ANGLICAN SYNOD CLOSES

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1929, Page 3

ANGLICAN SYNOD CLOSES

DEFINITION OF “ORPHANS”

ASSESSING PAROCHIAL FINANCE. USE OF SUNDAY SCHOOL HALLS. r (By Wire.—Special Reporter.) Hamilton, Last Night. The Waikato Anglican Synod, after a four days’ session, concluded on Friday night. ’ . Mr. T. G. Hirst (New Plymouth) was appointed lay secretary in succession to Mr. H. G. Corbett. The following motion, proposed by Mr. F. Harris, was carried after discussion: That the term “orphan” shall apply to a child under 16 years of age, and all allowances to an orphan shall cease upon that age being attained. A lengthy debate was held on the method of assessing of the parishes for diocesan finances. Several amendments to the original motion were introduced by Archdeacon Cowie, objection being taken to the word “assessment” and attention being called to the need, for avoiding any arbitrary methods. The speakers advocated the exercise bf caution in allocating funds not required for parochial purposes. The following motion was eventually carried: That it be a recommendation to the Standing Committee that amounts required by the diocese from the parishes be allocated to the different archdeaconry and rural deanery boards, who shall advise the Standing Committee as to the proportions payable by such parish within its jurisdiction. The Rev. H. E. Jones, vicar of Frankton, introduced the following motion from the Hamilton Rural Deanery Board: Synod recommends that all halls or buildings which are used for Sunday school purposes shall not be used for dances on Saturday evenings. Mr. Jones, in explaining -the motion, said no' hard and, fast rule was intended. Sunday school work was disorganised when halls had to be cleaned and decorations dismantled. THE PROPER ATMOSPHERE. The Rev. L. B. Harvie said it was felt that a proper atmosphere should surround Sunday school halls. The Rev. W. Weadon considered the question should rest with individual vicars and the Rev. L. Willis moved an amendment that the words “secular purposes” be substituted for the word "dances.” At a recent meeting of the orphans’ club in a certain town hall it was found to contain beer bottles on the following Sunday, he said. Archdeacon Cowie said the point that the main object of a parish hall was for parish purposes should be emphasised. An amendment of the motion as suggested by Mr. Willis was agreed to. The following motion, moved by Mr. T. U. Fookes, was carried: That the attention of the Standing Committee be directed to the impropriety and danger cf payment into its overdrawn banking account at the Bank of New Zealand of several sums of money raised in the diocese for special objects, as shown in the statement of the Standing Committee’s liabilities in its balance-sheet as at March 31, 1929. The Rev. H. K. Pou, on behalf of the Rev. K. T. Harawira, introduced a motion providing for the election of Maori lay representatives on the synod. The bishop thought each district with & Maori clergyman which could show over 100 bona fide lay parishioners should, be entitled, to two representatives. Several speakers expressed the view that the representation of Maori laymen should be on the same basis as that of pakeha laymen. Discussion followed on whether a plan could be introduced by regulation or by statute designed to have Maori lay representatives on the synod next year. A motion on the lines suggested by Mr. Harris was carried. The laymen’s conference was held in camera. The bishop was present. Mr. A. B. Whyte, diocesan secretary, stated that no resolutions bad been passed at the conference. The provisional diocesan council of the Church of England’s Men’s Society also met, when certain proposals concerning organisation were adopted. PAROCHIAL STATISTICS.

The parochial statistics of the diocese for the year ending March 31, 1929, were presented. The totals for the 27 parishes in the diocese are as follows: — Total number of clergy, 32; lay readers, 48; churches, 63; numoer of other places of Anglican worship, 195; vicarages, 22; boarding and secondary schools, 3; scholars, 10; teachers in church schools, 19; Sunday schools, 76; Sunday school scholars, 2828; Sunday school teachers, 305; State schools with religious instruction, 15; baptisms, 970; confirmations, 697/ marriages, 240; communicants on roll, 5912; receptions of Holy Communion, 40,510; parishioners’ rolls, 6253. The total receipts for parish purposes amount to £16,802 8s lid, made up as follows: From local endowments, not including diocqsan grants, £5OO 9s 6d; offertories, £7762 16s; subscriptions, £2721 8s lOd; special contributions for land, buildings and other permanent improvements, £1628 6s sd; contributions to endowment capital account, £163 Is 9d; other receipts, £4026 6s sd. The totals under the heading of receipts for diocesan purposes are: General diocesan fund, £647 4s 8d; Maori mission fund, £382 18s lid; other purposes, £228 17s lOd; total, £1259 Is ad. The total receipts other than endowments for foreign missions amount to £704 3s lid, made up as follows: New Zealand Board of Missions, £74 10s; Melanesian mission, £536 4s 8d; Church Mission Society, £5 10s Id; other foreign missions, £B7 19s 2d. Receipts for endowments purposes stand at £156 4s 6d. The grand total of receipts is £18921 18s 9d. Under the heading of insurance hnd liabilities the total amount insured is set down as £64,027, the amount of premiums paid £252 6s 6d, premiums paid by clergy £2l 10s 4d, and the premiums paid by the parishes £6O 18s sd. The total amount owing is set down at £15,994 7s lOd.