THE'DIOCESE OF POLYNESIA,

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 154, 24 March 1908, Page 9

THE'DIOCESE OF POLYNESIA,

PROBABLE CONNECTION WITH NEW ' .. ZEALAND. '■ '.. Mr. T. C. Twitchell, who lia3 been nominated to the now Bishopric: of Polynesia,, was educated lit the University,of London,! whe'ro ho took tlio degreoiof - B;AV in 1883;' also at. King's College,/ London, where ho : won,the Barry Prize land becauio Theological 'Associate (first-class) in 1888. lie .was- brdaincd deacon in 1889, and priest in 1891. ; He was 1 curato of St. George's, Furness, from 1889 to 1893, and curate 'of; ;{jt';:- Peter's, South Kensington, from, 1893: to ,1903, /when lie was appointed A r icar- of All Hallows, East. India Docks,* in'< the, Bio- ; ceso'of. London, with 'a..population of"11,000.-. ,•> AVhen'-thq decision was'arrived at Id.6reat6' the now Bishopric it was fully recognised by •'all .'concerned -that, tho Bishop of -Polynesia must; ho- a young 'and >vigorous •capable of facing all; difficulties and'possible.- : hardships"that may bo: involved in - his ar-. duous .duties'. . The. Society lor the .Propagation; of tho Gospel in Foreign : Parts lias pro-mised-to :>'contribute'. a. graht of , £500 per. annum toward the now.. seo. ! It-, is the 1 , wish of all'.tho authorities.'' in England.-thai if possible, and provided that the step is . approved. by the .Church of Now Zealand, tho now, diocese of. Polynesia should: be' included* in'.tho./ecclesiastical province l of ;Nmv> Zea-land,'-iii tho samo maimer and .'on tho- samo jfootiiig as tho! sister, Pacific dioccso of Mela'-' 'iiosia. In this connection onepeculiar and rathnri interesting, point . arises.. Several .South 'Sea.'islands that, ■would naturally and geographically have come within the new diocese -of Polynesia have been annexed to ;New, Zealand: at tho,.instance of the Jato Mr.! Scddon, so that;' as the - ecclesiastical province of New Zealand" is: defined as comprising all territory ' lying within what is' officially'.known as the Dominion of New ZeaLinc!,', these islands will have to bo regarded as lying within tho ecclesiastical' province proper!, and not within i tho 'Polynesian limit, so far as diocesan boundaries ,; aro concerned. But, if the present plan be carried oiitj of including tho now-diocese formally within the New Zealand province, no' trouble or disputes can arise on this score. Another point is that Tonga l will not bo included, within the now dioccso of Polynesia. It is in Tonga that Bishop Willis has. hyon working , for some time. It has not , been thought desirable to interfere with;• Bishop Willis or-with :the . ecclesiastical administration of Tonga during'that, prelate's lifetime.' .When "tlio time illtimately■ arrives , for ; tlio' close of. his labours it is anticipated .that no. difficulty:will be experienced in;making such fresh provisions. as may prove necessary or /expedient. It is ,understood that wlion that timeishall' arrive, Tonga will at.onco:be included; in the diocese' of .Polynesia. i - -