SYNOD OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4227, 7 October 1874, Page 3

SYNOD OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Monday, October 5. Present : The President. - Clergy : The Revs. B. W. Harvey, T. Fancourt, J. McWilliam, H. W. St. Hill, A. Twogood, and E. H. Grainger. Laity: Messrs. Pearce, Buchanan, Powles, Kemp, R. Hunter, Sewell, G. Allan, Quick, and De Castro. The proceedings were opened with prayer. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. The debate' was resumed on the following motion of Archdeacon Stock :—" That' this Synod respectfully requests the Bishop to take into his consideration the desirability of admitting to deacons' orders men of suitable character and attainments, who may be willing to, devote some portions of their time to the work of the ministry, without requiring them to give up the secular occupation by which they gain their livelihood." The resolution was amended, on the motion of the Rev. E. H. Grainger, seconded by Mr. Sewell, by leaving out all the words down to "admitting," and substituting the following, viz.:—" That this Synod, conceives, with what has fallen from the President during its session, that it is expedient to increase the staff of clergy in this Diocese, more particularly in the outlying districts of it, by " As so amended, the resolution was carried. The standing orders were suspended, to carry through all its stages on the same day a Bill, introduced by Mr. Sewell, to regulate the elections of lay representatives to the General Synod. The Bill was carried through all its with some slight alterations in committee, clown to the third reading, when, on the motion of the Rev. Mr. Harvey, seconded by Mr. Powles, it was resolved, "That the Bill be printed and bound up with the report, with a view to its being further considered at the nextsession."

The W. St. Hill mo ved, and the Rev. Mr. Grainger seconded—•" That the vestries of the several parishes be requested to send to the Secretary of the Standing Committee fifty copies of their annual parochial reports, that they may be bound up with the annual report of the Synod." The resolution was lost. As it was too late in the session to give it due consideration, Dr. Kemp was allowed to withdraw the following standing in his name, viz.—" To call the attention of the Synod to the resolution of the General Synod passed on the 4th June, relating to intemperance, with a view of determining' in what manner it can best be carried into effect in this Diocese." On the motion of the Rev. Mr. Harvey, seconded by the Rev. Mr. St. Hill, the report of Committee on Parochial Accounts was adopted. A further motion, founded on the above report, relative to the Diocesan scale of stipends, was withdrawn. A vote of thanks to Archdeacon Stock for his services during many years as clerical secretary, moved by the Rev. Mr. Harvky, and seconded by Mr. Hunter, was carried by acclamation. There being no further business the President thanked the members for their attendance, and closed the session with the benediction.