ANGLICAN CHURCH CONSTITUTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 39, 15 February 1904, Page 2

ANGLICAN CHURCH CONSTITUTION.

THE BILL LOST. On Friday afternoon the Anglican General Synod coutinued the debate on the second reading of Archdeacon Harper's bill, intituled. "A statute to amend tue fundamental provisions of the constitution In such manner as to provide for the necessary autonomy of the Church of the I'rovince of New Zealand." A lengthy debate took place, the bill being opposed by several members on the ground that it was inopportune, that autonomy already existed, and, as the Rev. W. Beatty remarked, they need not debate abstract questions when a great manj; of the men of New Zealand were untouched by the effects of the Gospel. The Bishop of Auckland could not for a moment vote for Ihe second reading of the bill, though he was very really In sympathy with the particular object. The schism in South Africa, which was only just healed, was produced by something ihing similar to this bill. The debate was concluded in the evening. when the Primate nointed out that the line of cleavage manifested at the present Synod was different from anything heard before, because at no former debate was it suggested that the Synod had only a limited power. He could not see what could be gained by dissolving that assembly and asking the people of the Church to elect another, which would not be more representative than the present. Archdeacon Harper then replied. He claimed that he had obtained the unanimous consent that the written script of the constitution was different to the facts of the case, and that they were practically autonomous. Fie accepted the reasonableness of some delay and making known to the whole Church what was intended to be done. He hoped the bill would pass the second reading, and he did not wish It to pass its third. It conld then be ordered to be printed in the proceedings, and could go down to the diocesan synods to be thoroughly discussed. The second reading was lost by 20 votes to 15, the votine being: Bishops—ayes 2, noes 3 ; clergy—ayes 5, noes 9 ; laity—ayes 8, noe9 8.