CHOOSING BISHOP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23044, 23 May 1938, Page 11

CHOOSING BISHOP

DIOCESE OF * WAIAPU NEW PROCEDURE FOLLOWED FIRST TIME IN NEW ZEALAND ——— t [by telf.ghaph—OWN correspondent] iN'APIEH, Saturday A new procedure which is in use for the first time in New Zealand is being followed in the election of a bishop to occupy the see of Waiapu in succession to the late Bishop H. \V. Williams. The Waiapu Diocesan Synod is now meeting to choose a nominee for office, ami its scleetion will be followed bv tlie» submission of the name of the nominee to other authorities. The Rev. 10. M. Cowio, who is acting hs commissary of the Primate of New Zealand, Archbishop Averill, in the matter, yesterday gave a full explanation of the new procedure to Synod, which received from him an exhortation for the faithful discharge of its responsibility. Original Constitution

Mr. Cowio pointed out that the constitution of the New Zealand province has always maintained that the election oi a bishop is not only the concern of the particular diocese electing him, but is also a matter of vital interest to the- Bench of Bishops and the province as a whole.

"Tho original constitution requires that the name of the person nominated by any diocesan synod shall receive the approval of the General Synod, if it happens to bo in session, or, if this is not the case, of the majority of the diocesan standing committees'. with bishops at their head," he added "Unfortunately, this was practically a farce, as the name of the person nominated did not go to the standing committees until the nominee had accepted the bishopric, when it was well-nigh impossible to act upon an adverse vote if one were given. Approval of Bishops "Under the new canon the commissarv appointed to preside informs the Primate of the name of the person nominated by the T)iocesan Synod, and His Grace then informs the bishops. II a majority of the latter approves, he then submits the name to the standing committees or to the General Synod, if it is in session, and it is only after the bishops as a body and standing committees have agreed by a majority that the nominee of synod is offered the see bv the Primate in the name of the whole province."