THE METHODIST CONFERENCF.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 6 March 1909, Page 3

THE METHODIST CONFERENCF.

ITESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. . . ,;- [United Passs AssociAnow.] >, "WELLINGTON, Friday/ At the • Methodist Conference to-day it was resolved that the Conference emphatically protests 'against, the con-.-tinned legalisation, of thetotalisatorand . the : nefarious calling of the bookmaker, believing: that those in an -alarming inanheor are fostering the' 'spirit oT ■ gambling ■ -in : the ' Dominionr : - ' . .■■;'■-" A copy /of the resolution -was ordered to"' be sent to the Prime-Minister. , ;"'■ The /secretary (the R«v..S. Lawry) brought. 'forward the following notices of motion on the question of an inde- . pendent; conference for New Zealand : — r .That the following question be submitted to the next June quarterly meeting ~o£ each circuit irt the Dominion:, '.'Are the .members of this quarterly meeting in favour of an' independent conference for New Zealand subject to- a satisfactory working scheme being submitted to the forthcoming district synods and conference? ■ That '" returns be furnished to the President of; the Conference not later than July 31st, 1909, stating!— (l) members present ; (2) the numbers voting in the affirmative; (3) the numbers voting irii the ■" ■■ That should a 'majority be found voting : in the affirmative a committee sliall draw up a working scheme for submission to the district synods, which shall report their findings, with any suggested amendments, to the conference of 1910. ■ The following to be the Committee : The President and Secretary of the' Conference, the Connexional Secretary, .^ministers .of the Durham-street, Eist Belt, Woolston, St. Albaus, Papanui, Sydenham, Addington, and Lyttelton churches'; Messrs A. F. Drayton, J. A. Flosher, W. H. Sellars, C. Salter, J. C. Prudhoe, K. H. Turner, J. L. ,F. Thompson, W. Dalley, M. : Cresswell, Hon. G. J. Smith (Rev. 11 r Lawry convenor). Mr Lawry laid stress upon the fact that the adopttion of the resolution Would not commit the conference at all. His only aim was to have the " yoicjs of the quarterly meeting upon the adyisableness of adopting the principle. .It was,' indeed, the only way to settle a question which hud been before them for many years. 'They had now come to such a point that it was imperative that they should refer it "to the quarterly meetings, and that being so the sooner it was done the better. Ho was prepared to abide ■ entirely by the decision of the quarterly meetings, and if their verdict- was against the proposal he would be satisfied to bide his time. After considerable discussion the first two, portions -of the resolution were adopted, together with the following: That a committee shall draw up a working scheirfe for submiEs:on to the June quarterly meetings which shall report the findings with any suggested amendments to the forthcoming dis trict'vsjnods, who in turn shall report to the conference of 1910, the committee to be as in the original motion. A tea and public meeting were held to-night in connection with the Home and Foreign Missionary work. Both gatherings worn largely attended, it was announced that the collection , at the evening' meeting amounted to £115 17s 6d, including an anonymous donation of £100, half for foreign and half -for homo mission work.