ELECTION OF BISHOPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22241, 16 October 1935, Page 14

ELECTION OF BISHOPS

PROPOSED ALTERATION AUCKLAND SYNOD'S VIEW By adopting a memorial-drafted by a special committee, the Auckland Anglican Synod yesterday put forward for consideration by the General Synod new proposals for changes in the procedure for electing bishops in the New Zealand Province and expressed disapproval of the changes tentatively made by the General Synod at its triennial session last year. New Zealand bishops since 1857 •have been elected by individual Diocesan synods,, subject to . later confirmation of each election by tho General Synod, if in , session, or by a majority of tho diocesan standing committees of the province. The General Synod in 1934 adopted an amendment to the constitution and a consequential amendment to tho canons, providing that all the electoral powers of a diocesan synod should be delegated to a small olectoral college, which must act in consultation with a provincial advisory council possessing considerable powers of review, tho final nomination to be subject to sanction by a majority of tho bench of bishops. Tho memorial requested the General Synod riot to confirm the amendment to tho constitution in its present form. It proposed, as an alternative, that, a diocesan synod, before making a nomination, should be empowered to confer, if it so desired, with an advisory council consisting of the bishops or a majority of them. It further proposed that a nomination should bo subject to sanction by a majority of tho bishops before it was made known to tho nominee.

It was stated that the synods of tho Dioceses of Waiapu and Waikato had expressed disapproval of the changes made by the General Synod. The Christclnirch Synod had approved them, and the question apparently had not yet been brought before the Wellington, Nelson and Duncdin Synods.