METHODIST CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 35, 11 February 1913, Page 3

METHODIST CONFERENCE

ADJUSTMENT OF CIRCUITS. The greater part of yesterday afternoon was' occupied by the Methodist Conference iq a discussion of the report of the committee upon the adjustment of .circuits. In consequence of the union of the two churches, the changes are numerous. Those in the Wellington, Wanganui, andHawkes Bay-Manawatu districts approved v by conference were as follow :— . Wanganui District. New Plymouth— To include all the places _ in the present Methodist and Primitive Methodist circuits j with two married ministers and one probationer. Inglewood— That Midhirst be transferred to the Stratford circuit, and that in lieu thereof a grant of £80 a year be made to the Inglewood circuit, for at least three years, and that the Primitive Methodist property at Inglewood be sold, 'and the proceeds devoted to the liquidation qf the debt on the Methodist parsonage. Stratford — To include the' places in the present Methodist and Primitive Methodist circuits, together with Midhirst (as above), and Bird-road from the Eltham circuit, with two married ministers, one of whom shall reside at Midhirst. Eltham— to include all the places In the present Methodist and Primitive Methodist circuits, except Bird-road ;' with one married minister. Wanganui— To include all the places in the present Methodist and Primitive Methodist circuits j with two married ministers. Hawkes Bay-Manawatu District. Feilding— T.o include the following places :— Feiiaing (two churches), Ma> kino, Cheltenham, Waiata, Colyton, Waituna (from Kinjbolton "Homo Mission station), Halcombe, Dunnolly, Beaconsfield, Stanway, and Cameron's-line ; with three married ministers (recommended that a home mission grant of £30 a year be made to Kimbolton for the .loss of Waituna). Hanson and "Rongotea— To include Sanson, Rongotea (two churches), Carnarvon, Glen Oroua, Taikorea, and Ohakea; with one married minister. -Wellington District. Wellington (Taranaki-street). — To include Wesley Church, Taranaki-street, Webb-street, and Brooklyn Churches, together with the Arb-street and Torystreet missions; with two married ministers (one of whom shall have charge of Webb-street Church, and aeeist with the pastoral work at Taranaki-street) and a home missionary at Brooklyn. .Wellington (Thorndon). — To include Molesworth-street and' Sydney-street (these to be amalgamated), Karori, Northland, and Kaiwarra Churches; with one married minister at Thorndon, and .one probationer at Karori. Wellington South. — To include till the places in the pieeetit Wellington South Methodist Circuit and the present Wellington 111. Primitive Methodist circuit; with two married minis ters and one probationer. .It was agreed (1) that suitable grants from the home missions be continued for the first year ; \2) that the Methodist and Primitive Methodist congregations at- Island Bay bo amalgamated, and the Primitive Methodist Church disposed of. Johnsonville. — To include Johnson ville, Ngaio. Tawa Flat', and Porirua Churches, with. Paremata and Ngahauranga; with one married minister, and one probationer, the latter 10. reside at Porirua. (1. This circuit to be Kapon*ibh for the services at" the MentalJioipitol, at uxsisat, «f££M 8* H-&$

Primitive Methodists. A suitable grant to be made.) Petone. — To include Petone (two churches) and Wainui-o-mata ; with one married minister. (It is proposed to remove the Primitive Methodist Church to a suitable site at the eastern end of Pelone, and to dispose of the cite in Sydney -street. ) EFFECT OF ADJUSTMENTS. The committee reported 'that the adjustments altogether involved the loss of five married ministers' stations. Two circuits fulfilled their obligations to provide for married ministers. The number of probable retirements from active work, and the number of new applicants for married ministers' stations equalled each other. Consequently there were three additional married ministers' stations required. The committee recommended and it was agreed that the Wellington (Thorndon) circuit provide for a second married minister at Karori, that the married minister be retained at Woodend, and that a married minister be appointed at Motueka.'' On the recommendation of the union committee it was decided to appoint a home missionary to the East Egmont mission. A new station was constituted at Mokau, attd it was decided to aepd a home missionary thither. NEW DISTRICTS. The Union Committee recommended that in the united church there be nine districts, five in the North Island and four in the South Island, to comprise the .circuits and stations set out. The Wellington district is as follows :— Wellington District. Wellington (Taranaki-street), Wellington Central Mission, - Wellington (Thorndon), Wellington South, Johnson* ville, Hutt, Petone, South Wairarapa, Carterton, Masterton, Eketahuna, LevinOtaki. The conference adjourned until this j morning.