ANNUAL WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5635, 8 December 1879, Page 6

ANNUAL WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

The annual district meeting of the Weeleyan Churchi n the Auckland province commenced its sitting on November 19 at 10 o'clock a.m. A hymn was eung, atid prayer offered by Revs. J. Wallis and C. U. Schnackenberg. Thero were present: The Revs. T. .Buddie, Hobbs, Wallis, S-ilinackcnberg, Gittos, Whewell, Watkiu, Bull, Bond, Hammond, Law, leitr, Rameka, and the students of the Three Kings. The president delivered hie usual addre-s. The Rev. H. Bull was elected secretary, Rev. Mr. Law assistant secretary, and Rev. Mr. Bjtid reporter. Under question 2—" What ministers have died during the years?' , —it was reported by Rev. Mr. Gittos that Hoaui Waiti, ou the 6th iust., had passed peacefully to his eternal reward, saying, "Kua pahure nga mea i pahure ; e mirama ana e mara-ua ana te takiwa ik mua." Ko tou rir.ck» anr.kc, Toku lino piriuga. " The past is gone ; it is light, it is light ; the future is light." Uock of Aces, cleft for me. Let mo hide iny.Mlf ia thee. Several of the brethren spoke feelingly of Hoaui Waiti as an earnest, devoted, and popular Christian minister, aud the Revs. T. Buddie aud W. (iittos were appointed to prepare an obituary for insertion in the Conference minutes. The hymn, commencing " Come let us join our friends above," was then suns; with feeliuc, and prayer offered by Uev. W. Watkin. "The Rev. J. Hobbs ad Iressed to the younger members of the meeting a few kind anil paternal words of advice before retiring, as his health would not allow of bis remaining until tho end of the session. Fhidav, November 21. Mr. Law presented the statistical report of the district, of which the following is a summary :—English churches, 39 ; other preaching places, 02 ; ministers and probatiorers, 19 ; catechiats, 3; Sunday-school teachers, 296 ; local preachers, 54 ; class leaders, 40 ; church members, 79S ; ou trial for church membership, 52 ; communicants, 140 ; c >te chumeu", IS; deaths,7 ; Snnday-schoiOs, 35; Suuday-school scholars, 2536 ; attendants ou public worship, G134. Maori churches, S ; other preaching place*, 30 ; Sunday-schools, 17 ; ministers, 0 ; church members, 3SS : local preachers, 15 ; .Suivlay-suhool scholars, 452; Sunday-school t- aehers, IS ; attendants on public worship, 23GS. Monday, November 24. Question 1, Division' and Alteration ok Circuits. — (1) Proposed by the President, seconded by Mr. McMaster, "Thatthe Auckland i ircuit be divided, and that Uraftod lload, Parnvll, aud Newmarket be coustituted a new circuit." Carried unanimously.— (2) Moved by Mr. Hammond, seconded by Mr. Edson, "That the Hokianga and Wangaroa circuit be divided into three circuits, viz. — Kawakawa, Wangaroa, Mougauui, and Hokianga." Carried. —(3) Mr. Gittos moved, aud Mr. White seconded, "That Kaipara circuit be ilividod, and that Wairoa be the new station." Question , 2, New Station to be Occirri kd. — Mr. Watkiu moved, aud Mr. Ashby secouded, "The appointment of a minister to ttbe Upper Thames district, ineluding Ohinemuri, Kitikati, Waihou, and Piak..." ' Questions, Additional MiNTSTBRs Asked Foil —Waikato renewed an application for au additijnal minister. Granted.—Wairoa asked for another agent, and Hokianga for two other ministers. Granted.—The Onehunga circuit: Messrs Stewart, McCoy, Bycroft, and Alleu presented, an informal request for the appointment of a young minister to reside at Otahuhu. These gentlemen urged their request with force and eloquence, with the following result : — Moved by Mr. Bull, and secouded by Mr. F. A. White, " That tho question be remitted to the Mauukau December quarterly meeting for its consideration, and to enable it to furni-h complete particulars with au application for a second preacher if it bt; thought needful to the ensuing Conference." Carried. Tlksday, November 24. Question 4.—Church properties : Number of churches reported to be forty, au I schools six, providing accommodation for S6SO persons. Parsonages, 15. Total cost of property, £23,462. JSew erections, improvements, &c., reported :—Auckland, Pittstreet : The debt reduced by £300. Grafton Road : Eulargement of Sunday school and improvement of church at a cost of £222 ; present debt, £01. Parnell : Raising and improving the church and building a new .Sunday-school, 50ft. x 27f1., at a cost of £561 ; present debt, £350. Pousonby : An improvement at a coat of £40 ; no additional debt. North Shore : Au improvement at a cost of £40 ; no additional debt. Waikato : Church improvement-), £100 ; no additional debt. Raglan : New church at Waifcetuna, i-"S0 ; no debt. Hukiangt: Improvement at Herd's Point, £22 ; no debt. Purchases, erections, sales, &c, sanctioned.— 1. Permission to purchase a site for a church at Nowmarket. 2. To build a church at Kawakawa. 3. To build a church at Kamo. The foliowing sales were sanetioueJ : A section at Stokus's Point, another site to be purchased with the proceeds ; the church and site at New North Uoail ; the church and site at Tuakau ; church and eitu at Pukcriuiu if needful ; a house and section at Raglau, proceeds to be devoted to the purchase of a new site. Counectional Funds, &c.—District Contingent Fund income, £S4 ISa 9d; expenditure, £31 3s 6d ; Supernumerary Fund income, £202 7a Sd ; Minister's aud Children's Fuod income, £140; expenditure, £239 10s ; Educational Fund income, £50 ; Fo-eign Mission income, £80 ss. Under the head of Foreign Missions, tho President explained that up tp the present this fund had been supplemented by a grant in aid from the English Missionary Fund io the extent of £30U0, which, in cousequenco of the increased claim upon the Home Fund, it had been proposed to withdraw after the General Conference of 1801. This would necessitate a much larger rovenue from the colonial churches. After a long conversation on this subject, it was movod bv Mr. Bull and socouded by Mr. Buddie, "That the meeting, haviug heard from the president tho ptopusud discontinuance by a diminishing scale of tho allowauce hitherto paid by the English Society to tho Australasian Fund, recognises the importance of increasing our income for this fund, and pledges itself to use its influence iu the several circuits ia this direction by bringing the matter more prominently beforo the peaple, and enlisting their deeper interest in and increasing liberal support of this branch of our work." Mr. White moved, aud Mr. Buddie seconded, "Thata foreign missionary meeting be held iu each circuit during the year, aud collections be made in aid of this fund." Homo Miaaiou Fund.—lncome : Auckland, £200 ; Kaukapakapi, £1 14s 9d : Thames, £34 10s ; Cororaandel, .C' 2 4s ; Mauukau, £30 ys ; Waiuku, £10 ; Waikato, £:U4s2d; Raglan, £75, ISs 3d; Kaipara, £3 13s ; Hokianga, £55 ; Whaugarei, £9 0i; coiinectional properties,£3o 12a 3d ; students, £G3 ; total, £529 7s sd. A vote of thanks was accorded to the deputation—Ucvs. M')rlny aud Buddlo —for their services in the Home. Mission department.—The Home Mis.sijii expenditure in the district atnonnt'd to about £1,050. Homo Mission Tnsoine.—The total estimate d income for th'i Home Mission Fuu.l for next £760, or, including the sale of the Maoii hymn book?, £SOO. Stipends.—The subject of ministers' stipends was considered by the meeting, mid the President remarked that £200 was insufficient for any minister, and especially for tho3e living in aud near town. These remarks were endorsed by many of tho laymen present. Urauts-in-aul.—The following grants-iu-aid were made : Waikato, £100, Kaipara ; £25, grauted as a supplement to tho stipend of the Homo Mission agent; Whangarei, £20 ; Kaukapakaka, C 2, r >; Mahurangi, £30; a grant of £50 towards a Home Mission agent in I'arnoll. These, together with the grants made to aid in the Maori work, thu building of parsonages, &c, amounted to £575. Mahurangi.—Mr. Hudson reported the sf.att! of tho work iu Mahuraugi. .;.i Wesley Collego, &c—The balance sheet of We.-Jey College, Auckland, was read, aud showed an income of £33S aud an expenditure of £380. The report and balance sheet of the educational properties woro read, showing an incomo of £501 11s 2d ; expenditure, £449 13s. The mission properties report aud balance sheet—income, £114 10s; expenditure, £70 2s Id. Conference Representative. — Mr. Bull was elected representative to the Conference. Recommendations to Conference. — I. " That the property schedule be revised." 2. " That tho next annual Conference bo respectively requested to appoint a committee of miniseer3 and laymen to take iuto consideration the state of tho children's fund generally." 3. " That a committeo of minand laymen be appointed to collect

