ANGLICAN SYNOD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21774, 13 October 1932, Page 2

ANGLICAN SYNOD

THIRD DAY’S PROCEEDINGS The Anglican Synod resumed its session yesterday afternoon at 3 o’clock, tile president (Bishop Richards) in the chair. STANDING COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The synod went into committee to consider the report and accounts of the Standing Committee for the year ended June 30, 1932, The report contained these clauses among others: — North Invercargill.—Application to borrow £750 for the erection of a church hall at North Invercargill was sanctioned.

Stewart Island.—Application was received from Stewart Island fo r permission to sell the Trafalgar Township, and it was found that permission of synod was necessary. Holiday for Vicars.—A request that your committee should advise churchwardens of their responsibility to provide annual holidays for vicars is referred to synod for consideration. Boundaries of Parochial Districts.—A sub-committce has been appointed to consider the matter of parochial boundaries and has not reported yet. Jackson Trust.—Your committee regrets to report that owing to reduction in rents and heavy taxation the income from the Jackson Trust for the bishopric endowment has fallen from about £370 to ,£‘2lo a year. .... Votes of sympathy were passed with the family of the late Mrs C. S. Greenslade, the relatives of the late Mr E. Price, Mr F. S. Whitcombe on the decease of his wife, and Mrs C. A. Fraer on the decease of her husband, the Rev. C. A. Fraer, formerly a priest in this diocese. Southern Cemetery.—The chairman of the Cemetery Board reported that the negotiations with the Dunedin City Corportion had been completed, and that in consideration of the payment of £BOI 17s 9d and the transfer of the cemetery site the corporation covenanted to indemnify the board against all liability with respect to upkeep and maintenance of certain graves and the upkeep of the cemetery, and a formal agreement has been executed. The balance of the cemetery capital account (£700) and of the cemetery maintenance account (£ls), and of the cemetery income account (£ls 3s lid) have been transferred to the capital account of the Pension Fund in accordance with Statute IX. Amendment Statute 1928.

The registrar reported that with the exception of the assessment account and the bishopric endowment income account none of the diocesan accounts was overdrawn on June 30, 1932. The assessment account stood in debit at £3O 3s, but this had since been covered by the collection of overdue amounts. It is to be regretted that owing to the depression so many parishes and districts were in arrears on June 30, 1932. An application to purchase a section at Duntroon was referred to synod. ■ The application from Stewart Island, was referred to the Sale of Lands Committee.

The report and accounts were received DIOCESAN TRUST BOARD.

The report of the Dunedin Diocesan Trust Board for the 12 months ended June 30, 1932, was as follows: Chairman.—Mr C. W. Rattray resigned his position as chairman, and Mr George R. Ritchie was appointed chairman and Mr F. M. Oldham vice-chairman. New Member,—Mr Ernest Tom Porter has been appointed a member of the board, vice Mr Ernest Price, deceased. Section Sold. —Section 45, blqck V, Otokia, given by Mr W. W. Wathen for the benefit of St. Paul’s Chapter, was sold by direction of the bishop, and the proceeds were paid to St. Paul’s Chapter. Sections. —Sections at Ratanui and Glenomaru have not yet been disposed of. Sections 10 and 11, block 111, Gore, have been vested in the board to be held on account of the Gore Parish, Loans on Mortgage.—The Roslyn Parish has reduced its indebtedness to £SOO. There are only two loans on farm properties which arc causing the board any concern. Waikawa. —In accordance with resolution of synod, the board advanced the Waikawa Church Committee £B7 los, secured by mortgage on the church site. Bequests.—The board has received the following bequests:—Mrs Elizabeth Macdonald, £370 6s 8d for the benefit of the Boys’ Home; Mrs C. S. Greenslade, £2OOO each for the Boys’ Home. St. Marys Orphanage, the four-fifths G.C. 1' und, and for St. Paul’s Cathedral Chapter, of which £IOOO has been handed over to the chapter; Mr E. Booth, £IOO for tho four-fifths G.C., Fund; Mr E. Price. £IOOO each for the Pension 1 und and the fourtufifths G.C, Fundj_ Queenstown. —The tender ot Messrs Magellan, Ltd., for £2932 has been accepted for the erection of the new church. Southern Cemetery.—By , instructions from the Cemtery Board, acting by direction of the Diocesan Synod, your board handed to the Dunedin City Council securities to the value of £BOI 17s H and also transferred to it the site of the Church of England portion of the Southern Cemetery, the City Council covenanting to undertake all responsibilities in connection with the cemetery. See House Property.—The balance of the land not required for the bishops residence has been surveyed, and will be offered for sale shortly. --.-.-SvoH The report and accounts were received. CLERGY PENSION FUND.

The clergy pension fund report was considered in committee and received. On the motion of Canon Small, it was resolved—“ The synod learns with gratification that the total of the capital of the clergy pension and widows and orphans’ fund now exceeds the amount of £20,000, . and records its thanks and offers its congratulations to Archdeacon Curzon-Siggers. under whose advice and guidance the scheme was carried on for a number of years; to tlie Rev Canon Statham for the care vyitli which he has guarded the account since its inception; and to Archdeacon hitchett for his efforts from time to time to strengthen the working of the fund. Dean Cruickshank said he hoped it would not be understood from the motion that the pension fund was now in'such a happy position that it required no further help. It was apparently the wish of Canon Small, who saw the fund attain its £IO,OOO status, to express his graUfication that it had now reached £20,000. and no doubt Canon Small, and indeed the whole church, would be very pleased to see the fund reach £30,000 or more.— (“Hear, hear.”) Archdeacon Fitchett expressed the same view. Four years ago, he said, he made an appeal on behalf of the pension fund, and the immediate result was the receipt of a cheque for £IOO from the late M* Ernest Price. Mr Price also provided handsomely for the fund in his will. Other people, said the archdeacon, might do the same, and in that way the committee would be able to build up a capital which would enable the church to provide pensions for the clergy in their advanced years. The committee could not depend entirely on the contributions of the clergy of the parishes. A certain amount of help was' looked for from bequests and other sources. Mr Price, by his payment of £IOO and by the bequest in his will, had set an example that, it was hoped, would be followed by other members ot the public. ELECTION OF SYNODSMEN.

At the evening session, Mr J. T. Dawson moved the second reading of the Election of Synodsmen (Statute No. 1) Amendment Bill. Ihe measure, he said, was the outcome of a bill of which he had charge at the last session of the synod. When the mu wis in committee last year difficulty was felt as to several details, and ;l was now hoped that in the present bill all difficulty had been removed. The proposal was that synodsmen might be elected at annual meetings instead of, as at present, by nomination to a returning officer, with a postal ballot. The bill was considered in committee, and its third reading was fixed for Thursday. STANDING COMMITTEE.

The Standing Committee was elected as follows: Clergy.—Dean Cruickshank. Archdeacon Fitchett, Archdeacon Russell. Canon Button. the Revs. W. A. H. Hamblett. J. Lush. , m „ Laity.—Messrs A. H. Allan, J. T. Dawson, W. E. Earnshaw, F. W. Knight, A. T. Newman, G. R. Ritchie, L. Deans Ritchie. The synod adjourned until Ihursday afternoon at 3 o’clock.