CONGRATULATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 44, 21 February 1940, Page 9

CONGRATULATIONS.

NEW PRIMATE. BISHOP WEST-WATSON. WAS BRILLIANT SCHOLAR. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) XELSOX, Tuesday. When the election of the Rt. Rev. C. W. West-Watson to the position of Primate and Archbishop of the Province of Xew Zealand was announced at today's sitting of the General Synod of the Church of England, Bishop Cherrington, on behalf of the bishops, tendered hearty congratulations and good wishes to the new archbishop, and promised earnest prayers that the Primacy might be blessed in every way. Archdeacon H. A* Hawkins, of Auckland, on behalf of the clergy, conveyed sincere congratulations to the Primateelect. The senior lay member, Mr. H. D. Andrews, of Cliristchurch, said it wan the wish of the laity that the new archbishop would enjoy the high office for a long period, that Cod would give him strength to fill the office worthily and well with wisdom, faithfulness and impartiality. In reply, the archbishop-elect said that it had always been his fortune to follow men who had tilled their positions with distinction. As a dean he had followed the present Archbishop of Sydney. In Christchureh he had followed Archbishop Julius. Now he was following Archbishop Aver ill. After enjoying the retiring Archbishop's fellowship, fatherly help and example, said Bishop West-Watson, he hoped he had some idea what a Primate in the colonies, ought to be. Fixed Primacy. A report submitted to the Synod suggested the establishment of a fixed primacy in Wellington and placing the provincial office secretary in the same centre, and a motion that the committee report at the next session on practical steps to put into effect the proposals ■net with considerable opposition. The Synod was not prepared to vote on the principle of a fixed primacy and an amendment was carried having the effect of Betting up a commission to report to the next session upon the desirability and practibility of establishing a fixed priinatial see.

Son of a Liverpool merchant. Bishop West Watson had a brilliant career at Cambridge. He took double first-class honours, winning the first-class classical as well as the first-class theological tripos. The Greek prize and the Crosse theological scholarship were also included in the long list of his achie.vements. He was ordained deacon in 1902 and priest in 1903 at the age of 26. His eminence at the university led to a number of years as theological lecturer, and he was appointed dean of. Emmanuel College in 1907. From 1905 to 1920 he was examining chaplain to the Bishop of Carlisle, whose suffragan he became, when he was consecrated Bishop of Barrow-in-Furness in 1909. He was translated to the See of Christchurch in 1926, following the retirement of Archbishop Julius.