CHOIR ON STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 218, 12 September 1916, Page 4

CHOIR ON STRIKE.

■ . •■ TROUBLE AT ST. SEFULCHHFS. i . .. . . .. . ■ -I OVER SEATING ARRANGEMENTS. MATTER TO BE CARRIED FURTHER, A peculiar situation "aa-s arisen in connection with the choir of St.Sepulchre's Anglican Church, and a j climax was reached' "on " Sunday last,; when the male members did not appear in their usual places at either the morning or evening sen-lees.' It would'appear that a difference of opinion has! existed for some time past between the' vicar- {the Rev; A.-■ -RieharclaV and thel choir in regard to the "seating arrangements. • Hitherto the men and boys have been seated in the-chancel of the church, and the Jadies in the, nave, ju'stj outside the chancel rails. ■■ • Owing to changes in the personnel of the choir the members came to the conclusion that a different grouping of the [ voices was desirable, and the vicar's per-! •mission was asked. The scheme of re-j arrangement involved the seating-of the J ladies in the chancel, and to this the! vicarwould riot agree, maiiitaining that': it was against ecclesiastical custom. ; I Members pointed out that in Tears gone ' by the ladies had been accustomed, to sitting in the chancel of St. Sepulchre's and that aJI the other large Anglican churches in Auckland adopted the samepractice. As indicated above, the male members of the choir have apparently-formed a decision not to resume their choral duties until a satisfactory settlement is arrived at.'.' On the other hand; the vicar informed a reporter this morning that, while he was not prepared to make a statement, seeing that the case was "sub judice,-' the matter would be carried forward, and would not be dropped until a settlement had been reached. Reference to the "Xe-w 'Zealand Digest of Ecclesiastical Law" (n'lar'sririal number 330) shows that: "The ""formation and management of the choir .and the selection and practice of church music shall be subject to the control of the minister of the parish. ]n case of a disagreement between the minister and the parishioners an appeal may be made to the Standing Committee, whose decision shall be final. Provided always that nothing herein contained shall-foe held to interfere with the rights and powers of the Biehop of the Diocese."'