THE NEW DIOCESE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 7 April 1926, Page 5

THE NEW DIOCESE.

MAOtRI BISHOP WANTED. APPEAL TO THE SYNOD. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ROIIORILA, April 6. A representative of Church of England members of the Araiwa tribe was held at Ohinemut-u op April 4 and 5. The following resolutions were adopted: (1) This meeting of the A raw a tribe adhere to the memorandum placed before the Bishops’ conference held at Rotorua on June 24, 1925, the last clause of which reads as follows: “The committee feels it is its duty to inform the conference that amongst Maori Church people there is a generally expressed desire that the Bishop at the head of the Mission ■ be a member of the Maori race, hut at the same time, in view of the. difficulties, which) would of necessity surround 'the office, of Bishop, in the first appointment, the committee does not wish to stress the point and would welcome the appointment were the Bishop a. pakeha or a Maori.”

(2) While we recognise the many difficulties standing in the way of Bishops agreeing to the appointment of a Maori as the first Bishop of the new diocese, we would respectfully point out that there are also strong reasons on the Maori side why they prefer a Maori as Bishop. While, therefore, prepared to give loyal support to a European a® the first Bishop, at the same time, in the interests of the Church as a whole, we earnestly hope means will be found for the appointment at as early .a date as possible of an .as.sistant-Bi.shop, who shall be a member of tlie Maori race, arid further trust that the Bishop will be able to give this proposal his wholehearted sjipporb at the General Synod.