WAIKATO’S FIRST BISHOP.

Waikato Times, Volume 101, Issue 16946, 8 November 1926, Page 6

WAIKATO’S FIRST BISHOP.

CONSECRATION CEREMONY. A PROVINCIAL SERVICE. REGULATION OF ADMISSION. Speaking in St. Peter’s Church, yesterday, Yen. Archdeacon Cowic, said that lie wished to explain the position with regard to admission to the Consecration and Enthronement of the First Bishop of Waikato on St. Andrew’s Day. “They must, remember,” he said, “that a Consecration, unlike a Confirmation was a diocesan and provincial service. SI. Peter’s although it would not at the time actually be the Cathedral Church of the Diocese, it was being used as such, and, therefore, the first persons lo be considered in the matter were diocesan and provincial persons. Owing to the smallness of the uncompleted church this would mean that there would be very little room left for the parishioners, as such.” The Archdeacon said that ho felt sure that as the beginning of the Waikato Dioccsc was due lo the large vision of certain Hamilton laymen, so the parishioners would, on the occasion of the Consecration and Enthronement, take a diocesan and not a petty parochial view. The speaker remarked that if they had all hacked up as they should have done during the last ten wars they would, no no doubt, have had a large church by now; but it was no good thinking of that at the present time. He also said that the.only method of regulating admission, under the circumstances, was by ticket, as had been done at Bishop Pattcson’s Consecration and was done, at similar great functions in England and elsewhere.

A meeting of parishioners will be held in St. Peter’s Church, Hamilton, this evening to consider the constituting of Hie church as the Cathedral Church for the dioccsc.