Annual Meeting in Sydney

Methodist Missionary Society Annual Meeting in Sydney

THE annual meeting of the Method ist Missionary Association was held in the Conference Hall, Sydney, on February 3. The president-general (the Rev. F. Lade, M.A., of Adelaide) presided.

The balance-sheet showed that the accumulated deficit was £29,282. The income of the Society was approxi mately £5,500 less than for the previ ous year. The total income for 1930 was £88,027.

The Rev. H. H. Nolan, general treas urer of the Society, resigned owing to ill-health, and the Rev. W. E. Ben nett, M.A., was appointed in his place.

Sir John Randles and Lady Randles, members of the Missionary Committee of England, were welcomed by the president.

Serious Fall In Income.

At a meeting of the Board on the following day, the secretary, Rev. J. W.

Burton, reviewed the financial position.

He said that the fall in income was serious. In his 31 years’ connection with missionary work he had never known it to be so bad.

“We ought to examine and overhaul, and, if necessary, scrap some things,” he said. “There is a danger of start ing too many new things.”

Expenditure Reduced.

On the recommendations of a large committee which had been set up to explore the matter, the Board later agreed to considerable reductions of ex penditure in every district.

As a result of these reductions agents are to be withdrawn from several dis tricts. In some cases those who are on leave will not return; in other cases agents now at work will be retired.

Two European missionaries are to re tire from the Fijian work in Fiji, and two from the Indian work there. Other districts will also suffer in the same way. In the meantime, staffs will be re-arranged to make them as effective as possible.

The Board also agreed to a ten per cent, reduction in the salaries of all European workers. This, the workers had agreed to beforehand. Some work ers offered to carry on their work with out salary. Generous offers were re ceived to nrovide the necessary salary in some other cases.