VICAR AND VESTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 276, 21 November 1928, Page 8

VICAR AND VESTRY.

PARISHIONERS QUARREL

NORTHCOTE AHGLICAH AFFAIRS.

TESTIMONIAL TO VICAR. LARGE MEETING DISCUSSES DISPUTE. The affairs of the Anglican community at Northcote have not been running at all smoothly for some time, though the attendance at services and the offertories are said to have been never better. Rumour hath it that the chief disputants are some members of the v«*etry and the vicar (the Rev. Thos. Soutiiworth), who has been in charge of the parish since January last. From statements in circulation, it appears the vestry has not; functioned to any extent, and that the vicar's warden (Mr. Herbert Cadness, gen.) resigned, being replaced by Mr. A. Addison.

The congregation eventually took a hand, and as an outcome of combined action the. Bev. Thos. Southworth was presented last week with a testimonial bearing upwards of 200 signatures. This read:— The Rev. TEhos. Southworth, Northonrte. Bev. and Dear Sir, — We, the undersigned, parishioners and residents o£ Xorthcote, desire to assure yon of our extreme reirret to hear of your resignation and pending departure from the Anglican cure of this parish. We may further state that the attitude of the wardens aud vestrymen towards you is not a true reflection of the opinion of Parishioners generally, inasmuch as many of us, who now attend fairly regularly and contribute through the duplex envelope, had, for more or less lengthy periods, either neglected church attendance altogether, op had found the ministrations in other churches more helpful. In the course of your visitation In our homes yoo have re-awakened our interest in the parish church, and, having secured our attendance, your obvious sinceritv and earnestness in the conduct of the services have impressed us so much that we were anticipating a forward movement, not only in respect to finance, but also to raising the tone and standard of all our religious activities. Consequently we deeply deplore the circumstances which hav# impelled l von «n/T Ut decision - an « hereto append our signeturee, in the hope that you will SEB-ZK sentlments to hls Grace ™

A petition was also sent to Archbishop Averill, signed by 20 registered oari-h----loners, askmg that parishioners be called together "to protest against the activities of the vestry in certain directions. This meeting was held last evening, the parish hail being picked & aD « s^? me, y interested audience. The proceedings, it is understood, were 6,1 by much P lain springttaVSS*? Pre - aUed me SSJ Hoars discussion in committee 'Id 01116 tenSe moments we re experi-

Archdeacon Mac Murray, who was accompanied by Archdeacon Simpkin }£2£T h regiS i rar) '- that* h? presided by direction of Archbishop renlL He read the notice convening the.meeting "to consider imporSt busmeas in connection with the welfare of the parish." Only those who had been on the parish roll for two jnonthTor longer would be allowed to epeak or vote, a ruling which had the Vffcci of f ng m&n l of those ta «2 «£l2!? P reventln S even the vicar's EC 8 "^^ aUowed *° ??££ a 9 a mat ter of courtesy" The work of God's Church" con*,nUei_tbe «i a of supreme importance, and must be Chnetian spirit. If we have little difference* amongst ourselves, 1 do rot in pubhe." For that reason it would be well to consider the matter at issue in committee Th ey did not want to W things published in the Press. Sly should resolve themselves into comm£ lic i££ t J* V \F* thin S ** id in J»c. tte hoped nothing unpleasant would b f Ut they did the pot P^H f e U.?bmfeOSUTiof hands a motion that the meetia. be held in committee, and declared "this unannnously carried. He requested fartjajat the meeting was now in coin!