CANON JAMES' DEPARTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 103, 3 May 1929, Page 10

CANON JAMES' DEPARTURE.

LOSS TO ST. MARY'S PARISH. At a special meeting of the vestry of St. Mary's, Parnell, the resignation of Canon Percival James was received with much regret. For the past nine years he has done splendid work in the parish, and his influence has been felt far beyond the parish boundaries, particularly in regard to education. The Canon told the vestry that the offer to the charge of St. Paul's Pro-C'athedral, Wellington, had come to him unexpectedly last week, after he had completed arrangements to leave in a few days on a visit to England. He assured the vestry that it was with great reluctance and regret that he had decided to leave St. Mary's, but he had been impelled to make the decision for two reasons. First, he considered it impossible to refuse ,a unanimous call to an important work in Wellington. In addition, he held strongly the opinion that the prolonged tenure of one parochial charge was not in all cases for the advantage of the clergyman or the parish, and he considered the present an opportune time to relinquish St. Mary's, as the parochial finances were now in a satisfactory condition. No steps have yet been taken to fill the vacancy at St. Mary's, the parish being at present in charge of the Rev. P. T. Williams.