CHURCH BUSINESS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7849, 11 July 1911, Page 5

CHURCH BUSINESS

■ DIOCESAN SYNOD SHOULD THU CLKRGY’S PENSIONS BE INTBBASED? The Wellington. Diocesan Synod continued its Icliboraxioiß yesterday in St. Paul’s schoolroom, Sydney street. Bishop Sprott presided BISHOP’S COURT ASSESSORS. The Bishop reported that he had nominated the folio wins to act as assessors of Tito Bishop's Court for the next three year*. The Yen. Archdeacons Fancaurt, llarpoi* and Jacob, the Itevs. Joshua Jones. V. H. Kitc-at. J. 11. Sykes, Kes*rs W. J. Birch K- 11. Dean, \V, F. Jacob, 11. S. MeKHlar. C. P. Powlca, and K. V/ilsou. CHURCH FEES AND LAAVSThciv wd.s further discussion upon the foilowing motion by tlie Itev. E. u, o. HeCounel, which had boon btlolly* considered on Friday night:— That the btan ling committee lx> asked to draw up an! publish a ciial tu bo r.iac-il in churches contain s its a statement of the church’s law and otlier re.Eriiiations, a list of foes, special collections, and church funds, and of ni\:h other matter ns they may think lit; the printing: of such card to bo charged to the general church fund. Tho Jlcv. 11 G- Blackburuc .so-agtit to secure that the cost of printing sheuid uc borne by the pension fund, but the motion A-ias passed without alteration. THE PENSION FUND. TRUSTEES TC' CONSIDER POSSIBILITY OF INCREASE. On Iclvilf of the Rev. A. S. lanes-Jonos, the Yen. Archdeacon Harper moved— That the irruicea of the pension fund he requested to consider the possibility of mcre-asin? the amount of the pen-t-iouj, ami rc.pDJt to the next session of Synod. He pianw.i cut that the pension fund was in a very .strong position, and urged that the time had come when the pensions ali.W'U uni j r it coal 1 well be placed on a more tft-nenus scale One hundred pounds a year was not a very big retiring allowance for a man who had spen: the best l>art of his life in the work of the church, especially in view of the cost of living. I lie Rev. C. 11. Isoa/jscn seconded the jnotvm.

Great caution in making changes ill the pension scale was urged by Mi* G. Jihirttliffe, who said that, tiiough the actuarial report appeared satisfactory, there was no guarantee that it was quite correct. It must be remembered that of the fortysix subscribers to tbo fund at least four were entitled to ooano on it at once, and probably there were others who would be eligible to participate very sliortly. synod mast also boon* in muind that it had been decided Vi weaken the fund by depriving it of tiio burl ii and oharcblng fees, which would mean a Joss of about £BO a year. Thoa It was -vorth consideration that though they were n ox getting 5 per cent.*’ on Uihr investments the rate of interest was ii'vly to dpjp to 4$ per cent. It seemed to him that it might b© as wedl to divert com? of the iroomc to the general church land in order to increase the stipends of country clergy, and also provide for tbs diocesan missionary, for whom no money was tmw available Ho was convinced that it would be a very great mistake to alter Mic scale of pcaw'ons 6’mply because they had an apparent surplus of £SOOO. Several subsKiamt spe-’kers voiced strong objection to any diversion of the fund to any other purpose whatsoever The motion wae carried without dissent, Bhd with the addition of the following clause — And that the trustees lo empowered to oblam a furthar octaarial report at their disir->t.on. THE MISSION TRUST. OiMEOb OF THE BOARD’S PBOPEETST. Ho-i.ntionr ittaci cd to tho report of tie committee appointed lo inquire into the priili n of thiJO portions ot the New Zealand Mis dm Trust Board property with'u the V\ cJU igton diio:ie wore moved by Mr E 31. Doan as follow: 1 Thai the Synod is of opinion that the ‘properties rested in the Now Zealand 11 Trad Hoard within tins diocese are not at present used or icnud to the best anvantuga of tlie , ennr :h. 1 That the Synod s of opinion that : in the use or letting or sale of such 1 r.ipc i-i. •* r parts 10 reor to -ituaie witllin this diocese a fair or reasonable proportion of the revenues derivable ihcrefr ,m siould Ik used ior Maori nxisei nr wo-k within this diocese. 3 'That if any legis’ation bo promoted by the Niw Zealand Mission Trost Board ro acquire further powers or confirm their pivsent powers, th'3 Synod rcqui sts and authorises tho standing committal to taho steps in conjunction with the said board to enable this diocese lo obtain powers cither by conveyance. tran.-for or loass or otherwise to manage and control the properties n->w veeu-d in the &ud board and situate within this diocese, or at least tho chur. h and ci*nwt.-r.v sites and mission houses and glebe lands attacKd tcerefo. The motions were carried after discussion

