Diocesan Synod.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XIV, Issue 4, 1 October 1923, Page 303

Diocesan Synod.

The usual ■-services 'm connection with the opening' of Synod were 'held on Friday, 14th September. The Yen. Archdeacon' Williams ' "(the Bishop's Commissary) celebrated at 7.15 a.nij. and the' Sung Eucharist at 10.30 a.m. was' taken- by Garion "Maclean.' Owing to "the unavoidable-ab-sence of Mr P. W.- Tombs through illness the Yen.. Archdeacon Chattcrton officiated as organist. The organist -and most, of • the -visiting clergy were not- familiar with the free rhythm setting ■of Merbecke .that has been used m the .Ca-tliedral since- the choir festival and a tendency towards .stiffness rather marred the service, but, under the circumstances, this could not be avoided. YVe hope th-a free rhythm setting will be" generally adopted m the diocese and bo familiar to all the clergy before the next dibeesan" function. The Rev. Alfred Hodge was" the preacher. ■ , - .. ,Oii Sunday the Commissary celebrated at 8 a.m. and the Dean at 11. •Evensong was- sung by • the . Rev. -T. Fisher. . The -Rev. V^Bianchi addressed the children at d' p.iri. -

• The Bishop, owing to illness, „ was unable to preside. over the Synod and his place was taken by his Commissary, Archdeacon. Williams. The .Archdeacon, delivered, a .very /interesting' address (full)' reported- -m the"Herald ' '"Herald of -September 15th and 17th). There was .not /much urgent business before the Synod and the session was comparatively short, give a resume of the reports of the various diocesan ' institutions ;— • ST. MARY'S HOME. .' . Various speakers pointed out the very urgent necessity for rebuilding 'certain portions of St. Mary's Home,. Burlington • road, which have been, condemned by the public health:authorities. The work of the' home has. been of a most satisfactory character. In addition to performing its ordinary mission, the home has received delicate babies arid as many other destitute infants as it could accommodate, but has had to refuse many urgent case's. It is of the utmost importance to raise a considerable -sum for- its •- immediate -needs. The home belongs not to Napier only,, but' to the whole ■ diocese, and - the splendid work of Nurse Carter, its ;. matron, was warmly commended by the Dean, Canon Rice, • Canon Maclean, and others.. The homd has received with gratitude many gifts of 'food, etc., from a large number' of people who appreciate its value. It is hoped that money- will be .freely subscribed .from all parts of the clio- ' eese for -the necessary rebuilding. „ ST. . HILDA'S HOME. '.. This- home has done splendid ' work during the year,- but has .beeri full for a long time, and very.. mjf^y ap T ••plications -for admission have 'fiad to ' "be refused. It is not intended to' enlarge, the home, as' the policy pf: the Chapter is' to "provide "real /'homes'.' . • not - large institutions; .Miss Waller 's . -work' as matron- was spoken .of m. the highest terms of, appreciation.'. She '•has" made the -hojne/ undoubtedly a • model of what such .homes should be. • .a^botsforld iioMe.;- ■ : -_ . . Jhishonic is tHe giftpf rihVllath-

boiie "brothers' and the Rathbohe' tru's^ tees, and "is £6 be tiiiilt at Waipawa as scon as possible.' 'Plans ' atid > specififcatibns ai*e in,""cbutse of preparation, and the *■ work should r be" 'begun- alDidst immecliitteh''. ' .'" """ : TE AUm : COLLEGE:! -. • The trustees reported the opening ■of one' of >tht liew building's at. "T^ ;Aiitc and the laying 1 of the 'foundation ; of another."' The"; work' of School during~t;he yeaT had been riiosfc 'satisfactory, arid reflected great credit on the' liririeipal (Mr E. C. Loten) and ih'e chaplain (Rev. "A. Keild, M.A.) Several bays had matriculated during the year and' obtained a •liigh standard of • marks. One /boy had obtained a -senior national scholarship and one" a- special law" scholarship. The Government had decided to reduce its grant to the College and to provide instead more Govejrnin6nt scholarships. In t-he-Buller- •Scholarship examination the boys JiaYT "■■"held their own against all other. '.schools, its seven candidates coming higher oh the list than those • of any outside. schools.' The list includes:—l^atriculation examination, four . complete and one partial pass.; ■ one senior national scholarship; one law scholarship;' the Buller and |3enibr Makarini scholarships;. 13" public 1 , service entrance passes. ' " " " -■■■-■ - ST. WINIFRED >& SCHOOL. . This school- has. had a yery successful first yea-rj. '.Having- succeeded m paying its' working'- expenses out' of incciiie. There still -remains a heavy movi-g'age (£365;0), .which „; m'^st be wiped off as as passible, btjt th'e success, of .the .school. 'is assure^,- as it has won for itself areputation as one of the best girls' schools m- the Domiuicn. It elosed^lKe lyear "' with 43 pupils. . The ' Educafi'&tf Board 's Inspector had reported very favorably ■indeed both 1 " on" the 'efficiency, of the school from- a scholastic' point of .view and on its excellent tone. ' WAERENGA^A-HIKA COLLEGE. This school suffers from a serious handicap.- Tne receipts from'endow--inent have -barely", covered ; the j ex-

