METHODIST CHURCH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8351, 11 February 1913, Page 11

METHODIST CHURCH

CONFERENCE WORK BE AD JIT STM ENTS NECESSITATED BY UNION. Tha conference of the Methodist Church was continued throughout yesterday at Wesley Church, ittranaki Btrect. The president, the Kev. S. Lawry, was in the chair. SIXTY YEA US A MISSIONARY. Application was made by the Bor. W. Gittos, superintendent of the Northern Maori .Mission, for permis,ion to iwicoiue a aupornumerary. Ho said that for sixty years ho had been engaged in church work among the Maoris, but bo felt now that with the changes being mado now life was required in tho work. More energy than ho possessed was needed, so ho felt that in fairness to tho church ho should allow a younger man to take up tho work. The conference secretary, the Itov. C. H. Laws, moved that tho request be regretfully acceded to. Ho was sura that they would never bo able to estimate properly tho value of tho work done by Mr Gittos as superintendent of the Methodist Maori Mission. Tho motion was seconded by the Rev. G. Bond (Auckland), who said he had known “Father" Gittos for forty years. Tho influence of Mr Gittos had been felt, not only in Maori Methodist work, but in the politics of tho country, for at times his advico had been sought by Governments regarding native matters. , . It was stated by the Kev. J. A. Lux ford that there had been hardly a iihiglo Government that had not found it advisable to seek tho assistance qt “Father” Gittos in this respect. Ho was a missionary who had more than, onoo saved bloodshed. Tho Rev. P. W. Fairclough suggested that Mr Gittos bo asked to make some record of his very varied exponThis suggestion was supported by Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P., who said that if Mr Gittos did not compile such a record it would ba lost for ever. It would ha a national calamity if this were to happen. . . , . , A number of speakers joined in adding tributes to the very great value of the work done by Mr Gittos during a very long peyiod. j n Tho motion was carried unanimously _ ju convoying tho decision to Mr Gittos, tho president expressed a sincere wish that when other men .came to retire from tho work they would havo a record such as his to also decided to urge Mr Gittos to prepare some record of his experiences. A WARM TRIBUTE. A report from tha homo mission committee respecting the retirement or Mr Gittos was presented by the Kev. U. H. Laws. It stated that through all changes and trials ho had been; con-? stunt and faithful to tho native people and their interests; never faltering in danger, never shrinking in trial, never repining in hardship, never idling, and scarce ever resting in toils. Henco it had come to pass that his mans among the Maori people had grown to bo a thing apart and unique. There was probably never any prestige greater than his, and none comparable with it now survived. Mr Gittos was the last of a race of 1 giants,- and could have'no successor in his honours and influence among the Maoris, nor could he transfer to another the authority and dignity which service and time had conferred on him. It was, however, of the last importance that as much as possible of tho experience and knowledge gained by him should be placed at the disposal of his successor. Fortunate!/, it was his fixed aim to wear out, but never to rust, so that his personal inspection would still be bestowed upon tho mission as far as possible, and his counsel and co-operation would be g-.vt-n to whoever might become responsible for the administration. The committee had been able to arrange with Mr Gittos terms highly favourable to the work, and submitted the following resolutions (which were carried): (I) That the request of the Rev. TV. Gittos to become a supernumerary be complied with. . (2) That no successor bo appointed to tho office of superintendent of Maori missions. (D) That tho Kev. T. G. organising secretary of homo missions. Undertake the supervising and organising of tho Northern Maori Mission; with tho Rev. W. Gittos as his kindly advisor. (4) That the Rev. T, G. Brooke retain bis present office, but that tho schedule of duties bo suspended for the present year, and that Mr Brooke devote to the Maori Mission such portion of his time us may Seem right to him after consultation with Mr Gittos and the executive. (5) That tho salary and allowance of the Rev. 