DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5690, 8 October 1896, Page 1

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

■♦ [Per Press Assooiation/1 WELLINGTON. Oct. 7. The annual session of the Wellington Diocesan ■ Synod, opened this afternoon, there being a large number of clergy present, also lay representatives from every parish and parochial district of the diocese. Only formal business was transacted in the afternoon, and this evening Bishop WaHis welcomed the large attendance and delivered an address. Eef erring to the work of raising a cathedral in the city he said that promises of ,£4167 had been received, of which amount .£2700 had already been paid into the bank. As to the Bible in schools, if they desired, as he did, to maintain the present free, compulsory and undenominational character of our primary schools, he saw no course open but for the introduction of the Irish Text-book, which, though not an ideal book, had been adopted by the Anglican General Synod. There was, he said, no better proof of the necessity of religious teaching in our large towns than the Bill introduced by the Government "for the suppression of juvenile depravity," with its drastic provisions for punishment. He urged that every opportunity of teaching [the children in the State schools before or after school hours should be taken, not only by clergymen but by laymen, and, best of all, by -women working on a definite plan tradei clergymen's superintendence. He also urged the improvement of Sunday schools.