TERRITORIAL CAMPS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8851, 30 May 1914, Page 6

TERRITORIAL CAMPS.

APPOINTMENT OF CHAPLAINS. COMMENTS,BY BISHOP AVERILL. (Por Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 29. „ lieform in the organisation or' chaplains' iwork' in Territorial camps was strongly urged by Dr. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, at the annual meeting of the Auckland Diocesan Union. The Bishop said that he was glad of an opportunity to say something that was on his mind. " I had better say at once," he remarked, " that I am a chaplain. I was connected for many years with the volunteers, and T have reached the rank of major. I

The Bishop said that he was glad of an opportunity to say something that was on his mind. " I had better say at once," he remarked, " that I am a chaplain. I was connected for many years with the volunteers, and I have* reached the rank of major. I regret that I was not at Hautapu, but I was away in the North. If I had been there I should not a have left the camp because of the weather, which could not have been worse than what I. had at the Oringi camp last year. " The> present arrangement," proceeded the Bishop, "is bad, and., as I believe, against the , order of the: Church. The Bishop should be the senior- Anglican chaplain. (Applause.) The Waiapu diocese has asked the Government to follow this arrangement, and I believe that the Wellington diocese has done likewise. The present system iis doing much harm at the present time. I am junior to some of the clergy, and if they were to order me about it would make things difficult. (Laughter.,),. It has been represented to the Defence authorities that' the . whole principle of the present arrangement is wrong, but they have always replied '-tjhat they are actiiig on English lines. Conditions here are, of course, different from those in England, and the result is that the existing system is on quite wrong lines. . ,

"The Roman Catholics, I am assured, will support us,";■continued the Bishop, " and if we can arrange it the Bishops,will in future have charge of camp arrangements and will., appoint their own chaplains. If you can do anything to help me, I shall be very glad. In any case, we must stick to the camp institutes next year and go on with them for all.we are "worth." (Aoplause.) The following resolution was carried: —" That this Conference, representing 34 branches of the Church of England j Men's Society, having taken into consideration the matter of Church of England services in camp, considers that, in order *to avoid confusion and distress in the future, the Bishop should be senior Anglican chaplain in the diocese." It was decided to forward a copy of the resolution to the Minister of Defence.