'T. G. Brooke remain as at present, and that the Rev. W. Gittos receive an honorarium of £IOO a year and £4O travelling allowance. OTHER RETIREMENTS. Permission to become supernumeraries was also granted to the Revs, W. H. Beck, J. N. Buttle, and T. Fee. Permission to rest for one year, on account of ill-health was granted to the Rev- T, H. Lyon. MISSIONARY VOLUNTEERS. Tho Revs. F. Copeland and W. J. Enticott volunteered for foreign mission work. Tho conference decided to recommend tho Foreign Mission Board An Sydney to accept the offers. CIRCUITS DIVIDED. On tho recommendation of the union committee the following proposed divisions of circuits were adopted; Auckland District.—Upper Thames; That Matamata, Walton, Waharoa, Mangawhero, Turangaomoana, Putaruru, Tapapa. Hinuera Valley, Tirau, and Okauia bo separated from_ the Upper Thames circuit and constituted a separate homo mission station. Wanganui district Palmerston North: That tho Palmerston North circuit bo divided as follows: (1) Palmerston North (Broad street) to consist of 6t. Paul’s, Ashhurst, Pohangina and Sidney'Creek, with a married minister and a probationer; (2) Palmerston North (Cuba street) to consist of Cuba ythedt, Bunnytborpe and Longbum, with one married minister. Canterbury district—Christchurch (Durham street) : That the circuit be divided as follows: (1) Christchurch (Durham street) ; (2) Christchurch Cen- , tral Methodist Mission, to consist of Durham street station and High street churches and a rented central hall with a married minister; (8) Christchurch East, to comprise East Belt, Richmond, New Brighton, Linwood, Windsor, and Marshlands churches, with a married minister, two probationers and a home missionary; (4) Christchurch (Woolston), to comprise Woolston, Opawn, Heathcote Valley, Sumner and Redcliffs, with a married minister and-an-other agent. Kaiapoi: That tha Kaia-

poi circuit be divided as follows: (1) Kaiapoi, to consist of Kaiapoi, Giarkville, and Coutts’s Island, with a marrior minister; (2) Ohoka, to consist of Ohoka, Swannanoa; Horrelvillo, and East Eyroton, with a married minister to reside at Ohoka (tho present Kaiapoi circuit to hand over not less than £350 towards providing a parsonage for the new circuit and to contribute £lO per annum for five years to the Ohoka circuit). In respect to the Rangiora circuit tho committee was, on its own recommendation. reappointed for anolnor year and it was agreed that a grant be made in the meantime to the Amberley and Rangiora circuits. Otago district—Dunodm (Cargill road): That St. Kilda and Broad Bay be separated from the’ Cargill road circuit, with a married minister. CIRCUIT ADJUSTMENTS. Considerable time was spent in consideration of the circuit adjustments recommended by the union committee and the district synods. Decisions affecting tho districts adjacent to Wellington were as under: Wanganui District. Now Plymouth—To include all tho places in the present Methodist and Primitive Methodist circuits; with two married ministers and one probationer. Inglewood—That Midhirst he transferred to tho Stratford circuit, and that in lieu thereof a grant of £BO a year ba mad© to tho Inglewood circuit for at least three years, and that the Primitive Methodist property at Inglewood be sold, and the proceeds devoted to the liquidation of the debt on the Methodist parsonage. Stratford —To include tho places in tho present Methodist and Primitive Methodist circuits, together with Midfairat (as above), and Bird rood from tho Eltham circuit, with two married ministers, one of whom shall reside at Midhirst. Eltham—To include all the places m the present Methodist and Primitive Methodist circuits, except Bird with one married minister. Wanganui—To include all the places in the present Methodist and Primitive Methodist circuits; with two married ministers. Hawkes’ Bay-Manawatu District. Foilding—To include tho following places: Feilding (two churches), Makino, Cheltenham, Waiata, Colyton, Watuna (from Kimbolton Home Mission station), Halcombe, Dunnoily, Beaconsfield, Stanway, and Cameron’s Lino: with three married ministers (recommended that a homo mission grant of £3O a year bo mado to Kimbolton for the loss of Waituna). Sanson and Rongotea—To includo Sanson, Rongotea (two churches), Carnarvon, Glen Oroua, Taikorea and Ohakea; with ono married minister. Wellington District. Wellington (Taranaki street). —To include Wesley Church, Taranaki street. Webb street and . Brooklyn Churcnes, together with the Aro street and Tory street missions; with two married ministers (ono of whom shall have charge of Webb street Church, and assist witji the pastoral work at Taranaki street), and a homo missionary at Brooklyn. Wellington (Thorndon). —To include Molesworth street and Sydney street (these to ba amalgamated), Karori, Northland, and Kaiwarra Churches; with one married minister at Thorndon, and one probationer at Karori. Wellington South. —To include all the places in the present Wellington South Methodist circuit and the present Wellington HI. Primitive' Methodist circuit; with