New South Wales: Methodist Church Act 1911 (NSW)

Act, 1911. An Act to sanction and confirm the constitution of the New Zealand conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia as an inde- pendent conference ; and for other purposes. [26th October, 1911.] J] MEREAS the Methodist Church of Australasia in New Zealand is an integral portion of the Methodist Church of Australasia and is governed by an annual conference which is itself comprised in and governed by the general conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia: And whereas the general conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia, held at Adelaide in the year one thousand nine hundred and ten, unanimously consented to the constitution of the said annual conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia in New Zealand as an independent conference with the powers contained in and in accordance with and upon and subject to a plan of independence which is fully set forth in the printed minutes of the said general conference subject to the consent of cach of the annual conferences of the said Methodist Church of Australasia, namely, the New South Wales conference, the Victoria and 'Tasmania conference, the South Australia conference, the New Zealand conference, the Queensland conference, and the Western Australia conference, and the sanction of the Parliament of each of the Australian States and New Zealand: And whereas each of the said conferences has agreed to the constitution of the said New Zealand annual conference as an independent conference in accordance with the plan aforesaid: And whereas in the Methodist Church Property Acts, 1889-1902, of the State of New South Wales, and in the Methodist model deed of New South Wales (as by the said Acts or either of them altered and modified) and in the Book of Laws referred to in the said mode] deed the said Methodist Church in New Zealand is referred to either expressly or by implication as forming an integral portion of the Methodist Church of Australasia, and the said New Zealand conference is referred to as one of the conferences comprised in and governed by the general conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia: Beit therefore enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of New South Wales in Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows :— Mernovist Cuurcu. Preamble. 1. This Act may be cited as the '" Methodist Church Act, Short title. 1911," and shall be read and construed as one with the Methodist Church Property Acts, 1889-1902. 2. 16 Act, 1911. Methodist Church. Interpretation. 2. In this Act the following terms shall have the meanings herein respectively assigned to them unless inconsistent with the subject or context :— "New Zealand Church" means the Methodist Church of Australasia in New Zealand. "General conference" means the general conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia. Constitution of New 3. The constitution of the said annual conference of the New Zealand conference Zoaland Church as an independent conference with the powers as independent conference contained in and in accordance with and upon and subject to the plan sanctioned. of independence hereinbefore referred to is hereby sanctioned and confirmed. Government Gazette 4. A printed copy of the Government Gazette of the Common- evidence of date of independence. wealth of Australia or of the State of New South Wales containing a notification fixing the date on which the annual conference of the New Zealand Church shall be constituted an independent conference, and purporting to be under the hand of the president for the time being of the said general conference shall be conclusive evidence in the State of New South Wales of the fact of the constitution as afore- said of such independent conference and of the date on which it is .to take effect. Construction of Acts 5. The said Methodist Church Property Acts, 1889-1902, and and Book ef Laws. 416 said Methodist model decd of New South Wales as therein referred to and the said Book of Laws shall from and after the date fixed as aforesaid for the constitution of such independent conference be read and construed as if the references therein cither expressed or implied to the Mcthodist Church of New Zealand as forming part of the Methodist Church of Australasia and to the New Zealand conference as being one of the conferences comprised in and governed by the said general "conference had not been contained therein. Printed Book of 6. A printed copy of the latest edition of the Book of Laws of Laws, evidence, the Methodist Church of Australasia, purporting to be published by or under the authority of the said general conference, and on the face of it to be signed by the president for the time being of the general conference, shall be taken and received in the State of New South Wales in all legal and other proceedings before any court of justice, or before any person having, by law or consent of parties, authority to hear, receive, and examine evidence as prima facie evidence of the laws of the said church for the time being, subject to any altcrations thereof or addition thereto shown by the minutes of any gencral conference held after the publication of such edition of the Book of Laws. Act