THE DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 252, 24 October 1893, Page 2

THE DIOCESAN SYNOD.

FIRST DAY.

The fourteenth Synod of the Anglican Synod of the diocese of Auckland was fermally opeced by His Lordship Biahop ©owio in the1 library, Bishopscourb. The Allowing lay and cleric members were prehab :—

Clblgt.— Ven. Archdeacon Clarke, Yen. Archdeacon Dudley, Yen. Archdeacon Govett, Yen. Archdeacon Willis, Revs. Baker, Bates, Beabfcy, Biegs, Bispham, Boyes, Burrows, Calder, H. S. Davies, Dv Rieu, English, Evans, Gould, Hapimana, Haselden, T. P. N. Hewlett, O. R. Hewlett, Hoete, Johnston, Kirkbride, Larkins, Lush, Mac Murray, McFarlane, Marshall, Maynard, Mulgan, Nelson, Purchas, Richards, Tarawhiti, Walsh, Williams, Wilson.

Laity.—Messrs Andrews, Armstrong, Batger, Brigham, Brown, Burton, Calder, Cameron, Clarke, Clayton, Clements, Coates, Cochrane, C. Cooper, Cox, Criape, Doonin, Duncan, Dunning, Haigh, Haultain, Heather, Hills, Hooper, Jackson, Kensington, Kiasling, Latham, Luke, May, McCullough, Nolan, Bice, Templer, A. S. Thompson, W. Thompson, Thorp, Tibbs, Upton, Walker, Watts, Wells, J. Wilson, Woollams, Worthington. Ab the conclusion of his address, which was published in our columns yesterday, His Lordship the Bishop was warmly applauded. THE PBIMACY. Rev. A. G. Purchas bben moved, " That on the occasion of the retirement of the Right Reverend Octavius Hadfield from active work in the Church of the ■ province of New Zealand, in which he has served with conspicuous zeal and ability for upwards of half a century ac successively M issionary, Archdeacon, Bishop and Primate, this Synod desires to expreea its grateful sense of his past services tobbeChurchof New Zealand, and its earnest prayer that in the mercy of God he may be epared for some time to come to assist the Church by his sagacious counsels, and with Mrs Hadfielil, to enjoy health, rest and peace in his declining years." In speaking to bis resolution, Dr. Purchas enlarged on the many high qualities of Bishop Hadfield and on the value of the services he had rendered to the Church. Archdeacon Govett seconded the motion, and other speakers having testified to the esteem in which Dr. Hadfield was held, the resolution was carried unanimously. Yen. Archdeacon Willis then moved the following resolution:—" That this Synod heartily congratulates the most reverend the President on his succeeding to the position of Acting-Primate of the Church o! the , province of New, Zealand, and earnestly joins with him, as he desires, in praying that in the discharge of his new office he may both perceive and know what chingß he ought to do, and also may have given grace and power faithfnlly to fulfil the Bame." On the motion being unanimously carried, the Bishop thanked the Synod. He reminded members of the responsibility of his office. Any serious mistake on the part of the Primate, he said, would be more felt by Churchmen than if it was committed by a Bishop of any diocese. That was a point he hoped always.to keep in view. As Primate, his duties would be chiefly outside of hie diocese, and he asked his own people to bear this in mind should it appear to them at any time that he was not devoting all the attention which could be desired to any business within the diocese. His remarks were received with applause. The ordinary business of the cession was then proceeded with. OFFICERS OF THE SYNOD. Rev. H. S. Davis and J. D. Jackson, who officiated as Secretaries last year, were installed in their old positions, while Mr J. H. Upton was appointed Chairman of ' Committees in the place of Colonel Haul? tain, who was unable to take up the duties thiß year which he has