BISHOP AVERILL'S RETURN.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 293, 8 December 1920, Page 8

BISHOP AVERILL'S RETURN.

A WARM WELCOME HOME. St. Mary's Parish Hall was filled last night for the welcome back from England of Dr. Averill, Anglican Hishop of Auckland, and Mrs. Averill. Cpon the arrival of the guests of the evening three hearty cheers were given.

'Archdeacon Mac Murray and in tendering a welcome on behalf of the clergy said when he knocked off work ns vicar'of St. Mary's he found it was to earrv bricks as ' Bishop's tommissary. Personally he was glad the Bishop was home again to carry his own bricks. Their Bishop had returned from the Lambeth Conference, at which great questions had to be considered, including complex factors :>m an aftermath of the war.

Mr. C. J. Tunks welcomed the Bishop on behalf of the laity, and in doin'j so referred to the able manner in which the Commissary had attended to the diocese during Dr. Avcrill's absence.

The Rev. Percy Smallrield read a resolution adopted by the Clergy Association, thankine Archdeacon Mac Murray for the admirable way in which be had conducted the business of the diocese during the absence of the Bishop.

"It is very nice to be home," said Bishop Averill upon rising to address the assemblage. He then gave an interesting account of his trip to the Old Country. , "England is always England to one who loves it, and in the spring is, I think, the most beautiful country in the world," said the Bishop. He also had a good word for Scotland. He Jiow* understood .why the Xew Zealand soldiers were so fond of going to that country. It was very like New Zealand in some plac<is. Tiie Bishop remarked he was glad to find butter was not 5/ per lb in Xew Zealand, or eggs sixpence each. With all the high cost of living at Home there still seemed to be a great deal of expenditure on luxuries. He believed that was due to the paper currency. People did not regard giving a bit of paper in the same light as paying away coin. The Bishop said he was glad -to find that everywhere he heard the same thing, that our New Zealand soldiers were gentlemen. Referring £o the war area in France and Flanders, the Bishop said anyone who, like him, in summer saw the shell-holes full of water would have a faint idea of what our boys went through during winter when out there. When he returned to London he waited on Sir James Allen, High Commissioner, and asked, "Where are our Xew Zealand monuments on the battlefields?" Sir James said he might tell the people of Xew Zealand there would be one at High Wood, and also at three other places. It was good to have a High Commissioner interested in other things than mutton. He did not mean that as a reflection on any of Sir James' predecessors in office.

Bishop Averill said Xew Zealand was in the unfortunate position at Lambeth Conference of not having an archbishop. He thought it would be to the benefit of the Church if the senior Bishop, instead of being Primate, were made nn archbishop. Touching on the question of the. reunion of the Churches, Bishop Averill 6aid the one thing the world was in need of to-day was fellowship. The Churches should s et an example in that respect by having fejlowship amongst themselves. It was a great thing that 252 bishops should have unanimous on a resolution in favour of reunion. All realised there must be greater unity in His Church. The addresses were interspersed with musical items by Mrs. Patrick Cole. Mr Wilfred Manning, and Mr. Prank Histed. Some time was spent in social converse and refreshments were supplied by a committee of ladies. '