ADDITIONAL CLERGY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 9, 10 July 1931, Page 8

ADDITIONAL CLERGY

NEEDED FOR CERTAIN DISTRICTS

Mr. W.Haydon Maclean moved at the Anglican Synod yesterday that a committee be appointed to devise means of providing for additional clergy in' thickly-populated parishes, such committee to report to next session of Synod; that the committee consist of the Eev. Canon Petrie, Bey. W. Bullock, Bey. D. B. Malcolm, Messrs. J. W. Henderson, H. A. Huggins,' and the mover.' Mr. Maclean expressed the opinion that a,parish with a population of 3000 or possibly 3500 was sufficient for one clergyman to attend to. He quoted figures which showed that, according to his contention, there was a shortage, of clergy in tho> following parishes:—St. Marks; shortage of 3; St. Peter's, 3; Miramar, S; St. Thomas's, 2; Masterton, 2; All Saints', Palmerstori North, 2; Hawera, 2; Wanganui, 3. Altogether, there was a shortage of 29 clergymen. Tha grants in aid totalled £2515, which grants were distributed amongst 31 parochial districts, the population affected being 97,600,' an average grant per parish of £81. He suggested that a' fund be established for the purpose of carrying out the scheme.. Assistance could be granted up to, say, three years, in gradually reduced amounts, after which they should cease. The Bey. F. S. Ramson referred to several parishes which in Hs judgment were too large in population to enable the best work to be done in them. Ho supported the motion. ~, Mr. J. W. Henderson "thought, that financial difficulties would; arise in any attempt to give, effect to such a proposal as had been mado. ■ After a brief discussion, the motion was adopted, '