MINISTERS AS MAYORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22114, 18 November 1933, Page 11

MINISTERS AS MAYORS

REV. E. T. COX’S ATTITUDE SURPRISED AT WELLINGTON RESOLUTION “ I am surprised at such a resolution being carried," was the comment of the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) when a Daily Times reporter referred to him yesterday morning the report of the Wellington Synod's decision that any Methodist minister should be prevented from seeking a public position such as a mayor of a city. “ There is no regulation preventing any Methodist minister from holding a civic office such as the mayoralty of a city or membership of a hospital board," he said. “ While I am the first Methodist minister to be elected the mayor of a city in New Zealand, many of our minister's have occupied civic positions as councillors and members of hospital boards, and some have been chairmen of hospital boards. No exception has ever been taken by the authoritative bodies in regard to their holding such positions. I am not surprised that some mention of the matter has been made in the Wellington Synod, but I am surprised that the resolution was carried.

"It is in distinct contrast,” lie added, “with the attitude of my own synod in Dunedin, where the chairman publicly congratulated' me on holding the office. Now that the Wellington Synod has passed that resolution, the matter must come before the annual conference, which will meet in Wellington in February. There is*” the Mayor concluded, “ a regulation preventing a minister from holding office as a member of Parliament.”