PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 19960, 13 December 1913, Page 7

PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

(Per Press Association. )

CHRTSTCHURCH, Dec. 11. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian. Church of New Zealand resumed at St. Paul's Church this morning. Tho Moderator (ilev. W. McAra) presided.

The report of the Temperance committee, submitted by the Rev. A. Mil ler (Edendale, Auckland) stated that it was somewhat discouraging that, notwithstanding all efforts in. the way of temperance reform, the drink bill showed an upward tendency. The expenditure of so large a sum as £4,081,162 in 1912 meant a serious economic loss to the people of New Zealand. The report dealt with the corning campaign, and the church was urged to adhere to her policy and stand strongiy and solidly for local no-license and for national prohibition. Mr' Miller moved the adoption of a resort of the following deliverance: Thank Hon. W. F. Massey and Hon. J. Duthie •M.L.C., for their services in presenting our petitions to Parliament; recommend ministers and sessions to promote pledge-signing among young and old ,and that a special effort of this kind be made on the fourth Sunday of September; .appoint the second Sunday of .November as temperance Sunday; resolve also to petition Parliament that the mutter of reducing the necessary majority from 60 per cent, to 55 per cent, of valid votes recorded be submitted to Parliament separately for local and for national issue; resolve also to petition Parliament that tho law may be so amended thiat hotel bars in.ay bo required to close on the weekly balf-holiday; in view of the approaching licencing poll o.i: 1914, urge our people to support in every suitable way both local no-license and national prohibition; enjoin. Presbyterians to do what they can to assist in the campaign against tho liquor traffic within their bounds; and authorise the committeeto issue a pastoral letter to be signed by the Moderator and read from all pulpits of our church on a convenient Sunday before the poll is taken; also to issue a manifesto for distribution among our people, and to take such further steps as may seem to them wise for furthering the interests of local no-license and of national prohibition.

Rev. Jar,. Milne (Thames) moved an amendment that one of the clauses of the deliverance should be altered to read: "In view of the approaching poll of 1914 urge our people to support iii every suitable way national prohibition, to clear off the present licensing system with a view to the introduction of State control of the liquor traffic.1' The conclusion of the reading of the amendment was marked by laughter. A show of hands wa s taken, a. large number voting for the motion and only three voting for the amendment. Mr John G. W. Aitken moved the adoption of the New Century fund committee's report, which stated that loans had been promised amounting to £2,695, or much more than the ordinary income of the fund for the twelve months. An increase of from £0000 to £10.000 in the fund Mas greatly to bo desired.— The report was adopted. Mr Aitken moved the adoption of the report of the Fire Insurance Fund Committee, which stated that on^ August 18th there were insurances in force amounting to £168,007. —The report was adopted and1 the treasurer authorised to obtain, information from congregations regarding the insurance of church properties. Rev. James McKerrow submitted tho church property report, which stated that £28,179 was borrowed on mortgage by 23 congregations. Particulars were given of legacies during the year. The trustees recommended —(i) that the legacy of the late G. F. Bullen, of Kaikouna, be divided equally between the siistentation. fund of Otago and Southland section and the augmentation of stipends fund of tho northern section of the church; (2) that of the bequest nf the late Wm. Fraser, of Fairlie, £3000 be allocated to orphanages in Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington in equal shares, and that the balance be devoted to Church extension. The trustees asked for the authority of the Assembly to secure such amendment of the "Presbyterian Church Property Act, 1885," as will allow trustees (1) to hold property for colleges, orphanages and other educational and charitable purposes on similar trusts to those on which congregational property is held under the Act; (2) to borrow money for the purpose of acquiring land, and (3) to amalgamate the existing Aged and and Orphans' Fund if tho Assembly deInfirm Ministers' Fund nnd the Widows' cide that it is advisable to do so. It was reported that legacies had been received during the year for various funds of the church amounting to over £9000. It was decided that a aum of £1000 be bequeathed to the sustentation fund, to bt* invested and held as a nucleus for a sustentation fund for the whole church, and that interest in the meantime be paid) to the augmentation fund for sanctioned charges in the northern section of the church.

The report of beneficiary funds showed that the capital of the Aged and Inlirm Ministers' Fund stood at £39,000 r.nd that of the widows' and orphans' fund at £38,000. A resolution was passed allowing ministers to become beneficiaries at the age of 65 years.