Church Officers Reply On Rangiora Oak Tree

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30156, 13 June 1963, Page 16

Church Officers Reply On Rangiora Oak Tree

If the parishioners of St. Jahn’s Anglican Church, Rangiora, disagree with the decision to remove the oak tree in the church grounds they may take steps to have the decision rescinded. The vicar of the cliurch (the Rev. J. S. H. Perkins), and two church wardens, Messrs R. H. Bowron and T. M. Frizzell, say this in commenting on a letter to the editor of “The Press” written by Dorothy Havull, of Fernside.

The Mayor of Rangiora (Mr L. E. Farr) had previously said, as reported in “The Press” of May 31, that the parishioners wanted the tree removed and, after all, it was their property which was being adversely affected by the tree. Mr Farr said that at the meeting at which the council agreed to remove the tree it decided to plant trees in one of the borough streets. “With all due respect to Mr Farr, may I suggest that his term, ‘the parishioners,’ is a loose one? How many parishioners want the tree removed? What proportion of the total number are they? Apropos of this, was there a quorum at the annual meeting? Was there a notice of motion given beforehand, as I understand should be done, in the case of a controversial matter being raised again? Unless the answer to the latter two questions is in the affirmative, I contend that the meeting was out of order in even approaching the council. The fact that the council has decided to plant trees is quite irrelevant. Planting a tree does not always ensure the growing of a tree. Witness the so-called Kippenberger avenue on the Woodend road.” Church Reply The letter was referred to the church officers of the Rangiora parish who reply: “The regulations issued by the Diocese of Christchurch for the guidance of church wardens and vestrymen in parishes do not require any specific number of parishioners to be present in order for a quorum to be constituted. “The parish annual general meeting was reasonably well attended, and the time.

date, and place of the meeting were duly advertised. It would have been competent for the wardens and vestry themselves to have recommended to the council that the tree be removed, but the parisluoners were consulted at the annual general meeting. The motion recommending that the tree be removed was carried after discussion with only one dissentient vote.

“Matters of interest to parishioners are frequently discussed at parish annual meetings without a prior notice of motion being required. All parishioners are urged to attend parish annual general meetings ,and they cannot reasonably complain if business is there transacted in their absence.

‘ ‘The Rangiora Garden Club whose views have been consulted on this question, has resolved after due consideration that the council be informed that in the club’s view the tree should be removed.

“If parishioners disagree with the decision it is possible for them by means of a requisition signed by not fewer than one-third of the registered church members of the parish to cause another meeting of the parish to be held for the purpose of endeavouring to rescind the earlier decision.”