THE ANGLICAN SYNOD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 245, 13 October 1908, Page 3

THE ANGLICAN SYNOD.

afternoon's . "sfttingJ '.' The second, sitting of the first session ■ -of the nineteenth Anglican Synod was held yesterday afternoon in St. Mary's : flail, Parneil. BOUNDARIES OF ST. BARNABAS'. '* '■■ The committee appointed to report on !,:„ petition' of some members of St : Barnabas' for alterations in the bound- ■ gries of the parish, recommended that '-tie prayers'' of the petitioners should be erantedjiand that the Synod should in- ;••--' form the petitioners that the only means -'■ w w hich their wishes could be given effect to would be by statute of the - .'-.- synpd. ._ It was resolved to inform the petitioners that for the effecting of their waver it was necessary to proceed by statute. .- BISHOPS HOUSE AND INCOME. I ,f He General Trust Board reported •that they had not been able to proceed with the erection of a new See House, i as tie- income available was insufficient •to pay interest on the money that would had to be borrowed for the purpose. - -j>lans <had been prepared for a new -'' ! Bishop's' House, also for alterations to the present building, and meetings had ! ; ieeh held with the Standing Committee .7 ;io consider the question of raising 'luoney, but nothing definite had been - done. A letter had been received from. liic Bishop, in which his Lordship said: <-lt is my present intention to return '; ; ■"''. to the diocese hy the Tongariro, sailing. from London on November 26th. But I cannot.resume occupation' of the See '.''•■-'' House under existing stipend "conditions I have therefore to request the Trust * 'Board to resume their authority and "'• responsibility over the See House and : the Cathedral library when Bishopscourt becomes" vacant. After March 25, , - -'■':.' il "suggest that I shall cease to be re- •:> - jpchsible. for the See House. The Board .•will have gathered from my Synodica] Charges that my further occupancy of --- Bishopseourt—as things are—is impos- -' *'-tib\£. I am fully seized of the grave : ... confronting the Board in the '• ' whole matter; but I have.no choice in ■'' upon • the action necessary for ■ to take." ~ . I On the recommendation of the Standing Committee, the Board submitted , the following resolution: —"That the | .. General Synod having at its last, session authorised the General Trust Board ot , -; tne, Diocese of Auckland to apply the I rents, issues, and profits of the Cathedral she to the erection of a See House at . ■ 'Auckland, or to the annual income of the | Bishopric, until the' net income shall -lai'e reached £1,000, this Synod requests the. General Trust Board to make the | ir.erease of the Bishop's income to £1,000 - jer'atnum the first charge upon the i aforesaid revenue." I Mr.J: Batger, a member of the Board, C it had always been felt that the Bishop's income was insufficient. | ■ Willis said that it was a great pity that the Bishopric should be given'uj. He advocated that the house j "should,: he -improved. "'"'ThVjinution was carried. 6T. VICARAGE SITE, j ''-'"" Trust Board reported '..■-. 'that the>City Council proposed to take .'- ±he"site*nf.'the vicarage of St. Sepulchre's | ''■"' as a site, for a, reservoir, and that a ... .protest :h94nbeen made to the Council. .-. The. Coiiicil;- however, had decided that - '"' this site was the only practical one 1:..:.'- "fof-.a reservoir, and had. resolved to'take steps .'-to: acquire it under the Public Works'ict. 'It was proposed to move . the Govmroriin-Council to have a full inquiry-made:, ' Mr. J;'Batger said that they were determined to resist the attempt of the City Council to deprive them of the site. Archdeacon Willis, who sympathised with St. Sepulchre's, said that they should get from the Council more than '■::-'. the mere intririkie value of the house. They should get sufficient to purchase .: one of the good sites alongside. V/GENERAL TRUST BOARD'S REPORT. -. -Tie General Trust Board reported that ■'■■'•• ithadMecided to erect a permanent and appropriate fence along the Symonds6treet frontage of the cemetery. : The Native Schools.—There were now V*^ ; U2- boys in S. Stephen's School, and 38 girls in the Victoria School. Dr. W. Drammond Ferguson had accepted the position of honorary medical officer to the two schools, in place of Dr. Marsack, vho resigned the position. The thanks of .-■■ the Board had been conveyed to Dr. Mar- ,-■'.'. sack. The latest reports from the inspectors on the inspection and examination of Victoria and S. Stephen's schools were satisfactory. The ; securities held by the Board had been carefully considered, and had been found Mortgages to the value of •£4402 had been repaid during the year. , The repayments of loans on bond had , •mounted to £ 141, and loans to the ex- ;.. ient of £7784 had been granted. " STAXprSG COMMITTEE'S REPORT. ■ The Standing Committee reported that '.' the income of the Selwyn Memorial Fund , for the year had been £101 4/11, and ■;■■''-.:the"expenditure £92 13/2. The capital now stood at £2000. Since March 31, .1908, a legacy of £ 100 had been received from the estate of the late F. Woollams. The sum of £44 10/- for interest re- • eeived had been added to the Home Mis- -: aion Endowment Fund, making the capital jow :£ 972 J4/6. The Country Clergy • . Endowment Fund had been increased by - 4/4. interest received, and now aad a capital of £480 0/11. The receipts . for Home Mission purposes for the year fading March 31 (exclusive of the balance of £443 16/9 brought forward) ' had been £880 17/11, £2 10/1 less than for the previous year. The expenditure j»d been £1140 19/6, £192 10/- more V.-.™W?the former year. The Country .= Clergy Fund's income for the year had w*n.£327 0/11, £1G 19/1 less than for the previous year; and the expenditure ;(not including last year's overdraft of *61 U/2) £233 10/6, £123 11/10 less wan during the preceding year. The .. had made the following alloGition for the year commencing July 1, ™8:- Waimate North, £15; Howick, ||>; Kati Eati, £40; Inglewood; £10; . fittssel], £25; Kamo-cum-Whangarei, f™ Waitara ' £7 -10/-; Coromandel, if™ Te Awamutu, £10; Northcote, ipLm- Ihe income of the Chaplaincy to - rubbc Institutions Fund was still" in•Pfficient to meet the charges upon it, ■' rt current year the income from we General Trust Board would be £22 W- less than for the previous year.

