ANGLICAN PRIMATE

Grey River Argus, 16 January 1940, Page 8

ANGLICAN PRIMATE

Retirement of Dr. Averill AUCKLAND, January 14. The impending retirement of Archbishop Averill calls for separate elections to fill the offices of Primate and of Bishop of Auckland, and the necessary arrangements for both are now being made. The primatial election is to be held at the triennial session of the General Synod of the Anglican Church, which will open at Nelson on February 15. The exact date has not yet been fixed. Archbishop Averill will preside throughout the session for the transaction of general business, and, in the ordinary course, his resignation will take effect on the final day. It is possible, however, that he will be asked to retain office for a further period of a few weeks, to deal with routine matters, arising out of the proceedings.

The Bishop of Christchurch, Bisuop West-Watson, will have charge of the election in his capacity as senior member of the bench , of bishops. The procedure requires clerical and lav members of Synod to deliberate and vote as separate orders upon individual nominations made to them by a vote of the bishops. If a nominee receives majorities of both orders, he is declared elected, and in the event of a deadlock, the senior bishop becomes Primate.

The election of a new Bishop of Auckland will take place at a special session of the Diocesan Synod, which has been called for April 10, 10 days after the Archbishop’s resignation of the See has taken effect. The Bishop of Dunedin, Bishop Fitchett, has been appointed by the senior bishop as his commissary to preside over the session. If both clergy and laity, voting as separate orders, approve of a nomination, the latter will be submitted in strict confidence to the bishops, and then to the standing committees of the dioceses for confirmation. Only after this has been given by a majority in each case, is the nominee notified and invited to accept office. It is therefore probable that some little time will elapse before the result of the election is made known.