WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5255, 26 January 1878, Page 3

WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

(Morning Session, January 25.) The President took the chair at 10 o’clock. The Conference was led in prayer by the Kev. AV - . B. Marten and Mr. Moxham. After the calling of the roll the record of the previous day’s proceedings was read by the Secretary, and adopted. The following tenders were opened re the printing of 500 copies of the minutes : —Lyon and Blair, £22 155.; New Zealand Times, £23 175.; Evening Argus (accepted), £l7 17s. “What are the resolutions of the Conference respecting Church properties.’ The Kev. T. Boddle moved that the permission granted by the Conference of 1577 to sell the Church property at Grahamstown be withdrawn. The gift had been made by the natives on the understanding that the site site should bo used|exclusively for Church purposes ; and, although the position was not sufficiently central, the Conference could not morally sanction the proposed sale. The motion was seconded by the llev. G. S. Harper, and carried. Bequest was also received from Hamilton, on the Waikato Circuit, for permission to sell Church property. The application being irregular, was not entertained. Permission was granted to sell the parson? am and site at Carlyle, in the Patea Circuit, the proceeds to be applied to the purchase of a more suitable residence. The Kev. J. Berry read a petition from the trustees and office-bearers of the Napier Circuit requesting permission to insert a, purchasing clause in the lessees’ deeds of the property leased in Clive-square. Letters in support of the petition were read from Mr. Lyndon, auctioneer, and Mr. Grubb, late treasurer of the trustees. ■ A note from the minutes of the Wellington district meeting was also read by the Kev. J. B. Bichardson, urging the Conference to grant the desired permission. As the matter was one which had occupied the attention of previous Conferences, arid on. which considerable difference Of opinion prevailed, it evoked a lengthened discussion. The Kevs, T. Buddie, AV. Morley, J. A. Taylor, H. Bull,, and Mr. Harris were opposed to the prayer of the petitioners being granted. The Bevs. J. Berry, J. B. Bichardson, A. Eeid, Messrs. Stone, Blackwell, and Moxham spoke in support of it.. Three amendments were put and lost. The following resolution, moved by the Bev. J. Berry, was then put and earned, 22 voting for and 13 against it, —That a promise be given by this Conference to the lessees of sections No. 200, 236, and 235, Clive-

square, Napier, to sell to them at any time they .may apply for the purchase o£ the same after' January, 1888, the price to be fixed by arbitration, according to the value of the land at the time the purchase may be applied for. The Kev. H. 801 l informed the President that he had just received a telegram from Motueka, announcing the death last night of the Kev. T. K. Purchon. Mr. Purchon was a young man of about three years standing in the Ministry. It was not quite a year since ' he arrived in New Zealand; but by his entire devotedhess to God’s work, bis genial disposition, and self-sacrificing spirit, he had won golden opinions throughout the Nelson and Motueka, Circuit. , These remarks were confirmed by the Kev. G. S. Harper, who had been intimately associated with him since his arrival from England. The evening session commenced at 2.30, the Kev. W. Morlet leading in prayer. Mr. John Manchester, Waimate, lay representative ; and Mr. Joseph Grey, Waikouaiti, candidate for the ministry, arrived, and took their seats in the Conference. Permission' was given to the Greytown Circuit to dispose of an additional one-eighth of an acre of land in the township, the proceeds to be applied to Church purposes. On the motion of the Kev. W. .Mobley, seconded by the Kev, K. Bavin, permission was granted to sell the Harper-street (Christ- . church) site, on the ground that a new church had already been erected in a more suitable position, the proceeds of sale to be applied to the new school or parsonage. Resolved, on the motion of the Kev. "VV. Mobley, seconded by the Kev. W. Lee, — That permission be granted to the trustees of the Lincoln-road (Christchurch Church), to dispose of the land and building, the proceeds to be applied to the erection of a new church in a more favorable situation. The Kev. W. Mobley moved, —That permission be granted to re-convey the parsonage site at Leeston to Mr. F. J. Smith. This particular piece of land had been given by Mr. Smith (at present residing in England) in error, and he now proposed to give an aeie in a more advantageous locality. The motion was seconded by the Rev. W. Lee, and carried. On the motion of the Kev. H. Bull, seconded by Mr. Howard, permission was granted to the Bangiora Circuit to sell, the church and site at Ashley Downs, and to apply the proceeds to reduce the debt of the new parsonage. The Taranaki Circuit reported that application bad been made by the New Plymouth Harbor Board for 1J acre of land—part of the Grey institution property—for a road, and bad offered £3O as purchase money. This sum was refused by the circuit, and the matter submitted to arbitration, the arbitrators awarding £122. The Conference sanctioned the transaction. ■' NEW BBECTIONS, PURCHASES, BTC. A new parsonage has been erected in the Auckland Circuit, costing £876, and a new schoolroom at a cost of £I2BO. A new church has been built at Ponaonby ; cost, including site, £750. A new church has been erected at the Noith Shore ; cost, including land, £675, New ga’leries are now in course of erection at the Pitt-strect (Auckland) Church, to cost £6OO. In the Manukau Circuit a new church has been built at Onehunga at a cost of £650 ; and a new gallery has been erected ia the Otahnhu Church, costing £l3O. In the Waiaka Circuit a new church at Tuakau, costing £l3O. The site for this church was given by Mr. Holmes. In the Kaipara Circuit a new church at Paparoa is in course of erection. In the Hokianga Circuit a new parsonage is in course of erection, to cost £340. Sections of land for Church purposes have been acquired in the Patea Circuit at Kakaramea, Waverly, and Hawera. In the Wanganui Circuit a new site has been obtained at Aramoho, near the railway bridge, the gift of the late Mrs. H. Gibson. A new church has been erected on this site at a cost of £4OO. In the "Wellington Circuit a new parsonage, containing seven rooms, has been purchased at Thorndon at a cost; of £650. In the Greytown Circuit one aero of land has been acquired at Gladstone, a gift by Hugh McMaster, Esq. In the district of Nelson new sites have been acquired at Fox bill and Dovcdale, and two additional sections! in the Kumara Circuit, A new church has been erected at Eoxhill, and a new parsonage, odsting £350, at Richmond. £220 has been expended on the Nelson School, £SO on the parsonage, and £45 on improvements connected]with the Motueka Church. A new building has Been erected at Kumara, costing £230. ■, _ Canterbury district-—A new stone church has been erected at Colombo-roadat a cost of £2500. A property, of ,17 acres, with a nineroomed house and valuable outbuildings, has been purchased at Leeston, cost £I6OO. The Lyttelton Church has been enlarged so as to provide for 90 additional ‘sittings ; cost, £2OO. Also, the Kaiapoi Church, at a cost of £370. A new parsonage has been erected at Kangiora for £650. The Southbroofe school has been enlarged, and the Woodend! Church provided with 50 additional sittings.) A new church