two married ministers and one probationer. It was ‘ agreed (1) that suitable, grants from the homo missions be continued for the first year; (2) that the Methodist and Primitive Methodist congregations at Island Bay be amalgamated, and the Primitive Methodist Church disposed of. Johnsonvillo. —To include Johnsonville, Ngaio ? Tawa Flat, and Porirua Churches, with Paremata and Ngahauranga; with' one married minister and one probationer, the latter to reside at Porirua. (1. This circuit to be responsible for the services at the Mental Hospital, at present carried on by tho Primitive Methodists. A suitable grant to bo mado.) , -■ Petone. —To includo _ Petons (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 Petono, and to dispose of the site in Sydney street.) WHAT THE ADJUSTMENTS IN-. VOLVED. It was reported by tho central committee that tho adjustments altogetner 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 he retained at VVoodend, and that a married minister be appointed to Motneka. On the recommendation of tho union committee it was decided to appoint a homo missionary to the East Egmont mission. A new station was constituted at Mokau and it was decided to send a homo missionary thither. DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. The union committee recommended that in tho united church there be nine districts, five in the North Island and four in tho South Island, to comprise the circuits and stations set out in the following list: Auckland District. Auckland Central, Auckland West, Auckland (Mount Albert), Auckland East, Auckland Methodist Mission. Auckland (North Shore), Auckland (Birkenhead), Onehunga, Otahuhu, Franklin, Mahurangi, Paparoa. Northern Wairoa, Whangarei, Port Albert, Northern Maori Mission (including Whangaroa, Hokianga, and Kaipara), Coromandel, Helensville, Bay of Islands, Whangaroa, and Mangonui' homo mission stations. South Auckland District. Thames, Upper Thames, Waihi, Paeroa, Cambridge, Hamilton, Huntly, Rotorua, Tauranga, Opotiki, To Kuiti, Taumarunui; Waikato Maori Mission; To Awamutu, Waimana, To Puke, Matamata, and Ohura homo mission stations. . Wanganui District. New Plymouth, Waitara, Inglewood, Stratford, Eltham, Hawera, Manaia, Capo Egmont, East Egmont, Kaponga, Wanganui, Aramoho, Rangitikei, Taihape, Waimarino, West Coast Maori mission; Patea and North laranaki homo mission stations. Hawke’s Bay-Manawatu District. Napier, Hastings, Gisborne, Waipawa, Dannovirke, Woodville, Pahiatua, Palmerston North (Broad street), Palmerston North (Cuba street), Feilding, Sanson and Rongotea, Foxton;

Kimbolton and Norsewood home mission stations. Wellington District. Wellington (Taranaki street), _ Wellington Central Mission, Wellington (Thorndon), Wellington South, Johnsonville, Hutt, Petone, South Wairarapa, Carterton, Masterton, Eketahuna, Levin-Otaki. Nelson District. Nelson, Richmond, Blenheim, Hokitika, Greymouth, Motueka, Reofton, Westport, Denniston: Havelock, Awalere, Murchison, and Rimanga home mission stations. North Canterbury District. Christchurch (Durham street), Christchurch Central Mission, Christchurch East, Christchurch (Cambridge Terraco), Christchurch (Woolston), Christchurch (Addington), Christchurch (St. Albans), Christchurch (Papanui), Lyttelton, Springston, Tai Tapu, Leeston, Kaiapoi, Ohoka, Kangiora. Greondale and Malvern, Amberley; Oxford homo mission station. South Canterbury District. Timaru (Bank street), Timaru (2nd street), Waimato, Temuka, (Main street), Temuka (2nd street), Geraldine, Ashburton, Willowby, Oamaru; Motnven and Mayfield home mission stations. Otago and Southland Districts. Dunedin (Trinity), Dunedin Central Mission, Dunedin (Dundas street), Dunedin (Cargill road), Dunedin (St. Kilda), Dunedin (Kew), Dunedin (Mornington), Dunedin (Roslyn), Mosgiel, Port Chalmers, 1 Waikouaiti and Palmerston, Balclutha, Milton, Invercargill (Leot street), Invercargill (Don street), Invercargill (Elies road), Bluff, Gore, Otaulau, Edenclale, Roxburgh; Lawrence, Cromwell, Riverton, Winton, and Tuatapero home mission stations. After some discussion it was agreed to separate tho Otago and Southland districts, thus increasing the number of districts to ten. The conference adjourned until this morning. MUSICAL FESTIVAL. A musical festival was held in connection with tho conference, in the evening at Wesley Church. A considerable number of people attended. Tho first part of tho programme was provided by tho church organist (Mr H; Wells), Wesley Church choir. Misses B. Brittain, N. Castle, and V. Mueller, Messrs H. Phipps, B. S. Allwright, H. Wells, McDonald, 0. D. Mackintosh, E. Jenness and W. J. Harland. ' The cantata “God Thou-Art Great” (Spohr) was given by Wesley choir as tho second half of the programme.