SPECIAL THANKSGIVINGS. Captain J. D. B. Hewitt moved:

OTiat the Bishop bo requested to consider the advisability ot special thanksgiving services on one or more Sundays annually to enable us to praise Alinighty God for the knowledge Ho is now giving man of the forces stored up in the earth for the use of tins and • succeeding generations and revealed during the last 103 years. The motion was carried on the voices. THE STANDING COMMITTEE. On the motion of tho Kev. W. Fanconrt, it was decided that It was desirable that the proceedings of each meeting of the standing committee should be printed in tho ensuing number of tho “Church Chronicle.'’ FINANCIAL RETURNS. , Thv> finacwo committee’s report upon the financial returns was considered in camera The committee drew attention to tho fact that no returns had been sent in by tho parochial districts and parishes of St. Peter’s. Foxton, Sandosx, Morton, lluntcrvillc, Mangaweka, Patea, and Opunake. On the recommendation. of the committee it was decided: That in order that the accounts may bo kept in a uniform manner, and that the schedules may agree with the diocesan treasurer’s accounts, the standing committee prepare a model parish account book, and that each parish and parochial district bo recommended to use these book? to. keep their accounts, the cost of such book to be paid by tho vestries. REPRESENTATION ON VESTRIES. The third reading of Captain Hewitt's Bill dealing with representation on vestries was agreed to. Tho purpose of tho Bill was to increase from seven to ten tho number of representatives on vestries to which parochial districts with a population of SOGO and over are entitled. TO ASSIST CANDIDATES FOR THE . MINISTRY. Tho Eev. C. W. I. Maclavcrty moved: That a diocesan fund, to bo at tho disposal of tho bishop, bo created to assist in tho education of candidates for Holy Ciders by a voluntary collection at the Ember seasons, and that the following be a committee to car tv Ibo same into effect: —The Bovs. H. Watson, A. T. B. Page. C. W. I. Maolaverty, and Messrs J. Martin and J. G. Cox. After pome discussion, during which, a few speakers objected to the creation of r another fund, tho motion was lost on division. Tho voting was:—Clergy, ayes 34, noes 13; laity, ayes 9. noes 15. STANDING COMMITTEE ELECTED. The following standing committee was elected, four ballets being necessary: Clergy: The Von Archdeacons Fnncourt, Harper and Jacobs, the Bovs. A. M. Johnson, J. Jones-. A O- Williams. Bnity; Messrs E. Anderson. W. J. BircV E. ll.* Doan. W. F. Jacob, J. W. Hendcr son, T. A. Kerins, H. Wiiberfoss, J. Kobbcll, G. Shirtcliffe. WORK AMONG MAORIS. The Eev. Iwiora Tamaiparea moved: That tho pakehrv clergy who have Maoris living in their districts be in- .

■\ited to do wliaf. they can in visiting the Maoris in their villages, as owing to the sir.e of the districts the visits of T ho Maori clergy arc few and far between, ami there is consequently a groat danger of our Maori people be-

ing led astray by false doctrines Ho pointed to the fact that there arc only lour .Maori clergy for tho whole diocese, and said that bis own district was so largo that It took him twelve weeks? to get round. The remit was that while were in one part “thieves and robbers'* got. into other parts and led the flocks astray. Thus it would bo teen that tho pakoh.v clergy could help very much by looking in upon tho Maoris white their own ministers wore away.

The motion was supported by tho other Maori clergymen present and carried. Tho Svucd concluded its deliberations at 11 o’clock, after rassdnjr a coniprcbansire vote of tltanks to Mrs Sprott and the ladies who had provided afternoon tea during -tho w-srion, t!io Wellington people who had offered hospitality to the visitors, the Wellesley Club, and others.