THE WAIKATO DIOCESE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19675, 29 June 1927, Page 12

THE WAIKATO DIOCESE.

DIGNITY OF THE CATHEDRAL FUNDS FOR ENLARGEMENT. BISHOP CHERRINGTON'S VIEWS. |BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. | HAMILTON. Tuesday The second session of the First Synod of the Waikato Diocese was continued today, Bishop Cherrington presiding In officially welcoming the members, the Mayor of Hamilton, Mr J R. Fow, said a great honour had been conferred upon Hamilton in being chosen as the seat of the bishop. The church of which tho members were representative possessed a great past. He emphasised the point, however, that there was no future for any church which lived on its past alone. Constant progress was necessarv.

No secular history, Mr. Fow said, could compare in romance with the wonderful history of the advance of the church in New Zealand. The church was the only source of dealing with many of the present-day problems Answer to Criticism. Proposals with regard to the Cathedral of St. Peter at Hamilton were outlined by the bishop, who said there had been criticism from many quarters for establishing a dean and chapter for the cathedral. Churchmen in the borough had done much in establishing the diocese and it was well to commence as soon as possible in bringing about the constitution of the Mother Church of the diocese. The setting-up of a body of men such as the dean and chapter would he on the lines of dioceses in England. Many such constitutions were being made in the Mother Country at present. The position in New Zealand, the bishop continued, was somewhat different. Many of the parishes in the Dominion were oqual in size to the English counties. There was an urgent need to bring the cathedral to the dignity which its position occasioned. He realised that the spiritual needs of the church should come first, but he hoped that the cathedral would be enlarged before long. A large sum of money had already been given in response to an appeal to make the building adequate for its purpose. The money at present available was little short of £BOOO, a bequest of £SOO having been received recently. Further, the bishop said, he had circulated all churches in England dedicated to St. Peter, acquainting them with the needs of the newly-established St. Peter's cathedral district. Report by Trust Board. A bill was passed, altering the name of St. Peter's parochial district to cathedral district, to be controlled by «• chapter consisting of the bishop, the dean, the archdeacon, cathedral canons and lay representatives. Permission was given to sell a portion of the vicarage grounds in Cambridge. The Diocesan Trust Board reported that it had taken over the administration of the trust properties, both parochial and diocesan, from July 31, 1926 As the General Trust Board of the Auckland diocese had refused to pay the costs of perusal of the documents of transfer none of the properties had so far been transferred to the board. In addition to paying interest the following reductions in principal had been effected : —Hamilton, £47 ; Morrinsville, £25; Ohura, £22; Putaruru, £4B; Ohaupo. £650.

The report of the standing committee stated that in connection with an appeal for £50.000 to augment tho capital funds of tho diocese approximately £12,000 had been paid or promised. The amount of grants to stipends for the year ending March 31, was £715. A new parochial district at Kawhia had been created from April 1 and the first vicar instituted

A scheme for the insurance against accident and sickness of church workers was explained by Mr. C. R. Stead, of Waitara.

It was decided to refer the question to the standing committee to report to the next synod. The installation of the dean, the Rev (1 R Harnett, and the six canons nomin at ed by the Synod, the Revs. E 11 Strong, .1 A Kempthorne, J. 1.. A. Kavll, F. G. Harvie, K S. Wayne and H. Gavin, was carried out with impressive ceremony at St. Peter's Cathedral this evening. The sermon was preached by Archdeacon F. G. Evans, of New Plymouth.