Methodist Church Act 1911

An Act to sanction the Constitution of the New Zealand Annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia as an Independent Conference and for other purposes.

WHEREAS 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 mentioned 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 but subject to the consent of each of the Annual Conferences of the 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 also to the sanction of the Parliament of each of the Australian States and New Zealand:

AND WHEREAS each of the said Annual Conferences has agreed to the Constitution of the said New Zealand Annual Conference as an Independent Conference in accordance with and upon and subject to the Plan aforesaid:

AND WHEREAS in The Victorian Wesleyan Methodist Act 1887 and in the Methodist Union Act 1902 of the State of Victoria (known as and hereinafter referred to as "The Methodist Church Acts") and in "The Wesleyan Methodist Model Deed of Victoria 1887" (as by the said Acts altered and modified) and in the Book entitled "The Laws and Regulations of the Methodist Church of Australasia" referred to in the said Model Deed sometimes and hereinafter called the "Book of Laws" the Methodist Church of Australasia 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:

s. 1

This Act may be cited alone as the Methodist Church Act 1911 and shall be read and construed as one with "The Methodist Church Acts" and this Act and the Methodist Church Acts may be cited together as "The Methodist Church Acts 1887 to 1911".

s. 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.

The Constitution of the said Annual Conference of the New Zealand Church as an Independent Conference with the powers contained in and in accordance with and upon and subject to the Plan of Independence hereinbefore referred to is hereby sanctioned and confirmed.

Upon the sanction of the Parliaments of each of the Australian States and New Zealand being obtained to the Constitution of such Independent Conference as aforesaid the President for the time being of the General Conference may by writing under his hand fix a date on which the Independence of the Annual Conference of the New Zealand Church shall take effect.

A written or printed copy of such writing certified by the President for the time being of the General Conference to be a true copy thereof shall forthwith be inserted in the Government Gazette of the Commonwealth of Australia and of the State of Victoria and a copy of any such Gazette shall be conclusive evidence in the State of Victoria of the fact of the Constitution of the said Annual Conference of the New Zealand Church as an Independent Conference and of the date on which such independence takes effect.

s. 6

The Victorian Wesleyan Methodist Act 1887 the Methodist Union Act 1902 the said "Wesleyan Methodist Model Deed of Victoria 1887" and the said "Book of Laws" shall when the context so allows from and after the date fixed as aforesaid for such Independence to take effect be read and construed as if the references therein either expressed or implied to the New Zealand Church 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.

A printed copy of the latest edition of the "Book of Laws" of the Methodist Church of Australasia purporting to be published by or under the authority of the General Conference and purporting 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 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 primâ facie evidence of the laws of the said Church for the time being subject to any alterations thereof or additions thereto shown by the Minutes of any General Conference held after the publication of the latest edition of such "Book of Laws".

The Methodist Church Act 1911 was assented to on 24 October 1911 and came into operation on 24 October 1911.

There are no amendments made to the Methodist Church Act 1911 by Acts and subordinate instruments.

No entries at date of publication.