A BISHOP'S RESIGNATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 894, 13 August 1910, Page 4

A BISHOP'S RESIGNATION.

DR. NELIGiN'S ILLNESS. The Anglican Bishop of Auckland (Dr. Neligan) has received the following address from the General. Trust Board of his diocese: — "My Lord, —We, as members of tho General Trust Board of the Diocese of Auckland, desire to express our profound ; regret that you have found , it necessary, ou the advice of your medical adviser, to resign your position. We believe that' your action has been taken from strong conscientious motives, feeling that it would be perhaps unfair to the diocese to accept a long leave of absence...,; We.consider, great praise is duo to. your Lordship for not hesitating to fake a step which must be 1 most paiiiful'ito-yourself.VS'A&'-imjinbers of. a board which has the control of so many liuaucial interests of this diocese, we desire to place on record the unfailing attention, . courtesy, and business aoume'n which you, as our chairman, have displayed in all matters coming before the board. We deeply regret that your health'has necessitated, your resignation, which, we feel'will be a great loss ..to the diocese. We pray God to ■ comfort and sustain Mrs. Neligan and yourself Jn yuur trouble, and we express the hope that, with the relinquishment -of your duties, your health may soon be re-established."

The address is signed by the following :—Jolm Uatger, H. Buckleton, E. Gerard, C. Hudson, Arthur I). Roberton, Norman T. Williams, and W. S. Cochrane (secretary). . It now appears that the Bishop's health has been in an unsatisfactory state'for some lime past. Last year lie had more than one breakdown, and iti May of the present year he had a "stroke." This last development was ol course the most serious factor. The doctors called it "transient paralysis," but they let (.be Bishop know uuroistaKably- that . very grave consequences might follow if he persisted in doing the hard. work and bearing great responsibility connected; with the episcopal office in a'large and scattered diocese like that of Auckland. Howover, as the Bishop is not yet 50 years old, thero is good reason to hope that after a year or so of rest or quiet work he will again be able to take up the more strenuous work attached to a position of leadership in tho Church.