discharged on former occasions. ' Mr J. Babger was elected Treasurer. PARISH BOUNDARIES. A petition signed by fifty-two Church of England residents in parish of St. Paul's, was presented by Mr J. M. Brigham. Petitioners desire that the boundaries of St. Mary's should be extended so as to include the district where they are resident, -as they find it most inconvenient to attend St. Paul's or to take an active part in the affairs of that parish, owing to their homes being so distant from that church. RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN BCHOOLS. The report of the Commission appointed to consider the advisability of recommending some system of religious instruction in the Board schools of the colony, was presented by Rev. F. Gaulb. The Commission report that during the, recess they have . been in communication with the Secretary of the Commission appointed at Christchurch for a similar purpose, with the Auckland Ministers' Association, with the Secretary of Wesleyan Conference, and with others, both clergy and laity. From the encouragement that has been received from all these, the Commission is of opinion that the time is ripe for a combined effort to be made to obtain the necessary concession from the Government in the matter of religious instruction in Board schools. As regards Bystem to be pursued, the Commission recommends: —I..That religious instruction be given in the first half-hour of "* each school-day, and that it be commenced with the Lord's prayer. 2. That such instruction be given by the responsible teachers of schools. 3. That any children may be withdrawn by their parents PT .guardians from such instruction, and that no teacher be expected to take ' a part in it against his convictions duly declared in writing. 4. That the statutory four hours daily for secular instruction be maintained intact. 5. That as a text-book the four volumes of Scripture extracts which have been- for some years in use in Ireland and in New South Wales be irecommended for use in the Board schools of the colony. It was decided that the report of the Commission should be considered on Wednesday. CENTRAL DIOOIWAN FUND. . The report of the Commission appointed at the last sitting of the Diocesan Synod to consider the advisability of establishing a Central Diocesan Fund, was submitted by ■ the Chairman of the Commission, Mr Kensington. The conclusion come to by the Commission was that the financial arrangementsrelatiye to clergy stipendeof the Aucklanddioceseareunsatisfactory.andshouldbe improved, and with that view they have submitted an exhaustive scheme for the consideration of the Synod.. This scheme embraces the establishment of a_^ Central Fund for the diocese of Auckland. The Objects of. this fund will be to pay the Btipends of all the ministers of the Diocese, to supplement the assessment paid by parishes or parochial dietricte when such •Muessmentß are insufficient for the maintenance of ministers, such supplementary cranta to be made ab the discretion of the Standing Committee, to make provision for the maintenance of the CburcnHome Miseion District*. The income of the Central knolflhaU.be derived from revenue from capital, annual voluntary subscriptions, and stipend assessments of all parwhes and parochial districts Amongst other recommendationa embodied in the scheme, one is that an Vp^al shall be made to all members of the Ghurtih to raise the capital of the Central Fund to at leaeb £10,000 by means ofcUtil »nd bequests, and tna* so soon as SfSm of £5,000 is reported to the Synod ti b»X* been raised, the Synod-hall give -Siwetion* for putbing tbe^ scheme Into SpJSbion, in W(» decided to dtocuea the sqport to-sight

