PRIMATE OF NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11806, 2 February 1904, Page 5

PRIMATE OF NEW ZEALAND.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION* TELEGBAK.) AUCKLAND, February 1. The mast important business before the ' Anglican General Synod to-day w» the elect ion'of a Primate in succession to the let® Bishop Covvie. Thin came on in the evening, when there was a, rery large «!• tendance. AU the Bishops of the vinocs occupied seats on the platform. \O£ the clergy there was not a single Absentee, and of tie laity, only three ttkb not present. . All tie Bishops were eligible for the Primacy. There were no nomination*, and the election was by ballot. The Act; ir.g-Primale announced: at the outset th*tj if noeessary, successive ballote to the Dumber of threa would be taken, until Mint one of the Bishops obtained * majority of each. of the three orders—Bishops, clergy, and . laity. Ii at the third ballot no one had tho majority in each, order, the Major ' Bishop would beoome Trimate. v ., ' t As the Tenth of the fin* ballot;, tin ' scrutineers announced that no election %vl * taken place. ' The Bisliopof Nelson tben - the names of the Bishops for whom vpfcw . had been, given, and «leo the number* of' votes given for each Bishop by etch, order* '■ be announced by the scrutineer* after each -. ballot, unless such ballot wae- deebkn*His Lordship pointed oat there T» ft, vafr , oedent for this course in tjte election of Bis(hop jHadfield to &c Primacy in Itip& ': The procedure was one, it wetned, expedU •ent to adopt in the present instance. The ' failure of the first ballot made it crake possible that no eleotion Would take pJaos, ; and it woald put whoever was chosen A , Primate in en invidiou* position if be "wefe . called upon to occupy such a poet through '. there not having been an election. Mr Kenneth Wilson seconded the , tao*. tipn. ■ • • >''-'-. *'*•;< Canon Murray said it would be* n»WeEg of very deep regret if the election'; wn&infc* Dean iPitchett remarked dw»: *nm"4i* ¥ warrant for the' etatemernV , tWs if ***»$ were no eleotion as e> remit of <Im'fjeOwK 'the offioe would go by default. T TS»oih% ject of the ballot -vraa to obtnla.fh«;^BllJ^ v of the Church. It might be that was an equality d! -merit i Bishop*, sad that they could not jctity in the three order* forejiy Caroxch law prwrided mcU *;eoi»iftig gency i>y providing thtV itt 1 «cch r «a^e»#44 r the eenictf Bishop shonid become y .The Ber. Beatty liberativo body heda when* rot*.: waa iaken to inotr the xmAU c V 'r^&J, A diTMon wm takef, witH the foflovf 4 ing result:—Ayes->-Bithope laity 17. 1,- olerfer.-.W,* Isity 16. The motioa Va« lfiijt.*"^/:^.' Two further ballots were without «ny deftnit* notinoemenV of the scrat&eehr -*ftj* TO? third ballot that therebadbeen no was woeiwd wiUi "eppUffse'' the Senior Bishop, the 3isbop of rose to, hia feet. "', - - -*" V ' -^s >Wben ibe applause bjyi new Primate spoke w I may, trithout inunodeftyr s*y»\ttif»-X', receive the plaudits offered *f to myself in n»ving beee, the providence of <Jod (»lkd to Ise'dlf>f' firalb and honoamhle position •fIfWA 4* occupy her»> to-night. I hate ttttf" one word to say. I caroo ttf thh'*Oojitry h 34 years ago, believing to be-' called of God to do ttuno weft'lftp-BfaV holy churrfi in thb land. I have'endeaV*, ouredemid nuny wcaJknetees to diiehuige tho obligations which were ot that ti»ft~, laid upon m*. I know that I Have at* ■ spared mys*Jf. I knotf that' I Iftve >e % ceived tbo affection o? my clergy atuTUjjr member* of my diocese, ond I aerer" tb, , satisfaction of knowing that a large tutSjK bex "of people outside that area, regard. me-with affection and esteem, t only' denre to nsW yon that in the difficult position tint I am now coiled upon to occupy, I may receive your prayers' froth. time to time that Uie effort? I may still 4 be enabled to make with* some earneet'pnr-' pom in- 4 my lieart, may be effectual to the glory of God, imd the welfare of fit* people. i