DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 253, 23 October 1907, Page 9

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

THIRD DAY. The session of the Diocesan Synod was continued yesterday afternoon, the Bishop of the diocese, the Eight Rev. Pr. Neligan, presiding. The Synod went into committee to consider the report of the Standing Committee, as already published, ilr J. H. XJpton being in the chair. CHAPLAINCY TO PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. Mr J. Tunks drew attention to small Contributions to the fund for the chaplaincy to public These for the whole year did not amount to more than £75, a small amount for work of such importance. As far as the country districts -were concerned only about £6 10/ had been received for the work. The country districts benefited a good deal from the work, and larger subscriptions should be forthcoming. The Rev. Beatty was certain that the sympathy of the public was with the 'chaplaincy, and it was simply want of 'organisation or forgetfulness on. the part of the public that the fund was not in & flourishing condition. The Rev. A. J. Beck urged that a portion of the self-denial offerings from the ■ church should be set apart from the • funds. The Rev. E. C. Budd, the chaplain, asked Country members to notify him of positions which would suit prisoners discharged after punishment for the first offence, in order to give them an opportunity of returning to an honest life. ■NTATIVE PASTORATE i ■The Rev. Canon INlacMurray stated that the native committee, who raised a sum of £10 as an addition to the salaries of each of the eleven native pastors (£6O). intended to make an addition of £15 to the salary of the thirteen pastors engaged in the work during the poming year. DIOCESAN HIGH SCHOOL. The report of the committee on the Diocesan High School stated that the •work had proceeded satisfactorily during the year. There were now 103 scholars in attendance, the sehoolhouse was full, and the provision of further consideration for boarders was now under consideration. I . ORPHANS' HOME. The trustees of the Orphans' Home reported that the number of children now in the home was 59. The health of the inmates was excellent, and the epidemics prevailing during the winter—measles, whooping cough and influenza—had been avoided, probably by keeping the children within the bounds of the Home, and prohibiting visitors. The school was in-spected-by the Government inspector on August 25, and his report described the work as "very satisfactory." The receipts for the twelve months totalled £1408, and the expenditure £1413, while for the sis months ended September 31 the income was £779, and the expenditure The Rev. Beatty said that it had been suggested to Mm that' when the home a t°Papatoetoe was completed the children should attend the public school, which was within a mile, thereby saving the cost of erecting a schoolroom, and of providing teachers. Religious instruction could be subsequently given in -the home. Mr Tunks replied that at the last session a constitution of _ the home was agreed to, and that provided for religious instruction being a normal part of the education of the children. He did not think religious instruction given in the home as a separate matter could be called a normal part of their education. Another point was the health of the children. They would certainly not have been able to avoid the epidemics prevalent this year had they been attending the public schools. The report of the school inspector set at rest any doubts as to the character of the work carried out at the institutionit was a most satisfactory report in every way. CHAPLAINCY FUNDS. On the motion of Archdeacon Willis it was decided that the standing committee be asked to consider whether they can combine the Sehvyn Fund and the Chaplaincy Fund into one, to be called "the Selwyn-Chaplaincy Memorial •Fund. PARISH BOUNDARIES. On the motion of Canon Haselden the boundaries of the parishes of Ellerslie-oum-Epsom, St. Barnabas'. St. Peter's " (Onehunga), St. Mark's, and Otahuhucmn- Pamnure were fixed on the lines laid down by a committee appointed by the parishes interested. WOMEN'S WORK. Canon. Haselden moved, "That the Synod is glad to know that this Diocese has already contributed £175 18/ to the thank-offering, which is to be presented at St. Paul's Cathedral, London, on June 24, 1908, and devoted to women's work in the mission field. The Synod also cordially commends this thank-offering to the generous support of all church people." The mover referred to the fact that the thank-offerings in conenction with the jubilee of the signing of the constitution were to be laid on the altar of St. Paul's on the occasion of the FanAnglican Conference, and said that the people of this diocese had every reason to be thankful, and to give their thankofferings for so high and noble an object as was proposed. A little over forty years ago the income of the diocese was £4000 a year, now it stood at £40,000, and the prosperity of the peo- I pie was extraordinary. The Rev. Canon MaeMurray spoke of the great work carried on by women on the mission fields and in towns and settled districts. Bishop expressed his pleasure that the General Synod had not made it a condition that the New Zealand gift was to be spent within the colony, but was for women's work anywhere. Whether it canje back.to New Zealand fouriold or not at all did not matter, it was a thank-offering to God. Whether the £1(0 subscribed was sufficient to express their thankfulness was not for mm to say. The appointment of delegates •to the Pan-Anglican Conference Was being made, and the diocese would . be represented by six earnest churchcorkers. It had been said that the congress was to be marked by offerings or money, but what was wanted were offerings of men and women for God's work He hoped that New Zealand would not be behind in this matter. M, v" Haselden remarked that alinough the total amount contributed ;w? sm fH' every P aris a in the diocese *ad contributed. \ tood , f pawned, r .'■- -

