ANGLICAN SYNOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18943, 14 February 1925, Page 10

ANGLICAN SYNOD.

PROCEEDINGS CONCLUDED. MELANESIAN FINANCE BOARD. NEW DIOCESE OF WAIKATO. [BV TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN. Friday. The Anglican Synod concluded to-day, Archbishop Julius presiding. Consideration was resumed of Mr. C. J. Tunks' statute to provide for the constitution of a Melanesian finance board. Archdeacon H. A. Hawkins (Auckland) said he approved of the bill and hoped it would be passed. Mr. <T. W. Henderson (Wellington) raised objection to the , word ' pre- i eminent" in the preamble of the bill where it stated that it was acknowledged to be the pre-eminent duty of the Church in New Zealand to maintain the Melanesian Mission. It was, he said, a strong word. "First" could very well be substituted. He referred also to the word "maintain", stating that heretofore they had maintained only 25 per cent, of the mission. Was* all the maintenance now going to fall on the board of missions ! Mr. G. Shirtcliffe (Wellington) agreed with Mr. Henderson's remarks. He said the preamble ignored the assistance the mission got from the English committee and tlu) Australian Board of Missions. That should be definitely; to in the preamble. He felt sure that if those amendments were put through in committee the bill would be acceptable to the Synod. Archdeacon Fitchett said that the preamble of the bill set out that the Melanesian Mission should have a finance board. The nature of that board could be dealt with in committee. Mr. Tanks Said he was quite satisfied to accept the amendment Mr, Shirtcliffe had indicated. The bill was r%d a second time and the Synod went into committee. On resuming in Synod, the chairman reported that the bill had passed through with the amendments, and the third reading was carried. The statute moved by Mr. Tunks to provide for the creation of a new dicese of Waikato was considered in committee, and the chairman reported on resumption that it had passed through. The third reading was carried, and the bill was passed. It was decided to hold the next Synod in Wellington on the second Thursday after Easter in 1928. PRIMATE'S RETIREMENT. RECOGNITION OF SERVICE, [BY telegraph.— press association. ] DUNEDIN, Friday. During the afternoon session of the synod, members took the opportunity to pay tribute to the splendid work Archbishop Julius, now retiring from the primacy, had done for the church of NewZealand, and Bishop Averill, primate elect, moved in accordance with notice the following motion:— " This Synod places on record its thankfulness to Almighty God for the long, valuable, and unique service rendered to the church of this province by Dr. Churchill Julius, as bishop, acting primate arid archbishop, and while deeply regretting his resignation, desires to assure him of its high appreciation of his work in the church and in the Dominion generally, of his strong and wise leadership, and of his unfailirfg kindness and courtesy to all who have had the privilege of being associated with him in the work and business of the church. While fully realising that the church of this province is infinitely poorer by the loss of the archbishop's inspiration and guidance, we desire to assure him of our continued love and devotion in his retirement, and of our earnest hope that by the mercy and blessing of God he may be spared for many years to help and guide the councils of the church with his ripe experience and wisdom." Dean Fitchett (Dunedin), on behalf of the clergy, seconded the motion, and made reference" to the loss the church had sustained. Mr. 0. A. De Latour spoke on behalf of the laity. Bishop Averill asked the Synod to stand I while the motion was passed. The Doxology was then sting. Archbishop Julius, in an eloquent reply, ! said that he had not resigned because he was sick of the work, but from his early davs he had had a dread of overstepping his" usefulness. He had seen so many men fail this way.