METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11477, 4 March 1918, Page 2

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

CFer Press As»oeia«cm./ Dunedin, March 1

The Methodist Conference adopted the following order of circuitsln taking married instead of single ministers, Manaia, Invercargill (Teviot St.), Rotorua and Tauranga decided to relieve the {[following circuits for anoher year from the responsibility of tiking married instead of single ministers Auckland East, Otahuhu, Paeroa, Opotiki, St. Albans, Timaru. Rev. Mr Chapman was appointed to Taranaki Street, Wellington, Sor the eighth year, and the. Kev. F. W. Boys to Palmerson North for the .sixth year. The Rev. Mr Suckling was ransferred to the New Soutli Wales Conference for missionary work. It is understood he will be appointed to Fiji. Rev. Mr Wilson was transferred o New South Wales. The conference decided to request the Rev. Mr Poole, of Fiji,- to be transferred to New Zealand. Kev. Mr Oostain was granted permission to enlist.

The following ministers were permitted, to become permanent supernumeraries : Revs. [ Baumbor, Hudson, Blight and Griffin.

FIRST READING OF STATIONS. Dunedin, March 2. At the Methodist Conference the first reading of stations was adopted for Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu districts as follows: —Napier,- T. Richards and home missionary; Hastings, Mr Rugby Pratt; Gisborne, W. Abjiey; Waipawa, C. Foxton; Danuevirke, J. Richards, N. Turner, supply ;Woodville, K.Keal; Pahiatna, H. * Gottorn; Palmerston North, Broad Street, F. Boys and W. Real: Cuba Street, A. Ashcroft; Feildiug, G. Stockwell; Sanson and Rougotea, N. Turner; Foxton, A. Harding. Rsngitikoi, P. Cossum; Taihape, R. Fordyce; Waimarino, A. Miuifie. Revs. ‘Foster and Warburtou, pro, bationers!' in their fourth year, were received iinto full connexionThe ordination was lixed for tomorrow. Mr Warburtou has been in camp as a private, and will return immediately after the ordination.

Rev. Kakena Piripi, who has travelled for four years, was received into full connexion, and will bo ordained to-morrow as a native minister.

Rev. Sullivan, who is a chaplain now in England, has passed in his year on probation bis health is now broken clown, and he will soon be released from the forces. Revs. Mini fie and Slade, who have travelled two years, wore passed into their third year’s probation. Probationers who travelled two years, and have now passed in the year, were: Messrs Oswald Burnett, Robert Fordyce, William Hocking, Ernest Sage, and Chailes Kerulou, the last named is now in camp. Those who have travelled one year and were passed are:—■ Messrs John Dennis, Frederick Parker, Tom Dent, John Nelson, and Alfred Oostain, the last-named is now in camp. *■ It was reported that five students; —S. Mogridge, E. Olds, W. Smith, W. Blight, and E. Chambers—are with the forces. The. Conference decided that the names of these students be kept on tne president’s list of reservse.

The Conference decided to call on the Government to submit the question of prohibition to a vote of the people without further'delay. The Rev. F. W. Boys moved: “That in view of a report as to the treatment of conscientious objectors, the Conference request the Minister of Defence to sot up a Commission of Inquiry. It was stated that the Department denied the allegations of illtreatment of the men, and after further discussion it was decided to proceed to the next business.