PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 75, 12 March 1930, Page 4

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

GENERAL AbSEMBLY

Dunedin, March 11. At the Presbyterian Assembly, in connection with the beneficiary fund committee's report, on the motion of Mr. V. G. Chapman it was resolved that Regulation 5 bo amended to lead as follows:—“ (w) Hubjoet to regulation 90, all ministers, professois and misionfirips shall bo members of tho fund. Ordained home misioimries may become members of this fund.” Mr. V. G. Chapman moved and Mr. J. 8. Fairgay seconded and it was agreed, “That tho paragraph regarding war services in regulation 20 be amended to read as follows:—'War service, Whether the member was then an ordained minister or not, and whether in training camps in New Zealand or on active service abroad, shall count as ministerial service provided that evidence of such service shall bo submitted to tho committee not Inter than Juno 30th., 1930 In the case of men ordained prior to enlistment, such service shall count from enlistment to tho date of settlement after discharge from !the army.’ ” The committee was instructed: (a) To secure an actuarial investigation of tho women’s beneficiary fund as at present constituted, (b) to supply to the actuary the necessary data from him nn estimate of the edst of placing all the women workers within Now Zealand in the fund under tho existing regulations.

At the evening session the report of tho public questions committee was brought forward, and resolutions were agreed bearing on Sunday trains and gambling facilities, with special reference to art unions. Tho assembly confirmed tho action of the committee in insisting upon the recognition of the- rights of conscience and equal treatment of all conscientious objectors claiming exemption under the Defence Act. It was also resolved to request the Government to remove the sentence of deprivation of civil rights for 10 years imposed on Miller and Rielmrcls in Auckland in regard to military training. The assembly reaffirmed its conviction that the military activities of tho country should be reduced as much as possible, and that compulsory training should be abolished. A resolution was passed urging that ministers should work through the Nelson system of religious instruction in schools where possible.