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New Zealand Mail, Issue 878, 28 December 1888, Page 24

The monthly meeting of the Standing Committee of the Wellington Diocesan Synod was held last week..- Present—-The Bishop (in the chair), Ven. Archdeacon Fancourt (secretary’, Mr C. P. Powles (treasurer), Rev J. Still, Mr Kenneth Wilson and Mr C- Rous Marten. . , A discussion took, place relative to the Church Chronicle, and it was resolved to oontinue its publication for another year. With reference to the resolution passed by the Synod last session that the general By nod should bo moved to provide means of dealing with cases of difficulty arising between a clergyman and his parishioners, and of reducing to the status of a parochial district a pariah that failed to provide its incumbent’s stipend, it was proposed that the Bishop should introduce a Bill making provision accordingly, and should confer with the Dunedin diocese, where a similar measure was understood to be in oonrse of preparation, so that the two might not clash. The Secretary reported that the assessments due to the end of last quarter (30th September) were in arrear to the amount of £573 and stipends to the extent of £513. Masterton was £16.1 in arrear, Wanganui £53, and Lower Hutt £3O-. Very unfavourable reports were received from Masterton, where the action of the Synod in rejecting the reoommendation of the Select Committee to reduce the assessment in accordance with the request of . the parish was stated to be bitterly resented. The Bishop animadverted strongly on the action of the Synod in refusing to accept the recommendation of a committee chosen by itself, and consisting of several of its best men, especially as no valid reason was shown for refusing to do as the parish asked and the Committee recommended in this respect. It was decided to inform the incumbent of Masterton that in consequence of the failure of the parish to forward its dae assessment, the Standing Committee were not in a position to pay his stipend or arrears. Some routine business having been transacted, the Committee rose.