CHURCH DISTRICT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22179, 5 August 1935, Page 11

CHURCH DISTRICT

AREA AT CLAUDELANDS A RULING CHALLENGED COMMITTEE'S EXPLANATION THE POSITION OF GORDONTON [from oirn own correspondent] HAMILTON, Sunday "The committee is of the opinion that tho ruling of the chancellor of tho diocese, that no alteration could be made to tho cathedral statute without tho consent of tho Greater Chapter, because ft provision to that effect was made in tho statute, is not sound in law," stated ft committee of St. Aidan's Church, Claudelands, in a circular issued to parishioners yesterday dealing with the recent move to form a parochial district at Claudelands. Tho committee reported that the Greater Chapter had recommended:— (1) That the Church of St. Aidan, with the present boundaries, bo constituted a conventional district; (2) that the bill setting up the parochial district be amended to ensure that the property of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter be left to remain the property of St. Peter's; (3) that the boundaries, as set out in the bill, be altered to include Gordonton; (4) that the bill lie referred back to synod for amendment. The committee stated that it was taking legal advice 011 the point that 110 Diocesan Synod had the power to surrender its rights, and that the clause in the cathedral statute providing that the Greater Chapter's consent was necessary before synod could alter the statute was not legal, and could be over-ridden. The committee stated that the consent of the people of Gordonton would be obtained before their area was included in the now district. The committee also reported that when the necessary information Mas obtained a special session of synod would probably be called to pass the amended bill. Concluding, the committee advised that the present position was that the parochial district had in reality been established without the name, and it brought the following points under the notice of parishioners:—(l) The Ixjsser Chapter has no control over the church of St. Aidan; (2) the Dean of Hamilton has 110 control over the church of St. Aidan or the Pew W. M. Smallfield (the former priest-in-charge); (3) the Rev. W. M. Smallfield is not a curate of the cathedral and is entitled to be designated the vicar of the church of St. Aidan; (4) no office-bearer of St. Peter's has right of interference iu the affairs of St. Aidan's.