Anglican clergy talk on Rape Report

Press, 3 October 1983, Page 9

Anglican clergy talk on Rape Report

Anglican clergy and lay people representing all parishes in the Christchurch diocese will end their annual four-day synod in the city today. About 150 lay people and 80,clergy from 71 parishes in the, Canterbury and Westland districts have been meeting in the Horticultural Hall over the last three days to discuss church policy and day to day administration of the diocese.

Among the topics discussed ,at the week-end were the reports of the Diocesan Missionary Council, the Anglican Diocesan Youth Activities Council, and from several church committees. >

: The report of the public and social affairs committee commenting on the first volume of the Rape Report, commissioned by the Government, was received and approved by the Synod on

Saturday. The committee’s report included a copy of a letter sent to the Minister of Justice, Mr McLay, which contained submissions on the report’s first volume. The committee’s chairman, the Rev. David Manning, said that “the commitment to public education and victim support holds the key to this vexed area of law.”

Mr Manning said his committee believed that improvement of community attitudes to rape victims and their treatment in court as well as an improvement in attitude to police processes would have a significant impact on the incidence and control of rape. “Law reform must not be pursued in isolation,” he said.

The report contained 13 submissions covering police and court processes, victim

support services, substan tive law, and evidential considerations.

Much of yesterday’s business was taken up with discussion of the New Zealand Anglican Board of Missions. The Synod approved a diocesan target of $177,300 for the missions.

A motion by the Rev. H. M. Bowron, calling for the support of the Synod to request the authorisation of the 1976 American Prayer Book for use in New Zealand was defeated.

Synod members decided that the introduction of the prayer book would add confusion to ' the revision of the New Zealand liturgy. Nominations for presentation on the Synod and its committees closed at 6 p.m. yesterday. Voting will take place this morning, and the Synod will end at 6 p.m.