METHODISM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 12 March 1912, Page 5

METHODISM.

NEW ZEALAND CONFERENCE. MISSION WORK. Pb.es9 Association.) AUCKLAND, March 11At the Methodist- Conference to-day the Rev. T. G. Brooke, organiser, secretary of the ihome mission executive, submitting a home missionaries' super•armnatioiij iKcheime, )recammendcijd .'that the conference should appoint a special committee to consider the same, and after placing the matter before ithe quarterly meetings of the home mission stations, th. e committee to report their Te- ; commendations to the next- conference. The fund will be provided by contribution to the Government National Provident Fund, and the scale of contributions shall Ibe such as will entitle each home missionary of a suitable age to receive a .pension of 20s per week at the ag e of 60. A'll home missionaries Tinder the age of 36 years shall be required to become contributors .to 'the superannuation fund. _ , A Dunedin committee consisting of the Revs. P. W. Fairclough, W. Slade, T. G. Brooke (home mission secretary), Messrs E. Roseveare (convener), J. Stevens, and J. B. Blacklock, was appointed to consider the proposal and prepare a scheme. ' A cable from the _ Foreign Mission Board at Sydney, asking for volunteers for service in South Sea Islands mission fields was read. Th. e Rev. T. G. Hammond stated that the Rev. M. Kirk wood, a Maori probationer of two years standing, had expressed Ms desire to undertake work as a missionary. It was decided that the Rev. Mr Kirkwood's offer ibe sent to the Board at Sydney. The question of Maori missions wa* discussed at some Jength, various recommendations ibeing read. The Wanganui synod recommended : "That the conference be requested to brine: before the Government the urgent need of making provision for the registration of the birth and deaths of .Maori people, and so remove an injustice under •which these people are living-. " Eventually a resolution was passed referring the matter to the mission committee. THE THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE. The committee appointed in connection with the. theological college at Epsom reported that they had gone into the question, and recommended that the matter should be referred to an Auckland committee. The recommendation was adopted and Mr. A. A. Caughey was appointed treas nver. It was also decided that, a dis trict committee be appointed. SEPARATION FROM AUSTRALIA. Mr. J. A. Flesher .reported that in all the States in Australia, with the exception of West Australia. Bills authorising the separation of the New Zealand Church from the Church of Australia had been passed. Tlhe proWi,o cost would be £250. The Bill in "Wpsl Australia, would pro'bably b e passed thi = year. . . VThe conference passed' a Tiesouut:.o<ti thanking Mr. Flesher, and the committee for the work done in this matter. It was also reported that valuable assistance had been rendered toy memlbers of the Governments in the States, and by Sir J. G. Ward and Sir John Findlay in New Zealand.