WAIKATO DIOCESE

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1929, Page 5

WAIKATO DIOCESE

BISHOP CHERRINGTON ASKED TO RESIGN. MOTIONS RULED OUT OF ORDER. MEETING OF SYNOD. HAMILTON, March 12. Almost at the outset of a meeting of the Synod of the Waikato Diocese this morning, a motion of no confidence in Bishop Cherrington, passed by the Te Awamutu Vestry, was submitted by Mr J. G. Wynyard. The Bishop, as president, ruled the motion out of order. He said he would not permit any reference to the possibility of his resignation. At a meeting of the Synod in June last he had offered to resign if desired, but had given fair warning that if the offer was not accepted then he would not give another opportunity. ’ } After a long discussion, the Synod £ decided to admit the Press, though any j member could demand its withdrawal at

any time. Mr. Wynyard said at a meeting of his vestry a unanimous want of confidence in his Lordship as the spiritual head of the Diocese was expressed. One had been offended by His Lordship’s flouting of social conventions. one took strong exception to his Anglo-Catholic leanings, one had been hurt by the Bishop’s article on Sunday schools and another objected to his expressed views on the Prohibition question. The vestry had passed a resolution that “This vestry is of opinion that it would be in the best interests of the diocese for the Bishop to resign, as in the opinion of the vestry his temper- j ament and training unfit him for the ‘ position of head of this diocese.” i When the Bishop ruled the resolution' i out of order there was considerable dis- J cussion on the correctness of his rul-' ing. Canon Kayll said that the ruling - ’ could not be challenged. The Bishop said: “If anyone now wants to get rid of me the procedure is in this book (the Regulations). Otherwise I carry on the work you called me to do. In calling

me to do it you thought you were guid cd by the Holy Spirit. It has yet tc be shown to me that in spite of the mis takes I have made, in spite of difficulties. in spite of the fact that some ol us find it difficult to understand one another, I should resign. If you think I am the sort of man to run away because of a few difficulties, then you are very far from knowing what I am like.” (Applausp.) Mr. H. M. Hammond, just elected unopposed, presented the following statement from the majority of the lady members of the Cathedral Chapter:— “We, the undersigned, desire to place on record our sympathy with members of the Waihi Vestry in respect to the matters set forth in a memorandum from them. The Bishop gave a definite assurance that as far as he was concerned the matters mentioned in the memorandum would be duly discussed at a special meeting of the Synod, whereupon we resolved that the matter be left to be dealt with by the Synod. We wish to state, however, that in our opinion no real progress can be made in the Church nor can peace and harmany prevail in the diocese while our present Bishop remains in office.” The Bishop ruled the last part of this statement out of order. The Synod discussed a Waihi circular letter to parishioners, seeking information regarding the feeling toward the Bishop. It was decided to take no action in the matter.

In the afternoon laymen held a separate meeting. After a long discussion they passed a resolution that the unrest could not be overcome except by the resignation of the Bishop. This was reported to the full Synod. The Bishop declared that it was out of order, but at his suggestion arranged that he meet the lay members in the evening.—(P.A)