He aefcerted that most of the seventy had' not a ghost of a notion what the') were doing. In his opinion the whole business had been stultified. ' Dr. Gibb's remarks caused a "great deal of interruption and dissent, and the Moderator remarked, "When yoo withdraw the reference you made to the house, I think the house will be willing to listen to you." Dr. Gibb : What reference did I make ? . • The Moderator : You made a reference that was anything but Parliamentary. It is not , neceaeasy that I should repeal h Dr. Gibb then withdrew. The discussion was carried on iill 1.40 p.m., and an adjournment was then made. At 2.30 Dr. Gibb took the platform, and it was then ascertained ihat it wa(' oniy the proposal that the IJoine Missions Committee should operate the scheme that was declared incompetent. The motion, with this proposal deleted, was carried.