TWENTY YEARS AS BISHOP

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21086, 10 February 1934, Page 14

TWENTY YEARS AS BISHOP

+ ARCHBISHOP AVERILL'S CAREER SERVICES IN .MANY FIELDS [THE PEES 3 Special Service] AUCKLAND, February 9. One of the outstanding and most popular figures in the history of the Church of England in New Zealand, Archbishop Averill, wiil celebrate to-morrow the twentieth anniversary of his consecration as Bishop of Auckland. The Archbishop, who was elected to the see of Waiapu in September, 1909, was nominated Bishop of Auckland at a special meeting of the Auckland Synod four years later, and was enthroned by Archdeacon Calder on February 10, 1914. He was elected Primate of New Zealand in succession to Archbishop Julius in 1925. Archbishop Averill was educated at King Edward's School, Stafford, and St. John's College, Oxford, and his first curacy, which extended from 1888 to 1891, was at St. George's, Hanover square, the well-known West-End Church. In 1892 he was appointed senior curate of Holy Trinity, Dalston, where he was associated with the Rev. It. S. Hassard, a former vicar of St. Matthew's, Auckland.

Ho came to New Zealand in 1894 as vicar of St. Michael's, Christchurch. From 1903 he was Archdeacon of Akaroa, and in 1909 he became Archdeacon of ChriiAchurch. In the same year his Grace was called to the diocese of Waiapu, and was consecrated by the then primate, Archbishop Nevill, and Bishops Neligan (Auckland), Mules (Nelson), and Wallis (Wellington). During his four years in the east coast see Archbishop Averill became well acquainted with Maori life, and was keenly interested in the welfare of the native race, an interest which he maintains unceasingly.

Work During War Shortly after Archbishop Averill's appointment as Bishop of Auckland tho war broke out, and his energy and ability were used to the full in the four years that followed. He lent his enthusiastic support to many patriotic movements, and his relations with the heads of other religious bodies in Auckland were then, and have always been since, the most cordial. He has assisted in many religious campaigns in which several denominations have united. The Archibshop is known throughout the Auckland diocese, and indeed throughout New Zealand, as an impressive-speaker, and an enthusiastic leader of all church activities. He has always taken a practical interest in mission work with both the Maori and the Melanesian missions. Of recent years he has made many personal sacrifices in view of the unprecedented financial difficulties affecting the work of the church. To mark the anniversary a number of clergy of the Auckland diocese will meet for the celebration of Holy Communion at St. Mary's Cathedral. Tho Archbishop will receive numerous congratulations on his long record of service for the church.