HOMES FOR RETIRED CLERGY

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1926, Page 8

HOMES FOR RETIRED CLERGY

METHODIST FUND RECOMMENDED.

WIDOWS ALSO MAY PARTICIPATE

Adequate homes for retired Methodist ministers and for the widows of ministers were referred to as real needs at the annual Synod of the TaranakiWanganui district in New Plymouth yesterday, and it was decided to recommend conference to set up a special fund to supply the want. For many years the Methodists Lad been recognised as leading other churches in making provision for its supernumeraries and ministers’ widows, Baid the Rev. E. T. Cox, M.A., of Wanganui. They had been congratulated on what was being done and their example had been held up as an ideal. But ten years ago a minister retiring after 44 years’ service was entitled to a maximum allowance of £2OO a year. Then he could obtain a house for £5O a year, leaving £l5O for living expenses. At the present time the maximum allowance was the same, but it now cost £BO to £lOO for a house and the purchasing power of the pound sterling had depreciated to 13s. Thus the supernumerary had actually just about half the jmount to spend on food and clothing than he had formerly. He knew of a case where a superannuated minister and his wife had been compelled to live in two rooms because they could not afford anything else, and there was an instance of a minister in the prime of life dying this year and leaving a widow and seven children. He had served 25 years in the church and the mother was entitled to a pension of £49 6s 8d a year. If that widow had had money available for a house, her lot would not have been so hard.

For a century it hud been the glory of Methodism that it provided for its aged ministers and their widows. If £lO a year were set aside for each minister from the time of his reception, with interest added he would be able to draw £2OO in 13 years. In 20 years the amount available would be £6OO, and after 40 years it would be £l4OO. This money could be used for the purchase of a house by the retired minister or a widow. Mr. Cox considered it would be good business for a minister to save the £lO himself. The savings bank paid only 4 per cent., whereas the church fund would return 7 per cent.

He suggested the Synod should recognise the principle and send forward to the conference the following recommendation: That recognising the unsatisfactory provision that is now made for supernumeraries and their widows owing to the depreciation in the purchasing power of money, this Synod recommends the conference to establish a supernumerary home fund, as an auxiliary branch of the supernumerary fund, to provide adequate homes for ministers in retirement and for widows.

In seconding, Mr. E. Dixon, of Hawera, said he was glad Mr. Cox had raised the question. His figures were interesting, but he asked if they had been investigated by an actuary. Mr. Cox: I am an actuary. The chairman (the Rev. W. J. Oxbrow) said that at present a minister could not look forward to his superannuation exactly with pleasure. After Mr. Dixon had commented that something on the lines proposed was certainly needed, the motion was carried unanimously.