METHODIST CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14000, 4 March 1909, Page 6

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

HOME MISSION WORK, 1 A SECRETARY APPOINTED. [by telegraph.—rosss assocutiow.V Wellington, Wednesday. ' ' The question of Home Mission work wag gone into by the Methodist Conference to'' ' day. The Rev. G. W. J. Spence moved ■", That a minister, in' full connection, be* [ set aside :as organising secretary to work I on the lines so successfully ; adopted in If! the Australian States." . - It was urged by Mr. J. Tronnson'i.that -they should have the very best man available for the post of organising secretary. They did not want to have an u n . employed man sent out to this work, but' a real, live man, full of spirit. He was sorry to say that their Home Mission 1 work had not been very satisfactory. , • : On being put to the vote, the principle ■ of making the appointment was'; endorsed- - and it was then moved by the ' Rev'" •'■ Spence (for the executive committee) "That a minister be designated for this office*, forthwith, to take effect from 1910." The" Rev. Ready seconded the motion. An amendment was moved by Mr. SS ' Dixon, " That the appointment be made ' this year." He urged that if they bad.'; made the appointment five years ago, they could have saved anything from ; £500; to.-. =V £1000 by securing sites along » the Main Trunk line. The Rev. J. Buttle seconded" the amendment.

j Some criticism upon the financial aspect ; of the question drew from th'j Rev. Mr.-v .' Spence the remark that the contributions/ had come in much better of late, : and that' now the deficiency was only £150.- ' e l f After considerable discussion > the "■ amendment providing for the immediate appointment of an organising : ; secretary/ was carried by 34 votes to 49. • ■ The Rev. Mr. Spence, on behalf of the ' ' committee, moved that the location of ■ this office be in Auckland, and this was, agreed to. . The Conference adopted fur* ther recommendations by the committee as ■ follows: " That the .secretary.;? act under the 'direction of the Home Mission Executive, and that his missions be: (1) Thai'" ' he visit-the different circuits/ Home Mis/'. sion stations, and ; Maori ' Mission district^"."V of the Dominion by arrangement with the district chairman i, and superintendent?; (2) to conduct 1 services and public meetings in- ,' the interests of the fund for Church extea-. * sion; (3) to take the • necessary steps to*.-'.'-'' promote an, increased interest in the work-, and to augment the income of the Home Mission department by-subscriptions and" ) other methods; (4) to "visit districts where"* ' services are not'being held, with a view !&*'& the extension of Church work; (s)' to sup-';. ply a quarterly report as to the work to' . the Executive Committee, and an ; annual?.-, report to the Synod or the Conference. I !.' : '. ; It. was decided that the stipend ito be at/ " tached to the office be at least £275 '. per ■ * : year./€r¥.:Sft^ .The Rev. Mr. Spence reported that the >' committee had decided to recommend three - names, in the following order, as - tjaudi-. :l dates for the position:. Rev. W. ! ' (Dunedin), Rey. I; G. Brooke (New, Ply. mouth), ,Rev. S. Lawry. (ChristchiirchJ^j*" The voting on the first ''ballot 'w«;':'ißer«H~-'i! Bropke, 68 . votes Rev. Slade, -38 votes p[ ' " Rev/ Lawry, '33 votes. As this,did'hot* give the Rev. Brooke an absolute majorifrfsss a second ballot was -.taken, with ;.thetteenlt;'?-< that he was elected by 91 votes to 51. Th£ ! result of the ballot was ' received' ' •'i hearty "applause. , TV'I