BILLB READ A FIRST TIME. The following Bills were introduced by Rev. Geo. Mac Murray on behalf of the Standing Committee, and read a first time: —A Bill to amend and consolidate the Standing Orders, a Bill to provide for special offertory collections, a Bill to give the authority of a statute to certain resolutions, a Bill to provide for the furnishing of parochial and diocesan statistics. THE STANDING COMMITTEE. The Synod then went into Committee to consider the report of the Standing Committee. Mr Upton was elected Chairman. The Selwyn Memorial Fund Committee reported that the sum of £1,816 15s is now to the credib of this fund, being an increaae of £117 0s Id for the twelve months endding June 30th, 1893. The Committee, as administrators of this fund, have allocated the sum of £90 from the income for the year 1893-94 towards the stipend of a chaplain of the Hospital and Gaol to meet a similar sum contributed by Sb. Sepulchre's parish, the whole sum of £180 thus provided forming the stipend of an assistant curate tor St. Sepulchre's parish, the incumbent of St. Sepulchre's taking over the charge of these institutions. HOME MISSION FUND. There is now £362 18s 2d standing to credib of this fund, including £25 which represents balance of Mies Hannah King'B legacy, due from Home Mission Fund. The balance to the credib of this fond on June 30,1893, was only £212s 4d, as against £12 9s to credit on July 1, 1892; but £25— half of the £50 that was due to the Home Mission Endowmenb Fund—has been paid off during the year. The total actual income for the year, exclusive of balances and interest from Endowment Fund, was £665 3s 2d, as compared with £640 4s 9d in 1891-2, and was derived as follows:—From Home Mission districts, £275 3 lid ; from Home Mission Society — lectures, £22 7s; contributions, £105 13s : total, £128 ; offertory collections, £210 6s 9d; direct donations, £51 12s 6d; total, £665 3s 2d. The following allocations have been made (for the twelve months ending June 30th, 1894), viz. :—To the Diocesan Missionary stipend, £250; rent, £50; horse keep, £20; total, £320; and to the assistant Diocesan Missionary a stipend ab the rate of £104. The Committee while calling attention with thankfulness to the slightly increased income of this fund, and earnestly trusting bhat next year's report may show a still further increase, recommend that the stipend of the Diocesan Missionary should be augmented as soon as possible, and point out that there is urgent need for the services of another Missionary. COUNTRY CLERGY FUND. The income of this fund, exclusive of the balance to credit on July Ist, 1892, has been £238 4s 3d, being £46423 5d less than in 1891-92. No oflertory collections have been received from Sb. Paul's (Auckland), St. Matthew's (Auckland), Epiphany (Auckland), Mongonui, Whangaroa, Hokianga, Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Northern Wairoa, Helensville, Bombay, Thames, and Ngaruawahia. The allocations for the year were £260, but owing to vacancies in cures, only £214 15s of this was spent. The Committee have allocated £265 for the current year—far less than the needs of the country clergy demand, but the foregoing statement shows that they could not with safety go further. Speaking on this portion of the report, Canon Mac Murray pointed out at some length the inadequacy of the stipends paid to the country clergy. He wonderod how these men managed to subsist on the scanty incomes they received. It was moßb discreditable, he considered, to every church in the diocese that the clergy in the country should be in the position that they were, and he hoped thab the Church would do its duty to the country clergy. A sum of £688 at least should be allotted to the workers in the country, and in no instance should their salaries tall below £200 per annum. Some discussion then took place on the question that the representatives of those parishes which had not contributed to the Country Clergy Fund should furnish the reasons for their 'Conduct. Finally the matter was dropped. The Committee reported that the boundaries of some of the electoral districts bad been re-arranged ; thab there was still a sum of £2 due by five district towards the expenses of the,last session ot the Diocesan Synod, and thab Mrs Hannah Pearse had donated a sum of £41 towards the endowment of St. Matthew's Church. The donation was gratefully acknowledged by the Committee in their report. The Synod then proceeded to consider that portion Jof the report dealing with the business relegated by the Synod to the Standing Committee. FINANCIAL YEAR. The Committee reporb thab having gone into bhis matter they are of opinion thab before any change can be made by the Diocesan Synod, fresh legislation by the General Synod is necessary. Procedure. —The Committee, acting under the direction of the Synod, to coneider and reporb what changes in the procedure of the Synod are desirable, recommended that a Bill bo amend and consolidate the Standing Orders be introduced on the first day of the session. The question of the neglecb on the part of certain parishes enumerated above to contribute towards the Country Clergy Fund was re-opened at this stage by Mr H. Crisp, whoproposed the following motion :-— •• Thab this Committee view with dissatisfaction the conducb of those parishes which have neglected to fulfil the regulations of the Synod in regard to offertories for the Country Clergy Fund, and suggest that the Synod call upon the defaulting parishes for an explanation." Resolution was carried without dissenbion, and reported from Committee to the Synod when it was adopted. The Synod then went into Committee to consider various reports and statements of accounts. HOME MISSION. The total receipts for the year ending June 30th, 1893, amounted to £665 3s 2d, excluding a balance in hand on July Ist, 1892, of £12 9s, and interest received from the Home Mission Endowment Fund amoanting to £14 6s 4d. The expenditure for the same period was £665 Is 2d, exclusive of £25 paid on account of Misß H. King's legacy. The report of the General Trusb Board of the diocease of Auckland occupied the Synod some time. AUCKLAND BISHOPRIC ENDOWMENT FUND. The reporb presented was as follows :— Cathedral Fund: "The Board has this year presented the income and expenditure accounts of the Cathedral Trusb and of the Bishopric Eodowmenb Fund in one sbatemenb, the income of both trusts being applied to bhe same purpose. The capital of the Bishopric Endowmenb Fund is derived from four sources, viz.: I. The money raised in England by Bishop Selwyn, £8,976 10s Id, increased by investment to £9,161 Sb Id, 'for or towards the endowmenb of a bishopric or bishoprics for that portion of the colony of New Zealand which in the month of October, 1868, was comprised within the diocese of Auckland. In 1870, Messrs G. P. Pierce, S. W. Hill and H. S. McKeUar, • the trustees for the time being of the Cathedral Trust, signed a declaration of trust to hold the money •upon truet to pay the rente, wtueß and profits thereof to tiie Bishop for the time being of the diocese of Auckland.' 11. The moneyraisedlocally,£ljf7B,increajedby investment to £3,406 14* 4d, to auppla. menb thab raised in England by Bubop Selwyn. Tbifl fund was Pdministered by the Standing Committee until 1878,, when the Generol Synod, on the recommendation of the Dioceoan Synod, anthorifled Its

