THE PROPOSED DIOCESE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14139, 19 February 1910, Page 2

THE PROPOSED DIOCESE.

VIEWS OP THE BISHOP OF - AUCKLAND.

In extending a welcome on behalf of the Auckland Diocese to the llev.- H. S. Woolloombo last, night, Bishop Neligan made some remarks on the proposal to form a Taranaki diocese of the Church of England. Ho hoped that it would not be many more years be-, fore the duty of extending such a welcome to Now Plymouth would devolve not upon the Bishop of Auckland but upon the Bishop of Taranaki. Ho" thanked God that the General Synod had backed up resolutely and cordially the resolution sent down from the Diocesan Synod, and had called upon the district to take steps for the creation of a now diocese. Koughly speaking, the new diocese would embrace the provincial district of Taranaki, with probably an extension eastwards to include the Taumarunui district. The Bishop hoped that St. Mary’s would bo the cathedral church in Taranaki before many years wont past. But they must put their shoulders to the wheel in, Taranaki and peg away for three or four years to get the necessary funds, for the endowment of a bishopric. It wanted thorough organisation. It really needed a man to give up the whole of his time for the next three years in lecturing and organising right through the province, and explaining to every person in Taranaki why it was good to the Church, to Taranaki, and to Now Zealand as a whole for Taranaki to have a_ separate and manageable diocese. This was a work that the men of the Church of England Molds Society might toko up as their really groat work, but it must be done throughout with constant prayer. In God’s own good time it was going to happen. Ho himself would part with the Taranaki Archdeaconry with real regret, if ho were still Bishop of Auckland when the new diocese was erected. Ho loved Now Plymouth and the work in the Taranaki Archdeaconry, .and had experienced many kindnesses from the people of Taranaki. But it was a right thing that there should ho. a dio-« cose of Taranaki.