METHODISTS' CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3014, 27 February 1917, Page 3

METHODISTS' CONFERENCE

MISSION WORK REV. T. A. JOUGHIN PRESIDENTELECT The business sessions of the Methodist Conference wore continued yesterday. The Rev. W. A. Sinclair presided. Eespecting Ashburton, it was resolved that without altering the status of the circuit a married home missionary should be appointed in place of a married minister. It was decided 1 to appoint a home missionary to Mokau. The following circuits, due to take married ministers, were relieved for a year:—Paeroa, Opotiki, Auckland East, Taihape, Waimarino, St. Albans, Timaru, Dunedin (Dundas Street). It was agreed to not alter -the status of the Foxton circuit. Accounts concerning foreign mission work were adopted. The income for the year was £5521, an increase of several hundred pounds on the previous year's income. Auckland' was thanked by the conference for raising £500 for a Papua motor launch. Mr. J. W. Court, treasurer, was thanked and reappointed. The matter of New Zealand_ taking over a separate mission district was again deferred because of war conditions.

The following ministers are_ to continue to be supernumeraries:—(1) Revs. John Duinbell, William. Cannell, John Smth, William Lee, John S. Rishworth, Robert; Taylor, William C. Oliver, Henry Bull, David M'Nicoll, Joseph S. Smalley, William H. Beck, Charles B. Ward, William J. Williams, George Bond, Thomas G. Carr, Henry R. Dewsb-ury, Charles H. Standage, John Nixon, James, Thomas, John D. Jory, Samuel J. Garlick, Cornelius Griffin, Peter W. Jones, Thomas Fee, George W. J. Spehce, Joseph J. Mather, Hamiora Kingi (Native supernumerary) ; (2) Revs. Joseph Blight (for another year), and George T. Marshall (for another year). Tho following now become supernumeraries:—Revs. Thomas W. Newbold (permanent), and James Clover. The vßev. Christopher Abernethy also was recommended to become a supernumerary, but he withdrew his application. Conference applauded his action. The president, the Rev. W. A. Sinclair, was designated organising secretary for foreign missions in New Zealand. The work is to be taken up in 1919. .

It was intimated that the Rev. _T. F. Jones, seoretary of the Foreign Mission Committee, who had through ill-health been in the ranke of tno supernumeraries, was returning to circuit work. The Rev. J. T. Marshall was appointed to the secretaryship, which Air. Jones will vacate.

It was resolved to £10,000 as the goal for a policy Tor 1917; £6350 of the amount to be allotted for general work, £2000 for a working capital fund, and the balance as directed by the Mission Board. The following were appointed a Home Mission Committee for 1917:—Bevs. 0. H. Garland, 0. H. Lewis, 8.A., J. J. Lewis, L. Hudson, J. Wrigley, 11. E. Bellhouse, W. J. Elliott, E. P. Blamires, B. T. Cox, M.A., W. A. , Burley, M.A., T. F. Jones, Mrs. H. E. Pacey, Mrs J. W. Court, Miss Madge Buttle, Messrs. G. Winstone, een., A. 0. Caughey, J. H. Gunson, B. Buttlo, J. W. Shackclford, J. Stanton, LL.B., F. W. Stone, S. L. Hurst, J. W. Court, and G. Fleming. Tko Rev. F. Copeland, recently returned from Samoa, was welcomed , back

The Revs. J. B. Suckling and M. J. Evans were transferred to the New South Wales Conference for foreign mission work. Tho matter of tno nature of such transferences _ was referred to a committee to consider during the year. The authorities are to be asked to furnish Messrs. Suclling and Evans with permits to leave New Xjaland.

Voting was taken for the 1918 presidency. In the first ballot the highest were: Rev. T. A. Joughin, 84 votes; H. E. Bellhouse, 36; E. Drake, 13; S. Griffiths, 12; L. Hudson, 10. One hundred and ninety-eight votes were castf At the second ballot the voting was: Rev. T. A. Joughin (Timaru), 124; Rev. H. E. Bellhouse (Ppnsonby), 77. < In the following cases the Stationing Committee ivas recommended to extend the appointments:—Revs. J. G. Chapman (Taranaki Street, 'Wellington), W. Ba/umber (Nelson), .\V. A. Sinclair (Christchurch East). The Rev. E. Drake (Newtown) was elected secretary of the conference for 1918. He received 153 votes.. ' Conference will he resumed ab 9.30 this morning.