METHODIST WOMEN

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 24

METHODIST WOMEN

MISSIONARY UNION CONFERENCE. The fourth annual conference of the Methodist Women's Missionary Union was opened in the social room of the Octagon Hall on Monday morning. There were about 25 delegates present from, all over New Zealand, and Mrs E. A. Rosevear (president) occupied the chair, being supported by Mrs W. West (hon. secretary), MrsW. H. Duke (corresponding secretary), and Mrs L. H. Osborn (hon. treasurer). The conference has been arranged to last four days, and all interested in missions are invited to attend. The principal business in the morning was consideration of the report and balance sheet. The executive reported that it was greatly encouraged by the accounts from the auxiliaries throughout the dominion, acknowledging the help it had received through keeping- in touch' with the union, also from the missionary letters. New branches had l been formed during the year. The missionary auxiliaries in New Plymouth, Greymouth, Reefton, and Westport had become affiliated with the union. An endeavour. was made to arouse interest in Greytown, Carterton, Masterton, Napier, Nelson, and Waimate, but seemed inopportune. Perhaps when the next effort was made it would meet with better results. Early in the year an executive was formed, as proposed > by conference, to represent the auxiliaries, each member being responsible for forwarding reports of the executive meetings to four auxiliaries. One member had been lost by removal, Mrs Newman having returned to Christchurch. Her place had been filled by Mrs Greenslade. Many reports showed increased membership in the branches. During the year Miss Roscoe and Sister Constance Olds offered for work on the mission field. At present neither was, free to go, but they hope to do so when relieved of their present positions. The balance sheet showed that £llO2 had been rajsed during the year, for mission work. -The credit balance is £287. The report and balance sheet were adopted. In the afternoon there was a full attendance of representatives- who listened with deep interest to two addresses on various phases of missionary work by the Rev. W. A. Sinclair (general secretary for the foreign missions of tli9 Methodist Church) and the Rev. A, H. Scriven ,of Papua. Mrs Rosevear. who presided, opened the session with a few brief devotional exercises.