The receipts for last year had been! £322 15/3, £17 19/11 more than for the preceding year. The account on March 31 had been overdrawn-£B-11/6,-;-The Sustentation Fund receipts had been £64 18/10 from the assessment, £3 from donations, and. £17 13/5 for interest. The fund now stood at £ 356 15/11. The receipts of the Maori Mission; for the year had been £2201 18/7 (including £400 from the Native Pastorate Fund and £559 2/6 from the Maori Mission Board), £463 10/8 more than for the previous year, and the expenditure eluding the overdraft of £140 10/1 brought forward) £1768 12/8, £ lib 5/4 less than for the former year. There we're at present 17 native clergy engaged in the work.of the Mission' in the diocese. BOUNDARIES OF NORTH ISLAND. The Commission on the boundaries of the North Island (Veri. Archdeacon Fancourt, Wellington; Mr S. Percy Smith, Auckland; and Mr W. C. Kensington, Waiapn), which met in Wellington on November 26 of last year, reported as to whether the present divisions for dioceses in the North Island .were.the most suitable, that it appears, with the exception of an adjustment of the boundary common to Auckland and Wellington} it was premature to carry out a considerable alteration in the boundaries between Auckland and Waiapu, until the time arrived for the institution of a fourth diocese. The second S<art of the paid resolution reads: As to what alterations should be made in the present boundaries if the North Island remains divided into three dioceses, the commission considered that the slight alteration already alluded to between Auckland and Wellington was all that is at present necessary. Concerning the question of what boundaries should be made if the North Island were to be divided into four dioceses, they that a new diocese embracing the whole of Taranaki would be the most advantageous division, including in it the south-west portion of Auckland and north-west part of Wellington, as shown in schedule B, Basing the figures oh the last census, the respective populations of the four dioceses would be as follows:—Auckland. 196,683 (present population 214,736); Waiapu, 65,289 (present population Wellington, 182,843 (present population 196,707),- Taranaki, 31,917. The report was adopted. MAORI MISSION. The Maori Mission reported for the year ending Sept. 30 as follows:— | Waikato.—A renewed interest was being shown in the Faith, and an increased desire shown for services. Taranaki.—Never had there been such an opportunity of winning the Maoris of Taranaki to the Faith. The death of Te Whiti, following that of Tohu, removed a very real barrier. A woman's mission was badly needed. The work at Paeroa was particularly difficult, as the Maoris were greatly addicted to drink. * | ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE. Accounts.—The .St. John's College Trust reported that the general endowment accounts showed a debit balance of £278 14/3, £152 18/5 less than for the previous year. Pu'rewa Cemetery.—Receipts were £875 5/-, and the expenditure was £894 9/2, including £200 transferred to strengthen the funds for the purchase and maintenance of the ground. During the preceding twelve months, the receipts were £702 7/6, and the expenditure was £669 2/8. The balance tO'Credit on June 30, 1908, was £308 8/1. i ~.,.. „ v PENSION BOARD, . ' Accounts.—The income had been £ 3066 j 5/2, and the capital had been increased | 'by £2109 11/11. The total capital of ' the fund was £35,475 8/5. Grants.—From the Clergy Sick Fund, | £140 had been paid in pensions, and 1 £23 10/- in grants-in-aid. From the • Clergy Pension Fund, £ 114 5/- had been : 1 paid to two claimants. From the Widows' and Orphans' Fund, fifteen grants 1 had been made, to the value of £203. • From the Supplementary and Reserve ! Fund, grants totalling £212 19/- had been made; and from the Blandy Trust (Waiapu portion) two grants amount- ; ing to £27 10/- had been made, and [ from the Auckland portion, one of £ 14. EVENING SITTING. EXCHANGE OF GREETINGS. ' On the motion of Mr C. J. Tunks, sec--1 onded by the Rev. T. Evershed, it waa I resolved to cable to Bishop Neligan the Synod's cordial reciprocation of his greeting- . STANDING COMMITTEE. The following nominations were receiv- , ed for the Standing Committee, which consists of five clerical and seven lay members: —Archdeacon ■ Calder, Rev. I Canon MaeMurray, Revs. H. Reeve, W. E. Lush, C. A- B. Watson, E. J. MacFarlane, Knd H. Mason, Messrs C. J. Tunks, W. H. Armstrong, G. Hunt, E. Yates, S. C. Abbott, S. Hesketh and H. Holmes. Toe lay members, .being the required number, were declared to be duly elected. : The election of the clerical represental tives takes place this evening. 