WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 31, 2 March 1909, Page 2

WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington. Monday. In connection with the Methodist Conference, special services wore .hold in nil I lie Methodist Churches in the city and suburb?. ami an open-air mootiug was held in the Basin Reserve in tho afternoon. All were largely attended and enthusiastic. Tho conference mot in representative .session this morning. Sympathy was expressed with the Ilew F. W. Hoys in his break-down in heaitli, and a hope was expressed that ft would be but temporary. It was decided to divide the .Mannkau circuit (tlio new circuits to be called Mannkau and Otahuhu); also to divide the Mahurangi circuit (to be called the Malmrangi circuit and the *ort Albert liome mission atatioTi); also the Upper Thames circuit (to bo ealle<l the Upper Thames. AVaihi and Paoroa circuits). A comimittee was set up to consider the adjustment of boundaries of districts. Tt is to meet in Wellington during the year and report to tho next •synod. In the .South , Wairarapa circuit the second missionary i is to Uo retained at Veatherstoii and a houie utUskmary at. <lreyiown. In the lilenheim eircuit the second minister is to be retained r! Tua Marina and the homo missionary at Pieton. Kuniara is to be attached to the Greymouth circuit.

" Wellington, Night. At the Methodist Conference to-day I the Rev. Ji, I', illamire* (Island ]iay) •moved Uiat a central mission should be , established in Wellington by the present ' conference. Jt should he on the lint's of .the present missions, hut on a much larger scale. Tlio motion was carried ' unanimously. Mr. Blainires moved ' again that the Victorian Conference be ! communicated) with immediately by 1 cable requesting that the Rev, Charles Tregear he libera tod litis year for special work in Wellington and that the necessary arrangements for transfer be made, -and that Dr. Morley be coiniimnicated with by cable to advocate the cause at the Victorian Conference. The liev. W. J. "Williams (South Wellington) seconded the motion. It was resolved that a. special committee should be set up lo"meut Ih~TVVITmgt<M and consider the boundaries of tlio various districts during the year. Some of the districts were described by speakers as ex t remedy unwieldy. In connection with the Co-aierenee ■what was- called a "Methodist nien'.j banquet" was held at the Town Hall i to-night. About 300 men wore presem, i including; the whole of the Conference | and delegates and about 120 represents- ' live laymen from the Wellington Meth- | odist Churches. Thci Rev. 0. H. Garland, of Nelson, who presided, said that such a gathering was unique in the history of the Methodist Church of Now Zealand. The idea of holding a banquet was conceived and wholly carried out by a committee nf young men \vho?e aim had been to bring the delegate? and others close together in a brotherly fashion,