has been built at AVaimate, cost £llOO. - In the Ashburton Circuit new sites have been secured at Ashburton, Waterton, Chertsey. and South Eakaia. In the Otago District £l7O has been extended in improvements at Dunedin ; £262 has been expended in enlarging the Mornington Church. A new church has been built at Cpoho, costing £243, and £BO expended in the purchase of a quarter-acre section at Linden. £l7-0 has been expended in improving the Invercargill property. ■ Proposed erections sanctioned. Sanction was obtained for the erection of new churches at Pukekohe, Mangawb are, Dovedale, Ohoka, Waterton, Ashburton, Chertsey, and South Bakaia ; new parsonages at Ashburton and Napier; new sohoolhouse at Normanby, and new parsonage site at Marten. The total cost of new churches erected during the year has been £6678 ; parsonages, £2866 ; schools, £I2BO ; and improvements, £1760. The Rev. A. Reid presented the balancesheet of the children’s fund. Income, £6OO 45.; expenditure, £BBS 165.; balance of £2BB 12s. remitted by the general treasurers from Australia.—The balance-sheet was adopted, and the thanks of the Conference presented to the Bev. A. Reid and Mr. D. Lewis, colonial treasurers, who were re-appoiuted. The Rev. A. Reid presented the report and balance-sheet of the educational fund. Income from circuits, £129 16s. 9d,; from ministers, £SO Bs.; expenditure, £126 ; balance remitted to general treasurers, £54 4s. 9d—The thanks of the Conference were accorded to the Bev. A. Eeid and Mr. D. Lewis, treasurers, who were re-appointed. The Kev. A. Eeid next presented the balance-sheet of the supernumerary and ministers’ widows fund. Ministers’ contributions, £277 45,; circuit donations, £453 145.; total incomeforthe year, £730 18s. —The treasurers, Rev. A. Reid and Mr. D. Lewis, received the cordial thanks of the Conference, and were reappointed.—Mr. Lewis responded to the thanks of the Conference, remarking that the principal part of the work had fallen upon his colleague.—Mr. Beid dwelt in his remarks upon the value of the supernumerary fund, and highly commended the benevolence of the Methodist people for the very liberal provision made by them for the sustenance of the>r aged or disabled ministers. In no Church was superior provision made for the comfort of its pastors when they could no longer discharge the active duties of the ministry. The Bev. AY. Morley and Mr. Harris, treasurers of the contingent fund, presented their report. Balance from last year, £'2oß 10s. 9d.; income, £363 7s. 5d.; expend' - tnre, £343 17s. 5d.; balance in hand, £228 os. 9d. — The treasurers were thanked and re-appointed. It was agreed that the levy of 3 per cent, be continued for next year. There was an evening session, devoted to the discussion of subjects relating to the Sundayschool work of the connection. The Kev. D. McNICOLL read the district meeting recommendation on the subject. Many valuable suggestions were offered for the improved management of this important branch of Church work, and resolutions of a practical' character adopted. There was a good attendance of the public, and the session was brought te a close soon after 9 o’clock.