METHODIST CONFERENCE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 67, 1 March 1911, Page 3

METHODIST CONFERENCE

[P£K PKESS ASSOCIATION.J

Christchurch,. Feb. 28.

, The Methodist Conference this morning carried a formal resolution endorsing the constitution of . the independent Conference for New Zealand. The Rev. C. H. Laws read a report on the steps necessary to give, effect to the separation of the New Zealand Church from the Australasian Conference. He considered that the resolution of the Australasian Conference sufficient, and that the other necessary i steps would be simple. Sir Samuel Way, Chief Justice of South Australia, however, had given the opinion that, in the absence of precedent, the proceedings ought to be cautious, and that the steps to be taken should be a sufficient guard against hasty separation. Mr. Laws said he supposed Sir Samuel Way’s anxiety was to prevent disintegration in the Australian Conference in future, and that the New Zealand Conference should express itself firmly on the matter. Later. To meet the unexpected position which has arisen in connection with the consummation of the independence of the Methodist Church in New Zealand, consequent on the opinion of Sir Samuel Way that the consent of each of the six Austral- . asian Conferences are necessary to the Methodist Conference to-day unanimously decided as follows: — (1) The. conference, having considered the memorandum of the Right Hon. Sir Samuel Way, and the statement relating thereto issued by the ex-President, unanimously I endorses the statement and, ap- . proves of the action taken by the ex-Pr^sident; (2) the conference regards it as of most vital importance that the conferring of independence, as unanimously decided on by the general conference, should take effect at the earliest possible i date, and strongly urges the , several annual conferences to expedite in every way the steps needful to complete the matter; (3) the conference desires respectfully to draw the attention of any annual conference that may decide to consult its quarterly meetings, to that part of I the ex-President’s statement which suggests that, under such circumstances. reference should be made to the March quarterly meeting of 1911, and is most strongly of opinion that even a year’s delay will be inimical to the important interests among us .and may, as the statement points out, prevent the securing of the necessary legislation in one or more Parliaments before the next general conference meets. It therefore urges any annual conference which may adopt the suggestion of Sir Samuet Way, to give conditional assent to the proposal for independence, wTiich 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 the New Zealand independence ] at the earliest possible moment; ( (s)that a cable mes-nge be prepared embodying the purpose of the above resolutions, and be immediately forwarded to the President of each of the anual conferences, same to be ' signed by the President of this con ‘ ference ; (6) that all expenses in * connection with the preparation, - printing, and circulation of the exPresident’s statement be a charge . on the contingent fund. j‘