PAY FOR MINISTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1920, Page 5

PAY FOR MINISTERS.

PRESBYTERIANS WINT MORE. MINIMUM OF £3OO SOUGHT. •iqijiAaoD—"sissy saoJi—■ttdi«Sßitij iff Wellington, Last Night. The Presbyterian (leneral Assembly received a report of the Sustentation Fund Committee, In connection with which Professor Daviea said there were 251 sanctioned charges in New Zealand. Out of these 161 were paying their ministers under £3OO per were paying leas; than £2OO a year, hi were paying lesa than £225, and 130 were paying under £250 a year. It was necessary in order to pay every minister a minimum stipend of £3OO, to find the sum of jCIO.OCO. He moved the following deliverance: "(1) That in view of the serious state of affairs, owing to the high cost", of linng, definite steps be taken at once to secure a minimum stipend of £3OO per annum for all sanctioned charges; (2) in order to secure {his Presbyteries be instructed to visit every charge within their bounds at the earliest possible date, placing the question of the maintenance of the ministry before the congregations; (3) that the committee be empowered, in cases of special hardship, to bring up the stipends to £3OO by means of special grants; (4) this being an emergency scheme, the committee bo empowered to appeal for financial support, (a) to stronger congregations, and (b) to individual members of the church." Professor Daviea concluded by remarking that the proposal this year was an emergency one, but next year it must, become the definite and fr;al policy of the church that the minimum stipend of ministers should be £.".110 a year. The deliverance was adopted, and a committee was set up to give effect to its terms.