STRIKING OFFER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 148, 8 June 1932, Page 8

STRIKING OFFER

ARCHBISHOP AVERILL’S SACRIFICE HOME AND PAET OF SALARY. ASSISTANCE FOR WEAKER PARISHES. Auckland, June 7. A striking offer to give up the use of Bishopscourt and a very large pro portion of his stipend has been made by Archbiship Averill to the standing committee of the Auckland Diocese The offer is made in view of the pre sent economic distress and with the special object of assisting the weaker parishes and preventing the financial collapse of the churches of the Maori Mission. The Archbishop’s letter is as follows:—“In view of the unprecedented financial difficulties affecting the work of the church at the present time and the possibility of a continuance of those difficulties, I am most anxious to help the church in this time of distress even more than 1 have been able to help in the past. I therefore suggest to the Diocese of Auckland (1) that I should give up Bishopscourt and live in a small house, and (2) that I should surrender one third of my stipend when I leave Bishopscourt and one half as soon as I can see my way to do so in view of my present commitments, prob, ably in six or nine months’ time. “My chief desire is to help the clergy at this very difficult time and help to save several of the parishes and Maori missions from financial collapse. I fully realise that the institutional side of Bishopscourt would disappear for a time and the entertaining of visitors and others would have to cease. I should make more use of my office at the Diocese Office and attend there three mornings a week in addition to other times by arrangement. There is no reason why the work of the Bishop should be curtailed. It would I think, be only fair that I should retain the right to allocate the sur. rendered stipend, supposing, of course, that the existing stipend could be maintained. I make this offer to the Diocese without a thought or suggestion of the clergy surrendering any part of their already too small stipends. ’ ’ The committee, while expressing its appreciation of the Archbishop’s offer, has set up a special committee to consider it and report to a special meeting of the Standing Committee.