information and frame suggestions for the more efficient working of the itinerancy." Wednesday, November 26. The final session met at 2 p.m. to-day, when mo3t of the members were present. Hymn 327 was snng, Romans xii. was read by the s a firetary, and prayer offered by the Rev. J. Wallis. Liverpool Minutes.—The Rev. J. Wat. kin read what are called "The Liverpool Minutes" (ancient eonnectional documents), in wlrch various instructions and exhortations to duty are contained, addressed to tha ministers. PitOGHEsa of Ciiurch Work.—Followin the reading of the above minutes there took place a conversation on the work of God in the district.—Mr. Bull congratulated the meeting on the increase leported in the statistical returns.--Mr. Bond said the increase reported was not proportional to the agencies employed. There was reason for gratitude, but room for improvement.—Mr. Buddie believel that more regular attendance at the class meeting', and the realisation of a deeper piety <in the part of ministers and people, would result in greater success. —Mr. Hammond, Mr. Uittos, and Mr. Hudson, spoke to the question, and the President closed thi> conversation by urging upon the brethren greater diligence and devotion to their work. Votes of thanks to the Rev. T. Buddie, as home mission eecretary; to the i'ev. G. Bond, as reporter; and to the Press, for inserting the reports. Also, to the Revs. H. Bull and J. Law as secretaries, and a hearty vote of thanks to the kind friends who had entertained the ministers, were passed. The minutes were then read aud signed by the president. Hymn 44 was sung, prayer offered by the president, and the meeting closed.