DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 430, 29 October 1875, Page 2

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Wednesday, October 27. The President took his seat at 4 p.m., and opened the proceedings with' prayer, EXPLANATION. The President said that he found he had made an error in the answer to the Rev Mr Hare’s question yesterday, as to the date of publication of the subjects for examination at Sunday schools. He yesterday said that the publication took place in July, he now found on reference that it took place in the Church News of May, two months’ previously. REPORTS. Mr Malet brought up the report of the select committee on the Christchurch re* serves, which was read. Rev J. W. Stack brought up the report of the Maori mission for the year ending Easter, 1876, which was read. INSURANCE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES. Mr Walker asked—“ What system of insurance has been adopted by the standing committee for churches and parsonages in compliance with resolution 1874, p 54.” The Rev Canon Cotterill replied—The standing committee have not at present done anything in the matter, STANDING ORDER NO. 8. Hon J. B. Acland moved—" The suspension of Standing Order No 38, to allow a proposed alteration of Standing Order No 8 to bf

brought before the Svnod without the usual notice, and if approved, to be brought into force forthwith.” The motion was agreed to. QUESTION. Bev J. fl. Wills asked —“ Have the execu- ■ tire committees of the Synod furnished abstracts of their proceedings to the daily • newspapers, as requested by the Synod at its last session,” (Page 62, proceedings of Synod) 1 Rev Canon Cotterill replied that the standing committee has not instructed him to supply abstracts of proceedings to daily newspapers. ’ DIOCESAN STATUTE NO. 3 AMENDMENT BILL. Hon J.B. Acland moved—“ For leave to bring in a Bill to amend clauses 6, 11, 13,14, 16, 16, of Diocesan Statute No 3, 1873.” The motion was agreed to, the Bill brought in, read a first time, and to be read a second time to-morrow. . STATUTE NO. 2 AMENDMENT BILL. Rev Canon Cotterill moved —“ For leave to introduce a Bill to amend Statute No 2, as follows:— That clauses 6 and 7 be repealed ; and if leave be given, that the amendment be read a first time.” The motion was agreed to, the Bill brought in, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to morrow. CHURCH WORK EXTENSION COMMITTEE, The Bev Canon Cotterill moved—“ That the Synod proceed to elect two clergymen and five laymen as members of the Church work extension committee.” The motion was agreed to. The following were elected : Clergy—Rev H. Stocker, Rev E. A. Lingard. Laity—Hon J. B. Acland, Messrs F. G. Stedman, Holloway, A. P. N. Blakiston, G. Mclntyre. DIOCESAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE. Rev Canon Cotterill moved—“ That the Synod proceed to the election of four clergymen and four laymen, as members of the Diocesan Education committee.” The motion was agreed to. The following were elected : Clergy—The Dean, Rev B. A. Lingard, Rev P. Knowles, Bev H. B. Cocks. Laity—Hon J. B. Acland, 0. R. Blakiston, G. Mclntyre, H. W. Packer, ABSENCE FROM SYNOD. A letter was read frqm Mr G. Gordon, apologising for bis absence from the Synod, and stating that he was confined to his bed from illness. STANDING ORDER NO 8, Hon J. B. Acland, moved the following addition to be made to sub-section e of Standing Order No 8—“ immediately on the Synod reassembling after the usual evening adjournment, unless notices. of motion have been previously disposed of.” Mr Webb moved,>as an amendment—“ The orders of the day be proceeded,with at 7.30 p.m., unless otherwise ordered.” After a slight discussion both the original motion and the amendment were withdrawn. . . i , AVONSIDB CHURCH. Rev H. Glasson, moved—“ That it be a recommendation to the Church Property Trustees to reconsider their grant in aid of the building of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Avonside, with a view of making the sum granted bear a reasonable proportion to the local contributions, and to the accommodation proposed to be afforded,” Mr Cowlishaw seconded the motion. It being now 6.30 p.m., the Synod adjourned for refreshment. THE CHURCH NEWS. On the Synod resuming at 7.30 p.m., the consideration of the following motion by .the Bev B. A. Lingard was resumed : “ That it be a recommendation to the Church work extension committee to make • grant of & in support of the New Zealand Church Newt .” Mr Cowlishaw moved as an amendment —“That a select committee be appointed to consider and report on the present financial position of the New Zealand Church and to report with any further recommendations they may make on the matter. That the committee consist of the Dean, Archdeacon Harper, Rev W. B. Paige, Rev H. E. Carlyon, Rev E. A. Lingard, Messrs Harman, Hamilton, and the mover.” Archdeacon Harper seconded the amendment, which was agreed to. REPORT. The Dean brought up the report of the select committee on the Statutes relating to the appointment, See, of nominators, which wairrehd. ; ' avonside church. The consideration of the motion by the Rev fl. G. Glasson, which had been interrupted by.the adjournment, was resumed, an amendment being made by substituting the ' words “ standing committee” for the words “ Church Property Trustees.” After some slight discussion the motion ; was withdrawn. BORROWING FUND FOB CHURCH EXTEN- " SION. Mr Mellish moved—“ That it is desirable ■that the unexpended balance of the £SBOO furnished by the Church Property Trustees for making grants in aid for parsonage buildings, Church building and Church extension purposes, be formed into a borrowing fund for the above purpose.” -‘After some discussion the Synod divided on the motion. Ayes—Clergy... 9 Laity... 5 Noes—Clergy ... IS Laity ... 19 r The motion was consequently negatived. TRUSTEES OP CHURCH LAND AT TIMARU. Mr Hanmer moved Ormsby, of Timaru, in the province of Canterbury, esquire, and Philip Henderson Russell, of Timaru, in the said province, esquire, be chosen and appointed new trustees jointly with Belfield Woollcombe, and Frederick Le Cren, of twenty acres of land situate at Timaru aforesaid, being the rural section 2335, in accordance with the provisions of the Religious Charitable and Educational Trusts Act, 1856, and the Religious Charitable and Educational Trusts Act Amendment Act, 1865.” •. The motion was agreed to. Mr Hanmer moved—“ That the President sign and seal the proper document for giving effect to the foregoing resolution." t The motion was agreed to. ASSISTANT CURATES REGULATION BILL. The Dean moved —“ For leave to bring in a- Bill to amend the regulations respecting assistsint curates, and that the Bill be read a first time.” , The motion was agreed to, the Bill read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. DRAFT BILL FOE ALTERATION OF ■ ,; | FORMULARIES. . Archdeacon Harper moved—- “ 1 That the resolutions brought up by the committee or the draft Bill for alteration

