METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1919, Page 6

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS. ESTABLISHMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, March 10". At the Methodist Conference to-night the deputy committee set up in connection with the centenary of the Methodist Church in New Zealand recommended that the centenary of the introduction of Methodism into New Zealand should be celebrated by suitable religious services and public gatherings, and by raising a suitable thanksgiving fund. Among the recommendations were that the conference be held in Auckland in 1922 with a great thanksgiving service on February 22nd, and that the conference consider the advisability of establishing a Methodist museum in New Zealand. The conference decided to celebrate the centenary in Auckland in 1922, and adopted the various suggestions made by the committee in their report. The committee was recommended to secure the famous Gipsy Smith to attend the centenary conference and take part in subsequent gatherings. Dealing with the financial aspect of the centenary, the committee recommended an effort be made to raise a thanksgiving fund of £35,000, to be allocated as follows: —£10,000 to new theological college; £20,000 to increase the capital of the Church building and loan fund; £IO,OOO for higher education, and £SOOO to the new VVesleyau Training College. After . considerable discussion it was decided that the whole matter of the sum to be raised and of allocations be referred back to the committee, the payments to be completed bv the conference, of 1923.

The committee appointed to consider the establishment of Methodist colleges in New Zealand recommended: (1) That it is advisable at the earliest possible date that a secondary school under the auspices of the Methodist Church, either solely or in conjunction with the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches or either of them, should be established in each island of the Dominion; (2) that a committee be set up in Auckland to consider the best means by which such schools might be established, such committee to have power to act 1 , provided the conference was involved in no financial Jiability. The committee to have power to consult with representatives of the above-men-tioned churches wiih a view to joint action being taken in the establishment of such secondary schools. The report was adopted.