FINAL SYNODS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 7

FINAL SYNODS.

ARCHBISHOP AYERILL.

RETIREMENT DRAWS NEAR.

NEW AUCKLAND CATHEDRAL,

Arrangements are being made for the second session of the 29th Synod of the Diocese of Auckland to open at St. Mary's Cathedral Church on October 12, when Archbishop Averill, Primate of New Zealand, as Bishop of the diocese, will deliver his charge. Special interest attaches to this synod, as it may be the Jast in the diocese at which the Archbishop will preside.

Before his retirement, however, the Archbishop will preside over the triennial session of the General Synod of New Zealand, which will be "held in February. Last October the Archbishop informed tho Diocesan Synod that, in the ordinary course, his resignation as Primato would take effect on the last day of the General Synod, but he would prefer to resign from both his offices at eomc time in April, after the close of the financial year. This would allow the new Primate ample time to succecd him before leaving for England to attend the next Lambeth Conference.

In referring to the position in the Auckland diocese, he said that it might be possible to call a special session of Synod, for the nomination of his successor before his resignation beemme effective, thus avoiding an interregnum, and this will probably be considered at the forthcoming Synod.

Already a diocesan committee, consisting of six members, including three clergy and three laymen, has been engaged for several months making confidential inquiries regarding any person whose name may be suggested by any member of Synod for consideration as a new Bishop. Bishop 29 Years. Archbishop Averill, who has been Primate of New Zealand for 14 years, was consecrated a bishop 29 years ago at Waiapu, and became Bishop of Auckland in 1913. On the day before the opening of the Diocesan Synod in October, the Archbishop will meet the clergy in conference. and special services will be held at St. Mary's. A conference of lay membets of Synod will be held on October 13. The programme, as in past years, will include an "At Home" at King's College, Middlemore, a meeting of the St. John's College Association, and a Maori conference. The preachers 011 "Synod Sunday" at the Cathedral will be the Rev. W. H. Wybert, vicar of Waimate North, in the morning, and Archdeacon H. T. Steele, vicar of Whangarei, in the evening.

Prominent in the topics for discussion at the business sittings of Synod will be the progress of the scheme to build a new cathedral, the first portion of which is expected to cost £100.000. A sum of £63,000 is expected to be available at the outset from the bequest of the late Miss M. T. Horton. and £8400 from rents and interest on church properties. The amount required from the public is estimated at £30,000. It is not expected that Synod will lie called upon to consider any further legislation in regard to the cathedral project, this aspect having been fullv dealt with at last Svnod.

Among the other proposals to be submitted to Synod will be one for the extension of the Tatnaki pariah, in order to include the rapidly-growing suburb of Orakei, at present a portion of St. Aidan's parish, which has been administered during the past 15 months as a part of the Tamaki district.