MAORI CLERGY

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4807, 7 July 1939, Page 2

MAORI CLERGY

STIPENDS RAISED. STAFF HEAVILY DEPLETED. The stipends of the Maori clergy in the Waikato Diocese were raised during the year as a result of the Maori Mission Fund showing a considerable balance on the year's working, stated the Bishop of Waikato in his Charge to Synod at Hamilton this week. The extent of the increase in stipends was not as great, however, as the bishop would have liked to have seen. Nevertheless, it was a move in Jhe right direction.

"On the other hand," said the bishop, 'our Maori staff is sadly depleted and were it not for the splendid work being done by the there women workers I do not know where we should be. Mr. Skey is responsible for the whole of the King Country and the districts of Archdeacon Raiti and Canon Karaka are impossible. "Mr. Murray, from North Auckland, who has had three years' training at Te Aute College, Hawke's Bay, will be joining us, we hope this month, but even so our Maori clergy staff will only number four. The parish clergy are doing what, they can to fill the breach, but we cannot do without more clergy giving their whole time to the work yet.

"We have to report record support of our Home Maori Mission Funds. The diocese contributed £364 to the former, and £650 from the pakeha and £ll7 from the Maori congregations for the latter. These results are really very excellent.

"Standing Committee has approved of the principle of grants from the Home Mission Fund towards the support of curates in the diocese and three small amounts have been granted for the current year."