EVENING SITTING. The Synod resumed at 7 o'clock, when there was a large attendance of members, and also a very Krge gathering of visitors. STANDING COMMITTEE. The first business taken was the election of the standing committee. The Rev. Canon Nslson was appointed scrutineer for tlie clergy, and Mr. W. H. Churton for the ;laity. The following were elected:—Clergy: Archdeacons Calder, Mac Murray, Revs. T. Evershed, H. Reeve, and W. E. Lush. The Rev. W. E. Gillam withdrew. Laity: Messrs. S. L. Abbott, XV. H. Armstrong, H. GilfillanJ S. Hesketh, W. J. Speight, C. J. Tunks, and E. Yates. REGULATION OF ELECTIONS. The second reading of Mr. W. J. Speight's bill, entitled "Regulation of Elections in Synod," was the next business. Mr. Speight said the Standing Committee introduced the bill, but they were not responsible for it. It was felt that the present system of elections was not satisfactory, but the Committee had not the slightest desire to force this bill upon the Synod. The present mode of election was on the principle that the will of the majority ruled, and took the whole representation, wiiile the will of the minority went for nothing. The principle of the present bill was proportional representation. Each voter under the system now proposed would have an effective vote. Nominations would be made on one day of all committees, and the elections would take place the following day. The consent of persons nominated required to be obtained. The elections would take place by ballot. Mr. Tunks seconded the second reading of the bill. Rev. Canon. MacMurrr-y said he must vote against the bill, as it meant overthrowing the system of voting by order in the Synod. Once a man got the quota in his own order, lie was elected, without reference to the other order. The bell would open the door to wirepulling to form groups to secure election. Toting by order in the Synod was a great protection to each order. He also considered the proposal was against the canon of the church, and also clause 10 of the constitution, which specified that voting must be by order. The bill was calculated to reduce the Synod to utter and complete chaos, ibr the Synod would frequently refuse to elect the crotchet mongers, faddists, and wire pullers, who wouls be selected under such a scheme as that proposed by Mr. Speight.

Mr. V. Rice opposed the bill because neither order could be independent of the other.

Rev. W. Beatty said he would vote for the bill, though he did not care much one way or the other. Canon MacMurray had spoken very emphatically against the bill, but when Canon MacMurray was most emphatic, he was usually most inaccurate, or most irrelevant.

Mr. Beatty pointed out that if the Synod, voting by its orders, gave the authority, it could delegate the power for the election to be nnvje as provided in the bill.

Mr. Tunks said the main question was whether the bill was ultra vires. He would like to have sees, the system adopted if possible, but he feared that the objections pointed out by Canon Mac Murray were fatal. Mr. E. W. Burton said the bill safeguarded the Synod against the whole of the evils which .Canon Mac Murray had referred to.

Archdeacon Willis, Mr. T. Wells, and Mr. J. H. ■ Upton spoke against the Mil: "I;. Mr. Speight said he was intensely disgusted at the want of grip shown by the Synod of the principles of the till. He however wished to repudiate in the strongest language trie offensive suggestion that the bill was introduced to bring in a system of cliques. There had been occasions where the formation of parties would have been justifiable, but the Synod refrained. He had submitted one issue, and some of them had failed to grasp the principle, or had sought to avoid it.

The bill was then thrown out, and the Synod adjourned.