CO129-462 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1920 [7-10] — Page 346

186

*-

7

I

rf

334

..i

ary

JA ST

770

-itsev er

10

A

LOLOV .I,

·

Lid 107

. to:

and to viet-ngan

olecit voitet

E: Jon MEL VŠTE ODĚ

megane bræ enoidī.

and alethter on:

agree in considering that such is properly mission property and cennot be considered in any way the property of the individuals who subscribed. The reason for bringing forward this argument seeme to be that they thought the property might be confiscated or used for other purposes than that for which it has up to the present time been used. Then informed that the intention of the Government was obviously to continue the church and chari- table work, with the difference that the Germen influence and control was to be substituted by a British influence and con- trol, acting through the officers of a suitable British Mission they appeared satisfied. As regards the Basel Mission, they had a pension scheme for the pastors and preachers, very much on the line of the Hongkong Widows and Orphans' Fund, 4% of their salaries was deducted, this was invested in property and the income was to be used in giving pensions to the contributore when they were too old to earn an income by their work. There should be no interference with such a scheme but only substitu- tion of control.

5.

Amongst the Basel Mission congregation, there has been an unfortunate cause of dispute amongst the congregation itself. Every four yeare a committee was elected by the congre- gation and their appointment had to be confirmed by the German missionaries. There was a committee elected in 1913. By 1917 the German missionaries had been deported. The committee had to manage certain property, collect rents, &c. In 1917 the congre- gation elected another committee. Their appointments could not be confirmed. The old committee refused to hand over, stating the new committee was not confirmed, and hence trouble. This difficulty can easily be overcome, and both sides seem very willing for Archdeacon Barnett to take charge and settle their mutual grievances.

6.

As regards the immediate control of the Basel and Rhenish Missions we would recommend that the Basel Mission be placed under the control of the Church Missionary Society except their churches at Lung Yeuk Tau, To Mi and Wong Nai Chau in the

New