CHURCH AND PROPERTY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 522, 27 November 1928, Page 13

CHURCH AND PROPERTY

ST. CUTHBERT’S ATTITUDE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DISCUSSION ‘‘Should institutions which do not admit control by the Assembly be allowed to use the name of the Church in making appeals for support?” was a question put by the treasurer, the Rev. W. J. Comrie, to the Presbyterian General Assembly to-day. Reporting on “trusts affecting the funds in which the Church *is interested,” the treasurer said that in some cases there was a hesitation about admitting any responsibility to the As«e§nbly. Another question which arose was: “May property for Church purposes be vested otherwise than in ‘The Church Property Trustees’ or in the ‘Otago Church Board of Property’ without the trusts under which the property is to be held being submitted to and approved of by the Assembly.” “The authorities of St. Cuthbert’s College, Auckland, have declined to pay the assessment for Assembly expenses and assert that the college is in no way controlled by the Church,” stated a clause of the treasurer’s report. “The present attitude seems to be inconsistent with the reports which have been made to the Assembly from time to time since steps were first taken for the institution of the college.” There was some discussion on the questions raised by the treasurer. Dr. R. Erwin (Christchurch) said that Assembly had no responsibility of St. Andrew’s College, which, nevertheless, was controlled by the Church. The Moderator, Professor Hewitson, said the college boards and officers must be trusted. He believed that if St. Cuthbert’s was left alone it would “come right.” The treasurer said that the Assembly should know more about how the funds were administered. “It was the venturesomeness of faith which made the school boards and presbyteries do things which the Assembly would not look at,” said the Moderator. Assembly decided that the board of property trustees should make further investigations of trusts and bring down recommendations next year. NO RETRENCHMENT “The amount contributed has been extremely satisfactory,” said the treasurer, the Rev. W. J. Comrie, in his report, “in spite of the depression which I believe is gradually but surely lifting. The Church knows its responsibility; its heart is sound and it is not prepared to let the work down. Ninetynine per cent, of the amount asked for under the budget has been subscribed by-» congregations, private donations, and by interest on moneys invested. The position is not yet easy, but there is no need for retrenchment or for withdrawing from any of the works of the Church.” The report of the Church Property Trustees showed that during the year ended August 8, the sum of £27,850 was received in repayment of investments and deposits and £28,850 was invested in mortgages, debentures and deposits. The properties of six congregations were .sold for £6,530 and 14 properties were mortgaged for £12,850. Titles were received for 33 properties. The trustees were given permission to subdivide a property facing Clifton Terrace, Wellington, and to sell or lease frontages, retaining at least 200 ft in depth from Wellington Terrace. (Proceedings