May Election?

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30981, 10 February 1966, Page 1

May Election?

The fifth Bishop of Christchurch is likely to be elected in May. Under canons of the' church, the Archbishop of New Zealand appoints a commissary (usually a bishop from another diocese) to preside oyer an electoral synod. Any member of that synod J

(which has the same members as the Diocesan Synod) may bring forward names. Clergy or laity may thus nominate but the person ;elected by the special synod must be confirmed by the Archbishop and other bishops in New Zealand and the standing committees or synods of the other dioceses. All these procedures are confidential until the Archbishop announces the appointment. The new bishop thus has the support (through representatives) of his new diocese and all others in the country. After last night’s announcement to the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Christchurch, the Archbishop will be asked to fix a date for the Christchurch Electoral Synod. As there is a special Diocesan Synod to discuss church union in March, and a General Synod in Dunedin in April, the earliest date may be in May. However it is possible that the new bishop could be consecrated on June 24, the day after Bishop Warren retires, which would be St. John Baptist, a saint's day which is traditional for such events.