STIPENDS OF CLERGYMEN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 555, 9 July 1909, Page 8

STIPENDS OF CLERGYMEN.

;,-•■ '■}:';•. ;• /,- ; . ■■'.'; /:.-». ~:^: ; ;'.\: . Vv:' "C: ' •;• ■ .'i(By. Teleeraph.—Special Correspondent.) ,■ ' , : : '• -■■ ■•,■■• ■'. ''■: • • Auckland, July 8., •] I The complaintsu'egardiug'tho meagre'.sti- < pends of-country clergy, which were-made on i by-the'Anglican Bishop of Welling- j ton (Dr. Wallis) in' his charge, to theWei- ] lington .Diocesan-Synod, /were at : one tim'o i frequently heard in Auckland. The Bishop of \ Auckland: (Dr. Nolignn), shortly, after: taking" of .the-diocese,' sohie, six years agOj - s commented .qn thb fact'that many of the { clergy received an. altogether'• inadequate re- . •numeration'for their labours, and ho an- i nounced-his intention of makipg no further c appointments to parochial,districts at. a lower t stipend than £2(JO a year. This minimum t has since been adhered to, / and the position 2 in regard to. the 'newly-appointed ministers -] has, to that extent, improved. .In order to s obviate tho irregularity, in! the- payment of ( stipends, which- sometimes qncuis in the { ■country,';districts, a.'sustentation. fund has t been inaugurated' for'the Auckland diocese, s and'this : is.-being contributed- to by the var- .^ iouspaTishes on a. proportional system .of as- f sessment. ■ .When the fund is largo enough, j the stipends ..will 'probably .he: paid' direct t from it, thus obviating thefinancial.-incon- j venienco to which clergymen are'sometimes t subjected through, the.irregular payments aa 5 ; w'ell,_as ; the loss of- dignity -involved by the s occasional necessity of ,-tbe. parochial- authori- t tics -having to,be reminded; by .'their minis, j ter-of : ."that little matter"-of anoars in.-his, I salary- which , jn so'!many.'.eases'is: urgently t needed- at the end' .of each moiith to satisfy the:'claims of the butcher, , : or.. the•' baker. There are at prcß.eiit'.soveral-clergymen'talc- . ing part-in the home-mission work, aiid• re.oeivihp;; stipends ''of;'.no , more than £150 a I year, with an 'extra allowance of about £25 for-expenses. .'Most of. theso:-men,'howovor. t] are unmarried, and, as thoir .salaries ■ are " paid regularly from tho. central 'fund, they ri are.not dependoiiton tlie fluctuations of local i, church''finance.: , ';'.;> • ' ' ■ \ ; ■ -.--■• 5 ' ; ■ . -i . " — .• ' -' - w " : ' '■"'.■ . . ,r7 l - : - .. -.-•'.• i' . h