of formularies be adopted, in order that they may be proposed for the consideration of the next General Synod. “ That the above Resolutions be forwarded through the Bishop of the Diocese to the Bishops of the other Dioceses, requesting them to communicate the same to their respective Diocesan Synods.” After discussion it was resolved that the Synod go into committee to-morrow. Thursday, October 28. The President took his seat at 4 p.m, and opened the proceedings with prayer. . SUNDAY SCHOOLS EXAMINATION. Rev F. A. Hare moved framing the list of subjects to be studied in Sunday schools for examination, the diocesan committee of education be instructed to take into consideration the length of time previous to the examination during which the school children can be instructed in such subjects,” The motion was agreed to. REPRESENTATION OP PARISHES AND DISTRICTS, Mr Fendall moved —“ That a select committee be appointed to inquire into the whole question of the representation of parishes and districts, as provided in statute 3, schedule B.” Rev Canon Cotterill moved as an amendment to substitute the words “ standing committee” for the words “ select committee.” Mr Fendall accepted the amendment. The resolution as amended was then put and agreed to. CATHEDRAL COMMISSION. The Rev H. B. Cocks and Mr T. M. Hassal were chosen members of the Ca'thedral Commission, in the room of the Rev C. Bowen and Mr B, Strange, resigned. The Rev Canon Cotterill moved —“That the Synod proceed to determine by ballot which four members shall retire out of those eight members of the Cathedral Commission, who are liable to retire at this time.” The motion was agreed to. The names of the eight members liable to retire were then placed in a hat, including the names of Rev H. B. Cocks and Mr T. M, Hassal. Lots being drawn, the four retiring members were Mr T. M. Hassal, Archdeacon Willock, Mr Banks, and Dr Donald. The four retiring commissioners were again nominated, and no others being proposed they were declared to be duly elected. MANAGEMENT OF CHURCH PROPERTY TRUST ESTATE AND DIOCESAN FUNDS. Mr Mellish brought up the report of the select committee appointed to examine into and report upon the position and management of the Church property trust estate and diocesan funds, which was read as follows: — “ The select committee appointed to examine into and report upon the position and management of the Church property trust estate and diocesan funds, and also to examine into and report as to whether the heavy losses entailed on the Church property and diocesan funds by the defalcations of the late Church steward, are due to any neglect of proper supervision on the part of the trustees or officials appointed to the management of the different properties, and if so whether any legal liability will attach to such trustees or officials, beg to report as follows : “ That the committee are quite unable to present an exhaustive report on all the transactions which have taken place with regard to the Church property estate, but they have ascertained a sufficient number of facts to make it manifest that the matters submitted to their consideration require a much longer inquiry than can be undertaken during a session. “That having examined certain leases taken at hazard from a number laid before them, they are afraid that the estate has suffered to a very large extent by want of care in dealing with the property. “ That they have reason to believe that, prior to the dismissal of the late Church steward, the goodwill of leases have in certain cases been sold immediately on their being executed for large sums of money paid by way of premium by the purchasers. “ That the leases have been extremely loosely drawn, sufficient protective clauses not having been introduced as to exhausting the land, subletting or otherwise, of which advantage has been taken. The committee find that in one care a lease has been surrendered and a fresh one granted to the tenant on much less advantageous terms to the estate than the previous one without any apparent cause, and the committee infer that this was not a solitary instance. “ That most extraordinary and comprehensive powers were given to the late Church steward to deal with the estate, the prudence of which may be questioned. “ That the trustees failed to exercise sufficient supervision over his actions, or to examine for themselves into matters submitted by him to them for ratification.

