SIXTH DAY. Morning Sitting.

Otago Witness, Issue 1418, 25 January 1879, Page 9

SIXTH DAY. Morning Sitting.

The Presbytery met at 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning, and resumed business. THE POPOTDNOA. CASE. The consideration of this case was again taken up. The Rev. Mr Allan, the clerk to the Clutha made a few remarks, and ww followed by Mr Taylor, after which the .Rev. fir Banneruan moved—" That a committee •dt this Synod be appointed to confer with Mr Connor ; the] Committee to consht of the Revs. Di Stuart, Will, Johnstone, Chrßtie, ChisIholm, Mackie,, .Clark, and Paterson ; and Messrs Eennie. Rnnciman, Fitzgerald, Bethane, and J. E. Brown."— Carried. AGED AND INFIRM MINISTERS. The report of the Committee on the Aged ■.and Infirm Miuistbrfa' Fund was read." It ref commended that' Mr Thomson, of Winton, be 1 fjlaced on the fund as long as he was incapaci'fcafted from regular duties. The application by .SJev J. H. 1 M-Naughton, for som.e benefit from 4he fund, was referred to the Synod as an exceptional case. The fund had increased from 1*565118 Bd, on Ist July, 1878, to L19296a 4d, the, increase being from the following sources :— Contributions from ministers, LB2 ; entry money, L 18;1 8; contributions from 24 congrega flaons, L 153 3s 4d ; interest on loans, LllO 14s. The Committee resolved to recommend that ■congregations be requested to make collections towardß this fund until it reached the sum of HJ4OOO, and that ministers be instructed to bring this matter before their respective congregations in a judicious and effective manner. On the motion of the Rev. Mr Sutherland, the following deliverance was agreed to :— * Adopt the report ; record thanks to the Committee, and especially to the Convener; express •regret that several congregations of the Church have nut contn Luted to this very important scheme during the year, and appoint collections to be made in all congregations for this fund, and enjoin upon all ministers to see thatthe _is made; further, regret that the atate of Mr Thomson's health necessitates retaement from the ministry, and recommend as an mterim arrangement, that Mr Thomson be placed on the Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund and dealt with in accordance with the reculations." 6 .»«£- "I?* 61106 . to the application from Mr M'Naughton.it was agreed that the Treasurer *>c authorised to return to Mr M'Naughton the .amount confaribu ted by him towards the Aeed jmd Infirm Ministers' Fund, and such sum over «nd above the- annual payments made by him .^towards the Wid owe and Orphans" Fund

