LATE LOCALS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1918, Page 3

LATE LOCALS.

Mr A. Morroiig arrives from Wellington to-night to take charge of the culinary department of the s.s. P aero a. The Paeroa sails for -the Southern .Sounds at 2 p.m., on Thursday (Boxing Day) with Excursionists. That the high cost of living affects the ministry, in common with other seeions of the community, was indicated by a discusion of the Methodist Synod in Dunedin on Wednesday, when the home mission grants to the cirsuits and home mission stations were under consideration. Instructions were recently given from conference to the circuits and homo mission stations to take steps ,where possible, .to secure a minimum stipend for married ministers of at least £2OO a year, and for married . homo missionaries of at least £IOO, in which purpose The Home Mission Com-' mittee was willing to aid with a pound for pound grant. A lay representative to the synod said that some of the ; circuits were under the impression that home mission contributions which were understood to he devoted to helping struggling backblcek causes were often applied to as- J listing city circuits where the need was m t so apparent. The churches were de siruns that their ministers should receive adequate stipends, but they wanted to be quite clear where the money raised for home mission purposes went. A minister ssiid lie thought if the circuits understood that part of the object of those home mission grants was to enable city circuits, (as well sis ethers) to pay their ministers adequate stipends, the home mission fund would commend itself to them more than ever. Another I minister said on £2OO a year if was extremely difficult to make ends meet, and in fact if would be impossible unless a man bad saved something previously.