THE PRIMACY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16654, 15 October 1919, Page 2

THE PRIMACY.

VIEWS OF BISHOP JULIUS.

"The approaching resignation of his See by the Bishop of Duneclin," Bishop Julius remarked in his presidential address the Diocesan Synod yesterday, "will remove from the number of the activo Bishops of tho Province one who is not only the senior Bishop of the Anglican Communion, but also for us the connecting link between the earliest Bishops of the Province and those pf to-day. With extraordinary vigour and persistence, under difficult circumstances, he has built up iiis Diocese, established his clergy through the Provinces of Otago and Southland, and opened his cathedral, which, when completed,'will be second to none in this country-for grace and beaut}'. I echo the wish of every member of this Synod when-1 prav that the blessing and -peace;! l of Goaj ; riiarjr be with him in his closing years. We have just heard that the Syrioa of the Diocese of Dunedin* have nominated the Ven. Archdeacon Richards to the vacant See, a priest of high standing; greatly esteerted for his personal worth and learning, than whom it would be difficult to find anyone better fitted for the post." At a later stage his Lordship said:— "You will remember that a year ago I urged the necessity of establishing a fixed Primacy at Wellington. To this end, and with the assistance or a Select Committee, I framed and moved a resolution (the full text ox which his Lordship gave) to give effect to this. JWe agreed in thinking that there was no occasion for any change in the mode of. election of a Bishop who should be also Primate, inasmuch as an election by the Diocese of Wellington with the concurrence of the General Synod, or a majority of. the Stand- . ing Committee, provided as effective means of appointing a suitable Primate as any other that could be devised, it being' understood that such concurrence would not be regarded as a matter of form. This resolution must receive your consideration before ,the sefsioa of General Synod in 1922. As the present Bishop of Wellington will not accept tho Primacy, it may, and we trust will, be many years before such an appointment can be made. The General Synod, therefore, thought it necesrary tc amend the existing Canon for the election of Primate. As it now stands, the Bishops of the Province must nominate one of their number to be appointed Primate, subject lo the consent of a majority of the clerical nnd lay members of General Synod. If two nominations fail to secure such concurrencc, the Senior Bishop will serve as Acting-Primate until a Primate has been appointed." j