METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10177, 1 March 1911, Page 5

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

SEPARATION PROM AUSTRALIA [By Telegraph — Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. The Methodist Conference this morning*carried' a formal, resolution endorsing the constitution of an in-, dependent conference for New Zealand. The Rev. C. H. Laws read a. reporib on the steps necessary to give effect to the.'separation .of the New Zealand church from the Australasian Conference. He considered the resolution of the Australasian Conference sufficient, and that It'he other necessary steps would be simple. Sir Samuel Way, Chief Justice of South Australia, however, had given his opinion that in tne absence of precedents for proceedings, they ought to he caxitkms, and that the steps to he taken should be a sufficient guard against hasty separation. Mr Laws said he supposed l Sir Samuel Way's anxiety was' to prevent disintegration! of the»Australia,n Conference in the future, and that tho New Zealand Conference should express itself firmly on the matter. LATER. To meet the unexpected position which has arisen in connection with (the consummation of the independence of the Methodist Church in New Zealand, consequent on the' opinion of Sir Samuel Way, that the consent of each of six "Australasian Conference is necessary, ithe Methodist Conference to-day unanimously ; decided as. follows : (1) Tli© Conference having considered;, the memorandum of the- Right?: Hon. Sir Samuel Way, and the statement .relating thereto, issued by v the ex-President, unanimously endorses the statement, and aproves of 'the action! taken by the ex-Pre-oldent. (2) The Conference regards it as of most vital importance that the conferring of independence should be unanimously decided on by a general conference., which should take effect at ithe earliest possible' date, and strongly iu*ges several annual ferences to expedite in every way the steps needful to complete the matter.

(3) The conference desires; respectfully to draw the attention of any, annual conferences that may decide to consult its quarterly meetings to that part- of the ex-Presktent's statemen* which sugges'ts that under such circumsances reference should be made to .the March quarterly -meeting of 1911. It- is strongly of opinion'that even a year's delay .will be inimical to. the important interests among us, and may, as the statement points out, prevent the securing of necessary legislation in one or more parts, before tflie next general conference meets. It- therefore urges any annual conference which may adopt the suggestion of Sir ."Samuel Way to give conditional assent to the for .independence, which assent shall become effective as spon -as the quarterly meetings' have given their approval. (4) The conference requests the annual conferences to cable their decisions on tlie matter of New Zealand independence at ithe earliest possible moment. ' . ' (5) That a cable message be prepared embodying a purport of the above resolutions, and forwarded immediately to the President of each annual conference, the same Ito be signed by tlie President of this conference. (6) That all expenses in connection with the preparation-, printing, and circulation! of the ex-President's statement be a charge on the contingent funds.