PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18233, 18 November 1924, Page 4

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

YESTERDAY'S SESSION. (PBSSS ABSOCIiTTO;,- TXLEG3AH.) PALMEBSTON X.. November 17. At the Presbyterian Assembly two local addresses -were presented for confirmation. The first was a farewell address to Yiscount Jellieoe, and the second an addrcs3 of welcome to his successor in tho Yice-Regal office, Sir Charles Fergnsson. The address to be presented to the retiring Governor-General reads:—On tho occasion of your demi63ion of office ire, the representative ministers and elders of the Presbyterian Church convened in General Assembly at Palmergton North, join with our fellowcitizens in the Dominion in saying farewell to you, to Yiscountess Jellieoe, and family. We desire to assure your Excellency that your personal and family life amongst us won the respect and affection of the people, and your official life and work have deepened our attachment to the Motherland and strengthened our loyalty to the Throne, which you have so worthily represented. And wo trust that by the' blessing of God the future holds for you many further years of distinguished service to the Empire and of happy family life. Your name will always be followed by us, and those we represent, with interest and sincere good wishes.

The second address to the new Gov-ernor-General reads: —"We, the representative ministers and elders of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, convened in General Assembly at Palmerstcn North, humbly present to you, as the representative of the King, renewed assurances of our loyalty to the Throne and person of King George, to whose life and services to his people the Empire owes an incalculable debt. We offer to you personally, as Gover-nor-General of the Dominion, and to her Excellency and all the members of your family* a very cordial welcome to New Zealand, and assure your Excellency that our of your past distinguished services to the Empire makes us look forward with great confidence to your term of office here. As Presbyterians also we welcome you as an. elder of the Church in Scotland, which we often respectfully refer to as the Mother Church. We trust that her Excellency will find great happiness in. reviving memories of lier girlhood in ou? country,.ancL'that further residence here will strengthen the bonds between us.

Both the addrosfies were read by Professor Hewitson, convener of the Public Questions Committee. He moved that they be adopted, and that the question of their presentation be left to the Moderator to arrange. This waa unanimously agreed to, the whole Assembly rising and singing the National Anthem.

The next Assembly Trill meet at Dunedin in 1925-

After Mr "Walter Gow's report on the Otago Sustentation Fund had been adopted, the Rev. W. J. Conine (General Treasurer) brought down a report from the Sustentation Fund Special (Committee, together with amended regulations. Several ministers had already spoken of the inadequacy of the "minimum stipend of £275 before the special report was presented, but although expressed in dear and unmistakable language, their protests became mere wliispers compared with the vigorous charge of the business head of the Church. The speaker said that both north and south stipends were absolutely unworthy. The Presbyterian Church used to be in the forefront in the payment of its ministers, but now.it had dropped into %hird or fourth place. The Church did not seem to realise the position. Ministers were paid £2OO-£235 thirtyfive years ago. Compared with the present day, a minister was then 50 nor cent, better off on £2OO, than on ?o-diiy's stipend. It was well thai these tilings should be said in the presence of elders. While ministers were not free from care in respect of financial matters, the position would continue one of great difficulty for the Church. It bad been said a hundred yeaxs before that a scandalous stipend made a scandalous ministry. While finance worried ministers, and they were kept closely considering pounds, shillings! and peiioe, they had no heart to plead for foreign or home missions. . The report was adopted with the amended regulations; and a committee was appointed to administer the fund. The principal apiendments were to raise up to or towards £275 stipends of ministers receiving less from charges, and out of surplus, if any, to make a further division raising all stipends up to £.300. Every congregation was en-., joined to contribute according to its ability. {spicial to "ths raws.") PALMESSTOy IS T ., November 17. At the Assembly this morning, with regard to the' framing of a policy for j tho Bible-in-Schools Committee in case tho BUI did not become law during the j present Parliament, the Committee re- ] ported that this should be done by the Assembly. 1 The report of tho Church Property : Trustees was presented by the chairman (Mr A. D. Thomson). The death of j one of the original trustees (Bev. Bob- j ert Somerville) was deeply regretted lls had rendered exceedingly valuable service in dealing with financial difficulties. Mr Sydney Harbut (Auckland) was elected a trustee by the Assembly, In connexion with the Fire Insurance Fund Report, the Assembly highly approved of the exertions of the caretaker in cheeking the destruction of its property at Maheno. Fifty pounds from tho fund were given to the Theological College for a scholarship, and £75 was allocated for scholarships, of £25 each, for the John McGlashan, St. Andrew's, and Sects Colleges. Mr Thomson said the committee had in view preference to boys entering the colleges with a view to qualifying for the ministry. Mr Walter Gow reccmmended that preference in the awajd of the scholarships should be shown both to the daughters and the sons of ministers, otherwise the children of ministers would be largely debarred from such higher education through the poor stipends paid to the majority of ministers.

The latest invention of British; engineering talent is subrsea sled, fitted with fins for© and aft, which dives below the surfac© of the water and explores tho bottom of the 6sa with its powerful headlights, supplied by accumulators fed from the pxmourHcovered motor engine. The diver drives, or the driver dires (.whichever way you like to have it), and has the inestimable advantage over the land chauffeur of being able to surmount obstacles in the literal sense, though he » at th© corresponding disadvantage of having to supply his own juice in the form of breathable tur sent down a> life-line from the pilot ship. Expert opinion, is inclined to defer judgment on the practical value of the sub-sea eled until such time as its achievements over a reasonable period oan be tabulated. But if it saves the diver from dumping and stumbling and groping hia Tray along the uneven ocean bed it will have achieved something.