10 PER CENT INCREASE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20185, 1 March 1940, Page 8

10 PER CENT INCREASE

MINISTERS’ STIPENDS METHODIST CHURCH CONFERENCE DECISIONS I.Por I'm;, Aitociatios.) DU! TED IN, this. djy. A decision to increase ministers’ stipend;: by 10 per cent and to rnafcs the stipends the first, charge on all collection:; except those ordered by the conference for connectional purposes, was made on a vote of laymen at the Methodist Church conference yesterday. It was stated during the discussion on the subject that one case had occurred in which a minister’s wife had had to undertake outside work to augment her husband’s income. The following recommendations of Hit' .special committee set up by the conference, [o consider the ijueslion wore adopted: That the conference believes that the adequate mainleiianco of ministers, probationers and home missionaries is one of great importance; that in view of the increase in taxation and the cost of living, and in view of the general increases given lo workmen in industry and commerce, the conference increase the standard of minimum stipends by 10 per cent; that stipends should be the first charge on all collections, except those ordered by the conference for connectional purposes: that in cases where the stipends of ministers are in arrears or in cases where the minimum stipend is not being paid, the conference should direct that at least 50 per cent of the moneys raised by efforts for special local church purposes be used for stipend purposes; that in cases where the minimum is not being paid or the stipend is in arrears, the chairmen of the districts be directed to visit quarterly meetings of the circuits concerned and urge them to endeavour to meet the wishes of the conference, and that the chairman take with him some laymen to support him in his appeal. Mr. Frank Thompson, Christchurch, said that 43 active ministers were receiving less than £250 a year and 87 were receiving £250 or over. On an average each minister spent £3O a year more on transport than he received.