1 DIOCESAN NOMINATORS. The Rev. Canon MaeMurray was elect- ! Ed unopposed as clerical diocesan nomina- ' tor. Mr C. M. Calder was similarly ' elected as lay diocesan nominator. CLERICAL PENSION BOARD. [ ' The Revs. Canon Haselden and Nelson and Messrs W. J. Speight, S. C. Abbott, F. T. Ward and J. Dawson were elected as members of the Clerical Pension ; Board. PENSION BOARD ASSESSMENT. Archdeacon Willis moved: "That the Pension Board be requested to endeavour .to devise some more reasonable and : equitable assessment of each of the vari- ■ ous parishes and districts of the dioceses interested, so that each shall in the • future contribute more in accordance ' with its respective ability." In speaking to his motion, the Arch- : deacon urged the assessment of parishes i and districts on a more equitable basis, i the strong to come to the assistance of • the weak, the parishes to contribute pro , rata according to their income. They , should re-assess the whole diocese on the ; same scheme as was adopted for Synod , expenses. , The Rev. E. Cowie seconded the mo* , tion], i . The Rev. Hawkes, of Whangarei, in . drawing the Synod's earnest attention , to the importance to the clergy of this l subject, pointed out that many of the > poorer clergy were abesolutely unable , to contribute the £15 per year required at present. He himself had been fortunateI ly' placed by being in.receipt of thehappy f income of £121 10/ per annum, out of which he had to hire two horses, and pay rent for a house. But he was able j to pay also the £15, afterwards reduced to £10, up till May last. "And now, thank God, I am independent!" concluded the speaker. ~ . _.j.,, ' The Rev. W. Gillam moved an amendment that the resolution be referred to , the newly-elected Pension Board. -The amendment was negatived.

Mr Speight, said that the original > basis of arrangement was payment in proportion to the benefits received. If' '■ thfeyVgot away from that they -would be ' quite able to take old men into the fund at an inferior- premium, but it would mean bankruptcy to them, in a '■ very short" time. ~ The income must 1 be., certain to a ponnd.and nnder asSess- : ment insurance it would certainly-not t' be . so. Assessment, he argued, had i always proved a lamentable failure. : Personally he would support every ef- • fort to increase the benefits of the men in the fund, but he would oppose any < alteration in ttfe method of contribu- '■ tion. He felt assured that the assess- ■ ment system of insurance, spelt ruin. Mr J. H. Upton favoured an investigation by the Board as to the possibility of some revision. Canon Nelson opposed any interference with the existing system, which he claimed had been inaugurated only after the assessment system had been found a failure. The Bey. W. Beatty, in adding his word in opposition to the motion, said rather let them cast all the Church income into one fund, and pay every clergyman an equal stipend, so that each could contribute an equal sum to . the pension fund. Were the Archdeacon's scheme adopted, the confidence of the clergy generally in the fund would be shaken. The motion was declared lost on the voices. OFFERTORY BOOKS. Archdeacon Willis moved —"That with a view to encouraging decency and order, the Standing Committee be requested to get printed immediately Offertory Books suitable for monthly services in country districts, with only a few pages, so that they can be supplied at a cost of about one shilling." ■ The motion was carried. PARISH BOUNDARIES. Mr Sheppard moved—"That a committee be appointed by the Synod to examine into the boundaries between the parishes of Otahuhu-Pantnurc and Ellerslie, and to report to the Synod on Tuesday, the committe to consist of the vicars of the two parishes, the Rev. Canon Haselden, Mr Sidney Weetman, and the mover." Canon Haselden suggested that the matter be reported by the committee to Synod at its next session. The suggestion was adopted. NOTICES OF MOTION. The following notices of motion were given: — By the Rev. C. W. Scott-Moncrieff: "That in view of the increasing number of adherents of spiritualism, a committee bs appointed to consider 'the causes, real nature, and probable tendencies of this movement, and to report to next year's Synod, the. committee to consist of the Rev. W. E. GilUvm, A. Fowler, F. W. Pigott, and the mover." By Mr. F. G. Ewington: "For leave to move to bring in a bill to amend the boundary of St. Barnabas' parish." The Synod adjourned at 10 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day.