PARISH TROUBLES

Evening Star, Issue 21722, 17 May 1934, Page 8

PARISH TROUBLES

TREASURER TRACES THEIR HISTORY WHY LIVING WAS DECLARED VACANT [Special to the ‘ Stah.’] AUCKLAND, May 16. Over seventy-five parishioners were present last night at the annual meeting of St. Andrew’s Parish, Cambridge.Bishop Cherrington, as acting-vicar, presided. . Following the proposing of a motion that the meeting approve of the action of the bishop in declaring the living of St. Andrew’s vacant, and removing' the Rev. G. Gordon Bell from office. Mr D. H. Dallimore (treasurer) traced the history of the parish troubles. He said the majority of the parishioners were in the dark as to the real reasons for declaring the living vacant. It was time they did know. ' All along Mr Bell had foolishly maintained that he was the victim of a devilish scheme of cunning "and treachery. He had accused the bishop, the officers, ct the church, and even financial magnates, of ’conspiring to get him out of the parish, and also out of the country. Mr Bell had threatened to make disclosures that would shake the church, and even the State- Mr Bell had written to all sorts of people, and the result of his writings was that it became necessary to call on the bishop to take action. The final upshot was that the living was declared vacant, and Mrs Bell was removed from office. Mr Dallimore read a number of extracts from letters written by Mr Bell to prominent commercial men in Auckland. Extracts showed that he had asked in- extraordinarily dramatio fashion for general assistance for the parish. . , A motion supporting all the bishops actions was carried unanimously. Interviewed this morning, Mr Bell reiterated that it is his intention to endeavour to obtain from the higher authorities of the church, answers to the arguments he bad presented against the bishop’s action, and in the meanwhile he will carry on.