ANGLICAN CHURCH GENERAL SYNOD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3666, 14 April 1883, Page 3

ANGLICAN CHURCH GENERAL SYNOD.

The Synod resumed its sittings at 3.30 p.m. yesterday, the Primate presiding. The Bishop of Dunedin moved,—" That leave be given to introduce a bill for the purpose of empoAvering an}- Diocesan Synod to give consent on behalf of the General Synod to the application of any Diocesan Board of Trustees to be incorporated in virtue of any Act Avhich may be passed by the General" Assembly.—The bill Avas read a first time, and the second read big AA*as fixed for Monday. .Archdeacon Karris moved for IcaA'O to bring in a bill for cstab l; sl! ; ng Courts for the hearing and determining matters relating to ecclesiastical offences. —The bill Avas read a first time, and the second reading Avas fixed for Monday. The report of the Sessional Committee on Trusts dealing Avith the sale of a small section in Auckland owned by the Melanesian Mission, and Avith the exchange of certain church property in Auckland, was adopted. Tho report of the Sessional Committee on tho Board of Theological Studies, Avhich dealt Avith various matters of a technical nature, chiefly in relation to the examination of students, Avas discussed and finally adopted, the following being appointed as the Board to make arrangements for the examinations:—The Bishops (ex officio J, Dean of Christchurch, .Archdeacon Harris, Eev. R. J. Thorpe, Hon. J. B. A. Acland, Hon. Col. Haultain, and Mr T. Tanner. Mr Quick moved that a grant of .£25 a year be made to the dioceses of Dunedin and AVaiapu respectively, in aid of their Bishopric Endowments Funds, on condition that each diocese raised .150 towards the fund.—3lr M. R. Miller seconded the motion, which Avas carried. The Dean of Christchurch moved, — "That tb-'s Synod recognises the prohibition of marriage with a deceased Avife's sister as the law of the Christian Chi'vch, based on the AVord of God, and holds accordingly that any clergyman of the Church o" this ProAlnce of New Zealand AA'oUd be justified in refusing to solemnise such a marriage." The mover proceeded to speak at some length on the question, but his address was interrupted by the afternoon adjournment. Ou tho resumption of the debate on A vch- ' deacon Harper's motion on the presentation of the potion on religious education to the Legislature, the Bishop of Dunedin moved that the folknviiig words be added to the A"ohdcacon's motion:—"And that steps bo taken to prepare petitions of a similar nature to the foregoing petition, and to have them signed genera I !}* by the inhabitants of Ncav Zealand." —The addition Avas carried without debate, and the motion as amended was earned. A '•ohdeaoon Harper moved, as an amendment on .Archdeacon Stock's motion on the subject of a Pension Fund.—-"That a eommi ,ec bo appointed to prepare a scheme for a ' moral pension fund, such scheme to be laid before the various dioceses in this ecclesiastical province for their consideration."— Archdeacon Stock seconded the amendment, Avhich Avas unanimously adopted, and the folloAving Avere appointed as the committee :—Archdeacon Stock, Rev. S. B. Dudley, Rev. S. AVilliams, Rev. A. R. Fitchctt, Rev. F. G. Jones, and Messrs Parker and 11. T. Clarke. The Synod resumed, in committee, the consideration of Dean Jacobs' bill to amend the Statute for organising the General Sa uod. The main clause of the bill Avas ' itended to g'wo every licensed clergyman the poAver to vote at the election of clerical representatives of his diocese at the Synod. —Several amendments Avere proposed and ncgath'cd, and fi-ia n ly the bill Avas reported and the third reading fixed for Tuesday. The Dean of Christchurch moved the second reading of a bill to amend Statute 15. The object, he explained, was to effect the same result as Mr Clarke's lengthier b 4 ll, and to enable church members removing from one parish to another to lie registered at once, Avithout waiting two months.—The Synod Avent into conunittee on the bill, Avlieu the proviso to clause -1 Avas amended to read as follows:—"Provided that it shall be the duty of the ehi-teh-Avardens to register iv the cht-vcliAvardens' book the names of all men of the age of twenty-one years or upwards resident in the parish, Avho shall have been proA-ed to their satisfaction to have signed the declaration reqi- : *:ed under this statute, or, before this statute came ?'*ito force, the declaration iv the folloAving form :—'l, A.8., do hereby declare that I am a member of the_ United Church of England and Ireland in New Zealand,' and all persons upon being so registered shall thereupon be entitled to A*ote in tho election of Synodsmeu for the parish."—The bill was then repotted with amendments, and the tl- : rd reading ordered for Tuesday next. The Bishop of Waiapu moved the second reading of a bill for the settlement of differences between incumbents and parishoners.—After sonic discussion on the provisions of the bill the mover intimated that, if it Avere the Avish of the S} nod, he Avould consent to the bill being refei.-cd to the Diocesan Synods, though lie regretted that the passage of such a statute should be delayed for three years. The debate Avas then adjourned, and the Synod rose shortly after 11 o'clock.