DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 3926, 24 September 1875, Page 2

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

The Synod resumed its sitting in the City Council Chambers at four o'clock yesterday afternoon.

Mr GIBB3 stated that the Rev. P. Tanner was unable to attend the Synod through illness.

Tho Rev. J. Dews obtained leave to bring in a Bill to provide for Registration and Revision of Electors' Statute, and to repeal the Statute of 1872. The Bill was read a first time.

The V en. Archdeacon Edwards moved:— "That in the opinion of this Synod, it is advisable that overtures should be made to the authorities of the Presbyterian Church with a view to the better observance of the fast days of the two Churches. That tho Standing •Committee be requested to act in the matter." This was not an idea of Ma own, but one suggested to him by a leading lay member of the Presbyterian Church. He thought it would be a great point gained if Presbyterians regarded Good Friday as a Fast Day.—The Rev. Mr Oldham seconded the motion, saying it was only just and reasonable for them "to go half way to come to a mutual understanding.—The Rev. Mr Giffokd spoke against the motion, but stated that though it might be inexpedient to pass the resolution, yet ho believed they all admired the spirit in which the Archdeacon had proposed it.—The Rev. Mr Beaumont asked whether the Standing Committee should have full power to tell the members of the Church that they were to fast on a particular day. The replied that he did not wish tho Standing Committee to have any such power, but that it should confer with the authorities of the Presbyterian Church on the matter.—The He v. Mr Penny understood that the Archdeacon simply intended by his resolution that the Church of England should observe the Presbyterian fast day as a holiday, and not as a f :st day. It might be expedient that the Churches should be open on such days,—The motion was lost on the casting vote of the Pre sident.

Mi H. J. GiBB3 asked the Diocesan Treasurer why the sum of L2OG 19a derived from payments for marriage licenses for the years 1873, 1874, and 1875, lias not been applied by him to the General Expenses Fund.—The Treasurer said the amount referred to had not been applied to the purposes mentioned in the question because the fee 3 for marring* licenses belonged to the Bishop, and were paid to him, aud not to the Treasurer.

Mr H. J. Gjbss »sked the Right. Rev. the Bishop -'• Wh:it irregularity, or informality, if any, was thei-in the formation of the Parish of Inverc:irgill, in 1871, which had led him in 1874 to ignore the boundaries then defined)? Whether the boundaries of the Parish of Invercar ill, mentioned In tbe present report of the Standing Committee, were fixed arhittarily by him, or in compliance with i>iy requisition prebentod by any of the inhabitants eiiher within or immediately without the'boundaries men-

Honed, an provided by amotion 2, ■tatuU 4, Oloopsan Synod? Whether parishes can be duly constituted under any authority, without a H quisition from the peraens residing within the boundaries of such proposed parish being jirst presented, in terms of section 3, statute 4, Dioceaan Synod, and section 2, statute 4, general Synod ? Whether ho is of opinion that clause 4, statute 3, General Synod, under which he was requested at the last session of this Diocesan Synod to constitute the Kural Deanery Board of Southland. conferß sufficient authority upon either him or the standing Committee (when constituting such Kural Deaneries) to alter boundaries of parishes without, or even with, the previous fourteen Jays notice (provided by section 11, statute 4, Diocesan Synod) of such proposed alteration having been previously forwarded to the Incumbent andvestry of the parish the boundaries of which it is intended to alter, and whilst there is an existing debt for the enlargement of he church and parsonage, as referred to in section ~ J l6 J£ st " en *ioned statute ?''—The Bishop rephed-The Synod of the Diocese, at its last ■esMon, resolved that tho Bishop be requested a u, ne 5" e boum ' ,ar y of the Kural Deanery of Southland, and to constitute the parishes within it in accordance with a'a ute 3, clause 4, General Synod. The Bishop not bting awaie ot the existence of any boundaries for the parish of St. John's, Invercargill, proceeded, by virtue of the above instructions, to define them. As to question 3, whether parishes can be constituted under anv authority without a requisition from the res dents, he was of opinion that the Synod of the Diocese doesposse-s such authority. _ The fourth question asks whether the Bishop i« of opinion that clause 4, statute *, Uoneral Synod, confers sufficient authority to alter the boundaries of existing parishes without notice; he was of opinion that tho clause of tho statute quoted does not confer such authority. ~£k Ldb , ec *" asked the Church Steward - What churches, if any, have refused or nog ected to comply with tho recommendation of tho Synod to give the offertories on the second Sunday, in January, 1875. to the Bishopric Endowment Fund ; also, what is the total amount received from this source?—Mr Quick said that up to the present date the l. hurch Steward had not received notice of any offertory having been collected for the Bishopric r.ndowraent Fund at Caver*h»m, Clyde Invercargill Palmerston, Queenstown, St. Matthew s (Dunedin), or Waikonaiti. The total amount received from this sourco was L9B 13s od.

The Synod went into committee to consider Statute *o. 5, General Synod, in accordance with request on page 34, General Synod Proceedings 1874. After a long discussion Mr mi ° j. 8 Be ' ies of resol «tions was shelved. The discussion upon Mr Hawkins's Beries of resolutions relating to the General Clergy Maintenance Fund was resumed in committee 6.-veral clauses were adopted with slight amendment, and the chairman reported progress and obtained leave to sit again. J-everal notices af motion having been <uven the House adjourned at 11 p. m °