transfer to the General Trust Board. There bad been no specific declaration of trusb with respect to this portion of the bishopric endowment fund. The trustees propose thab it> shall be subject to the trusts contained in the deed of 1870, referred to above, signed by Messrs Pierce, Hill, and McEellar, thus giving effect to the intention of the Diocesan Synod as shown in its resolution of October 29th, 1870. lIL A gift by the Church Missionary Society of property at Flab Bush, East Tamaki. IV. A errant by the General Synod of £250 from the General Church trust funds. The capital of the Cathedral trust consists of 1, Cathedral site ; 2, Bishopscourb and library ; 3, various outlying properties described in the Terrier of Church properties. DIOCESAN TRUST. The Synod endorsed the recommendation of the Trust Board thab a certain allotment ab Remuera belonging to the Church, should be exchanged for another of equal area. NATIVE SCHOOL TRUST. Report stated that there are now 44 boys in Sb. Stephen's School, and bhat the Inspecter of native schools having examined the institution, found that the buildings were in satisfactory order, and the grounds neat and trim. He also stated that "he finds for the first time that it is unnecessary to ask the Committee for anything ; every suggestion that ho has had occasion to make has been satisfactorily dealt with." The accounts in connection with the above trusts were passed. St. john's college. The Trustees of this Institution report with regard to the Purowa cemetery that 150 burials have taken place there during the twelve motitbs from July 1, 1892, to June, 1893, and the receipts for the same period were £331 2s 6d. The total interments from January, 1889, to June 30, 1893, have been 605. A mortuary chapel has been erected aba cost of £211. The accounts of the College Trust and Grammar School accounts were then passed. Melanesian Mission Trust revenue and capital accounts and General Church Trnet account were also passed. PENSION BOARD. The report of this Board shows an increase to the capital of the tund of £370 15s 2d, the total capital being £13,397 9s 3d. The grants made have been : From the clergy sick fund, two, amounting to £27 10s; from the widows' and orphans' fund, eight, for £178; and from the contingent fund (grants in aid), four, for £15. Two subscribers who have left the diocese have had their contributions refunded bo them. The subscribers have been as follows, viz* t — Under old scheme: Auckland, European clergy (over 51), 8 ; Waiayu, European clergy, 8. Under new scheme : Auckland, for a pension of £100 a year, 12 clergy, and 10 parishes and districts ; for a pension of £50 a year, 11 clergy, and 10 parishes and districts. The accounts of thia trusb haviug been passed, the Bishop resumed the chair, and the business effected by the Committee was reported to the Synod. The resolution of the Committee with regard to the exchange of sites in Victoria Avenue, Remuera, and the motion of Mr Batger carried in Committee, •• Thab tho money raised locally for the endowment of the bishopric of Auckland, viz., £1,743 7s, increased by interest to £3,406 14s 4d, be subject to the trusts contained in the declaration of deed of 1870, signed by Pierce, Hill, and McKellar. A motion by Mr W. Watts, "That in the statute providing for the regulation of parishes the words 'There shall be two churchwardens taken outof the communicants of the parish,1 shall read 'There shall be two churchwardens taken from the congregation,' " was withdrawn by bhat gentleman on<an explanation from the Fresidenb regarding certain circumstances which had led Mr Watta to bring forward his proposal..- .:; : i<>: ';*-: ■•:■ ;«■ • STANDING COMMITTEE. A report as to bhe method of electing a Standing Comisrittee was submitted by Mr Beatty. It ccjiitsined a recommendation that the election of the Standing Committee should be by open vote. Mr Upton supported the motion on the ground that it* was impossible to maintain the secrecy of the ballot bo long as the vote of the Bishop could nob be concealed, as was the case under the present system. Mr Batgei opposed, the motion and the debate was adjourned at ben o'clock. NOTICES OF MOTION. The following notices of motion were given . The Rev. C. M. Nelson to move, "For leave to bring in & Bill to establish a Cathedral Chapter for the Diocese of Auckland." Mr W. H. Churton to move, "That the sum of £75 be transferred from the present Home Mission Endowmenb Fund to a new fund, to be styied bhe Country Clergy Endowmenb Fund, this transfer to be maclo on Ist November, 1893. • 2. Thab the income accruing on these two endowment funds be applied to the Home Mission Fund and Country Clergy Fund respectively." The Rev. F. Gould is moving to define the boundaries of St. Peter's, Onehunga. The Rev. F. P. Baker will move : " That the trustees of the Taranaki endowment fund be instructed to present an unnual statement of accounts to the Diocesan Synod." Mr Andrews will move for a Committee to inquire into the working of the Church of England Grammar School, Parnell, with the view of submitting to the General Synod a report thereon, and a petition asking them to take action to render the school more efficient in the work for which it was founded by the late Bishop Selwyn. Mr Crispe will move : "That it is desirable that provision should be made in statutes of the Church for women to vote ab parish meetings, and also for the election of Synodsmen." Hon. Mr McCullough has a long notice of motion suggesting that Canon 11. of Title A, referring to the appointmenb of of pastors to the cure of a vacant parish, be repealed, and the trust of selecting a clergyman therein vented in nominators chosen by the Diocesan Synod and by the vestry of the parish, be vested in the Standing Committee of the Diocese. On Wednesday Mr J. M. Brigham will move for a Select Committee to consider and reporb on the question of amending the boundaries of the parishes ot St. Paul's and Sb. Mary's.