SANCTIONING OP CHARGES. The Rev. Mr Will read the following report on the above:— "The only application for sanction this year comes from the Presbytery of Dunedin, on behalf of Ravensbourne, in the vicinity of Dunedin. The Committee having considered the application, with relative documents, unanimously agreed to recommend that the application be granted, and that- Ravensbourne be declared a sanctioned charge." The following deliverance was agreed to :—: — "Adopt the report, record thanks to Committee, especially to the Convener ; and agree that the application of Ravensbourne to be erected into a separate charge be granted." The Rev. Mr Bannerman moved the following amendment, which was seconded by the Rev. Mr Rtlet: — "That Ravensbourne be sanctioned on the Presbytery receiving a guarantee of a contribution of L 175 towards the Sußtentation Fund." The deliverance was agreed to, and the Synod then adjourned till 6.30 p.m. Evening Sitting. The Synod resumed at haJf-past 6 o'clock. FINANCE REPORT. Mr Wales read the report of the Finance Committee. It stated that the general statement furnished by the treasurer showed total contributions from 46 congregations, amounting to L28.342 14s Id, being an increase of L 3835 19s lid over the gross receipts of last year. The report went on to state : — Of this amount a large increase is shown in the Building Fund— viz., L620110s lid, as against L 426 8103 4d contributed in 1877. The difference is mainly accounted for by the amount received from Knox Church. Taking this amount into consideration, the Building Fund shows a falling off from last year, but the amounts contributed by the congregations of Otepopo, Waiareka, and Waikouaiti show receipts of L1437 17s 6d, as 'against nil of the preceding year, thus showing considerable progress in these districts. On ordinary collections there is an increase of L650 10s 3d over those of 1877, but on special collections there is a falling off of L 292 5s sd. On the other hand, the Beat rents have increased by L 577 Is sd, chiefly in the|ceritres of popular tion. The General Mission Fund is a trifle less than the previous year, but the new Mission Scholarship Fund, initiated by the ' Roy. J. Copeland, shows, for the first year—contributions and donations, L4OO 5s 2d. This may possibly account for the partial falling off in the receipts for missions. ■ . The Dayspjring Fund shows a considerable increase, viz., L432 14s sd, as against L2OO 8s 3d for the year 1877. The contributions from two congregations inolude those of 1877 i The Church Extension Fund also shows a Blight increase. Hitherto it has been a matter of considerable difficulty to ascertain the exact amount of liabilities of the fund at the termination of the synodical year. Your Committee, however, believe that the present year's accounts will show the actual position of the fund at this date. Referring to the Sustentation Fund, there is an increase of L 367 4s 6d, but taking into consideration the new charges, it ' is doubtful whether the increase corresponds with the increased work to be done. The amount of dividend paid this year was L 222 12s 2d, as against L216 15s 4d m 1877. Your Committee; however, believe that, taking into consideration the disastrous floods that during the last winter extended over the length and breadth of the land, and the consequent privations attending the same, the contributions on the whole have been satisfactory. The Presbytery Scholarship Fund is in debt to the extent of Lls 3s. This would not have occurred had the various congregations remitted the sums' at which they were assessed, and your Committee earnestly request that all outstanding accounts be at once paid to the General Treasurer, and this fund placed on a more satisfactory basis. The Aged and Infirm-Ministers' Fund shows a decrease of Lll 15s, which is much to be regretted. Several congregations have made no return for this year. It is, however, satisfactory to notice the steady increase of the Fund.' It is within the knowledge of your Committee that, in consequence of ill-health, one of the ministers of the Church has, been compelled to retire, and will probably claim on the Fund ; it is therefore hoped that this fund may continue to receive the hearty support of the members, of the Church. " There is an increase for seat rents of L 577 Is sd, and for ordinary collections L 659 2s sd. The Mission Legacy Fund stands as it did la*t year, having at its credit a sum of LSOO. The Prize Fund has not been operated upon beyond an addition of L6— amount of interest on investment. The sum at credit of this fund is now LU7 7s Id. The contributions to Mr Copeland's Mission Scholarship amount to L4OO 5s 2d. After deduction of L37 19s 6d— amount of Mr Copeland's travelling and other expenses— a balance is left of L 362 5s 84. The Committee acknowledge with , thanks the repeated donations from Mies Mure to the two leading funds of the Church, and to those friends who have contributed to the Scholarship and other funds. Insurance.— Owing to the present unsettled state of fire insurance business in this province, the Treasurer has, with the concurrence of the Finance Committee, applied to some of the principal local offices for tenders for the insurance, during the current year, of the various Church buildings. . , Offers were made by the several offices applied to, the most favourable being that of the Standard. Your Committee have recommended the Treasurer to accept the latter offer, and it will be found that by, so doing, a very considerable saving has been effected. The agent of the insurance company was given to understand that, in the event of his tender being accepted, the whole of the Church buildings would be insured with him, and your Committee therefore urge that the various congregations will endeavour to comply with this stipulation. The several congregations should insure through the General Treasurer. He could then see to the renewals, and attend better to the security ef the whole property of the Church. Statements of the Widows and Orphans', Manse Reserve, Ecclesiastical Education, Sab- . bath School, Students and College Fundß, New Hebrides Mission, Ministers' Passages, Synod Expenses, and the Factor's account wjth the Otago Church Board of Property, were also given. : On the motion of the Rev. Mr Paterson, the following deliverance was agreed to :—,: — , " Adopt the report ; approve of the diligence of the Committee'; record to the Committee, and especially to the Convener ; also to the General Treasurer for the accuracy and satisfactory state of the accounts forwarded by him to the Synod-; express : satisfaction with the increase in most of the funds of the Church to the amount of .L 3835 19s lid; renew. the instruction of the Synod to the several Deacons' Courts anent the filling, up and 'transmitting the required returns not later than the end of the first week of January ; further; remit to the' i > Finance Committee to consider and report as . i to the best time for closing the < accounts, and ■ for the meeting of the Synod."— Agreed to. I . • SUSTENTATION FOND. I The consideration of the report of the . Sub

tation Committee was resumed, and the deliverance previously published was agreed to. A committee was appointed to consider the amalgamation of the Evangelist and Missionary Record. APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS. Several applications for grant* were dealt with. The Synod adjourned at 11 o'clock. (For continuation see Pagt 12).