penses of the year and the school has had to bear the cost (£142) of removing the Te Rau chapel to Waerenga-a-hika. MAORI PARISHIONERS. To the question by Archdeacon Simkin as to the actual relationship of the Synod to the Maori Mission and of the English clergy of the diocese to the Maoris m their parishes, the President gave the following reply : Title B Canon 11., Clauses 1 and 5 provide for Maori lay representatives sitting, m synods, and Title B Canon 111., Clauses 9-16 contain provision for the constitution of Native Church Boards. With these two apparent exceptions there is nothing m the canons of the general Synod or of the diocese to suggest any discrimination based upon racial difference .between European and Maori; and a Diocesan Synod would appear to have the same relation to all church people of the diocese whether European or Maori. Similarly the Vicar of a parish has the same duty to all church people m the parish irrespective of race; and all church people m the parish have equal rights to the ministrations and benefits of the church. SUB-DIVISION. A motion was carried respectfully requesting- the Bishop to consult with the Bishops of Auckland, and Wellington on the question of the subdivision of the dioceses of the North Island. PAROCHIAL MISSIONS. A motion by Canon Rice was carried asking the Bishop to consider the obtaining of the services of a suitable clergyman for a year or two to hold parochial missions wherever desired m the diocese. Canon Rice pointed out the need for holding occasional missions to assist the spiritual work of the clergy. The motion was strongly supported by several clerical members. JAPANESE RELIEF FUND. A letter was received from the Rev. F. B. Redgrave, general secretary of the Board of Missions, announcing that a Provincial Relief Fund had been opened for the benfit of Japanese sufferers from the recent' earthquake m Japan. The money will be sent to the proper authorities m. Japan by the Board of Missions. All contributions from this diocese should be sent to the diocesan secretary (Archdeacon . Simkin), . Box 227, Napier, or they may be handed to the clergy. It is hoped that as the need is urgent, donations will be sent as soon as possible. In this case ' ' he who gives quickly gives twice. J; LEAGUE .OF NATIONS. :. The Yen. Archdeacon Cha.tterton

moved: That m the. present. disturbed state of- the. world the. greatest hope, for future peace lies with the League of Nations, but that it can be effective only m so far as it has behind it the force of a strong public opinion. This Synod therefore calls upon Church people throughout the Diocese to give their earnest support to any effort made to strengthen this public opinion m favor of peace and justice for which the League stands. The Archdeacon detailed the manner m which the League of Nations was supported by the League of Nations Union m England and its seven or eight branches m New Zealand. Similar societies existed m Japan, which thus set an example to Christian nations. Nominal membership m such unions was granted for a fee of Is per annum, 5s entitled a member to receive the union's monthly paper and one guinea per annum entitled a member to .receive a large amount of literature published by the Society. It was the duty of the Church to support the League. WILLIAMS CENTENARY. • The Rev. E. M. Eruini, m one of the finest speeches ever made m Synod, supported his motion: "That m this centenary year of the arrival of the late Archdeacon Henry Williams m New Zealand, this Synod desires to express its heartfelt gratitude to God for the many blessings, both temporal and spiritual, granted to the Maori people as a result of the life work of the Archdeacon, hi& wife and family." The motion was carried unanimously. HERETAUNGA SCHOOL. Votes of thanks were passed to the generous guarantor of the funds of Heretaunga School, the chairman of its shareholders and others who have kindly donated their shares, and to Archdeacon Simkin, , for their help m enabling the diocese to acquire the school. STANDING COMMITTEE. The election of Standing Committee resulted asi follows : — The Dean, Archdeacons Williams and Simkin, Roy. Canon Butterfield, Rev. F. A. Bennett and Rev. W. T. Drake, Mesrs A. G. Pallot, J. P. Williamson, "F. W. Williams, R. E. H. Pilson, H. J. Bull, A. E. T. Williams, and J. H. Kibblewhite. QUESTIONS. In answer to questions the president gave the following written reply: (a) Concisely stated the aim of the Anglo-Catholic movement is to emphasise the fact that the Church of England -is an integral part of the Holy Catholic Church of the Apostles ' Creed, and its. object to bring every

churchman to realise that fact, (b) The clergy of this diocese have made no announcement as to whether they are m favor of the movement, (c) It is not only advisable, but essential, that any changes m the ceremonial of the Church which have been or may hereafter, be authorised, should be introduced into any parish only with the due observance of all the conditions and safeguards under which such changes have been or shall be authorised. HERETAUNGA SCHOOL. Mr C. A. Delatour read the report of the Select Committee on acquiring Heretaunga School. The committee, after taking into consideration all possible contingencies and risks, decided to recommend that the diocese accept the offer of the* directors. Members expressed the gratitude of the Synod to Archdeacon Simkin for the excellent way m which he had conducted the negotiations, to an anonymous churchman, who has guaranteed the diocese against any losses m working for three years, to those directors who have donated their shares as a free gift to the diocese, and especially to one of them, not an Anglican, who was the first to suggest this course and to act upon it. Members of Synod expressed their confidence m the future success of the school. The Rev. J..T. G. Castle, M;.A., who has been , appointed by the governors as headmaster, having been invited to speak, said that he was most agreeably surprised and delighted to find what excellent buildings the diocese had acquired. He hoped we should soon have a magnificent school, and he would do his utmost to make it the best m New Zealand. He had secured the services of a first-class assistant, a Master of Arts of Cambridge University and an excellent teacher, who would be a credit to the profession. He thanked the Synod for the kind way m which he had been received. •