“ That they failed to exercise proper precaution in securing the estate against loss by obtaining sufficient security from the late Church steward. “ That on the death of one of the sureties they, being cognizant of the fact, neglected to require from the steward another bondsman in place of the one deceased, and up to the present time the bond of the other surety has not been enforced. “ That po supervision whatever of any of the various accounts was exercised between the times of audit. “ That sufficient care was not exercised by comparing the bank book, as produced by the late Church steward, with the state of the accounts as shown by the books kept by him; moreover, that the accounts of the various estates not having been closed and audited at the same time additional facilities were given for fraud, “ That it appears that a temporary depreciation in the value of the property has taken place in consequence of the very imprudent way in which leases have been granted ; of course the loss arising from this cause may be recovered as these leases fall in. In the meantime it appears to this committee, taking the valuation put on the estate as furniohed by the treasurer, that the income derived therefrom is not in proportion to the said valuation. “ The circumstances above mentioned lead the committee to urge the desirability of the appointment of a commission of business men, specially chosen for their acquaintance with the subject, whose duty it should be to thoroughly investigate the position of the estate during the recess, and report at the next meeting of Synod. The committee would further recommend that the commission should receive adequate remuneration for their services out of the funds of the several trusts pro rata.

“ The committee would in the meantime, until the report of the commission can be acted upon, deprecate the system of granting such long leases as twenty-one years for rural land, and recommend that in no case should a lease of such land be granted of longer duration than fourteen years, as is the practice in the case of Provincial Government educational reserves; and that no town land should be leased for a longer period than twenty-one years, and then only on building leases ; that the buildings shall be of a certain value, and that it be imperative that they shall be of a substantial character. “ The committee would also further recommend that, to avoid complications which may arise, definite instructions in writing be given to the Church steward as to the duties required of him. “ The committee feel unable to give an opinion as to the legal liability attaching to the trustees. “ The committee recommend for the adoption of the Synod the resolution hereunto annexed.” ALTEBATION OP FOEMULAEIES. On the motion of Archdeacon Harper, the Synod went into committee to consider “ Resolutions on the draft Bill for alteration of formularies,” At 630 p.m. the chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again, and the Synod then adjourned for refreshment. The Synod resumed at 7. n 0 p.m. DIOCESAN PENSION FUND BEGULATIONS AMENDMENT BILL, On the motion of Rev Canon Cotterill, this Bill was read a second time, and passed through committee. EEGISTBATION AND ENVISION BILL. On the motion of the Rev Canon Cotterill, this Bill, to make better provision for the registration of persons qualified to vote at the election of Synodsmen was read a second time. In committee the Bill was advanced a stage, and the chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. QUESTION. Rev E. A. Lingard asked the diocesan treasurer whether those parishes and districts that have failed during the year ending Easter, 1875, to remit their offertories and collections for mission work in accordance with Financial Regulation V. 1, have received the whole of the grant made to them annually from diocesan funds 1 Archdeacon Willock replied—Yes. DUTIES OP VESTBYMEN AMENDMENT BILL, bn the motion of Mr Malet this Bill was read a second time. In committee, the Bill passed with amendments and was reported.