DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1794, 20 November 1879, Page 3

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

The Diocesan Synod met yesterday after-] noon at 4 o'clock in the College Library, presided over by his Lordship the Bishop of Christchurch. The minutes of the mooting held the previous day were read and confirmed. PETITIONS. A petition was presented by certain residents of Waimato to havo the district constituted a parish. THE lATB SIR T. M. HASSAI,. The Dean moved —"That this Synod deeply regrets the loss it has experienced since its last cession by the death of one of the oldest of its lay members, Mr Thomas Maberly Has3al. While humbly bowing to the will of the Almighty, who has seen fit to remove him from so wido a sphere of usefulness, the Synod desires to place on record its grateful sense ef the many and varied services long and faithfully rendered to the church in this diocese by Mr Hassal, as a synodsman, as a lay reader and churchwarden, as a member of the Standing Committee, as a Ohuroh property trustee and a diocesan nominator, and to testify its high appreciation of his wisdom in counsel, hia

exemplary life, his kindly acd considerate spirit, and the great value of tho example which he set of dovotednees to the work of the church on the part of ono more than ordinarily engaged in secular business. The Synod requests the Most Reverend the President to communicate this resolution to the widow and family of Mr Hassal, together with an expression of its deep sympathy with them in the irreparable loss they have sustained." In moving the resolution, the Dean of Christchurch said, while paying a just tribute to the worth of tho late Mr Hassal, they could only deplore his loss in every relation in which lie stood with regard to the Church, either as ono of its officers or as one who had led an exemplary life. Ho had set an example which ought to be highly valued, especially as a lay-reader at Opawa, where his heartiness in public worship was a trait not to be forgotten. Archdeacon Dudley, in seconding tho resolution, fully endorsed tie remarks which had been made by tho Dean. Tho resolution was put and carried unanimously. CIEBICAL BErBE3ENTATIOIT. Rev. G. Cotterill moved —" That tho list of clergymen entitled to vote for clerical representatives to the General Synod bo revised by the Synod." Rev. 0. Bjwen seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The clerical secretary read over a list of clergymen entitled to vote for clerical representatives to the General Synod, which being certified to by the President, as revised by tko General Synod, was put in tho form of a resolution and pgreed to. CHBI3TCHTJBCH PABSONAGE BESBBVE3. Mr Harman moved—" That a committee be appointed for the purpose of considering a proposal to the Church Property Trustees by the parishes of St. Michael and All Angels, St. John and St. Luke, Christchurch, having for its object the turning to more profitable account tho reserve, commonly known as the Parsonage Reserve, on Oxford Terrace ; such committee to consist of Mr Stedman, Mr Hargroaves, Mr L. Harper, Mr W. C. Walker, and the mover." Mr F. Hobbs seconded tho motion. Tho Dean suggested that the words " and reported upon " bo inserted in tho resolution. The Rev. E. A. Lingard said he was not aware that any proposal had been sent to him by the Christchurch Property Trustees upon the matter referred to in the resolution. Mr Harman said the churchwardens of St. Luke's parish had agreed to the proposal. The Rev. E. A. Lingard replied that ho had no wish to oppose the motion, but if tho churchwardens of St. Luke'3 had consented on his behalf, he had not been made aware of tho fact. The motion, with the additional words inserted, was then put and carried. STIPENDS OV THE CLEBGY. In moving tho feries of resolutions standing in his name, Canon Cotterill said that none of them went into matters of detail excopt the second which when he came to he would beg leave to alter. The existing financial regulations with regard to the stipend of the clergy was a blot upon their system which ought to be looked in the face and remedied. In many instances tho stipend of the clergy was quite inadequate, and he himself was aware of twelvo cures whose stipends did not exceed £2OO per annum, and they were very unpunctually paid. He would move the resolutions as they stood on the notice paper—l. "That in the opinion of tho Synod it is desirable to amend the existing financial regulations in such a manner as to make them better adapted to secure adequate stipends for the clergy, and regularity of payments in all cases." Rev. J. W. Stack seconded the motion. Rev. E. G. Penny spoke in support of the rejolution, and he hoped it would meet with the earnest a'tention of the Synod. Archdeacon Harper thought, considering the work and the expenses of the country clergy, that the minimum stipend should be £3OO instead of £2BO, and he would move that the former figures be substituted when tho motion came on.

Hon. H. B. Gresson deprecated the irregularity of payment of clergymen's stipends, and at the same time he did not at present see where the money was to come from to increase their amount.

Mr Harman -was of opinion that the last speaker had touched tho real point, and thought the time had come when some fresh organisation should be started to deal with the matter.

The Very Rev. the Dean of Christchurch had always been opposed to constant changes in their financial regulations. He thought their wishes on the matter of increasing the stipends of the clergy could be gained by extra zsal on the part of the members of the church generally by raising funds for local as well as diocesan purposes. Mr W. C. Walker thought that looking at their averages they were not so badly treated, especially the younger clergy. It was those ministers who had grown grey in the service of the church who had always enlisted his sympathy, and for whom he thought exertions ought to be made in the direction to increase their stipends. The Rev. H. C. M. Watson, while agreeing with the previous speaker that some members of the church contributed in proportion to their means but wealthier members s!id little or nothing towards it. In point of fact it was the middlo class and artisans who contributed most to the support of the church at the offertories. He was reminded of what ho had heard the Bishop of Melbourne remark of a wealthy squatter that belonging to the Church of England was as good as £IOO a year to him. Rev. E. A. Lingard agreed with the Dean of Christehurch that it was unadviaable to be continually altering the financial regulations. While agreeing with the principle that it was desirable to increaso the stipends of tho clergy he thought they should fix the minimum at what they would be likely to get, leaving the amount to be made up by the sense of duty of the laity. Rev. W. E. Paige thought the minimum ought to be a sum on which a man could live. The fact of no guarantee existing did not relieve a parish of the moral obligation of providing far its clergyman. Rev. Mr Flavoll thought the motion had been sufficiently discussed. The Rev. J. G. Cholmondeley regarded the question as a layman's question. He agreed with Mr Watson that the wealthy members of the Church did not contribute so much aB other bodies. At the same time, he thought it was a matter of training, arising out of the endowment system of providing the incomes of the clergy. What was wanted was an organisation to collect, small subscriptions from the bulk of the churchmen. The motion was put and carried. In moving the next resolution, the Rev. Canon Cotterill asked permission to preface it with the following w«rds—" That the following principles be adopted as those on which the amended financial regulations shall be based." Permission having been granted, Canon Cotterill moved—" That it is desirable that the amount at present fixed as the minimum stipend of a priest in sole charge of a cure be increased." Ven. Archdeacon Harper seconded the resolution, which was agreed to. Rev. H. C. M. Watson understood that the resolutions thoy were considering wero only general princip!e3 to be embodied in a Bill, which would afterwards have to be discussed, and, therefore, he could eeo no advantage of further discussion upon them at present. The motion was put and carried. The Rev. Canon Cotterill moved—" All cures in the Provincial District of Canterbury shall receive an equal portion from tho sum provided by the Church Property Trustees for the maintenance of tho clergy ; a double portion to be allotted to any cure where there are at least two churches and an assistant curate."

Rev. Mr Bowen suggested as an amendment that the words "provided that an additional sum shall be paid in case of a pariah having an additional curate," be inserted alter the words " maintenance of tho clergy," instead of those now forming the concluding portion of the resolution. Rev. Canon Cotterill accepted the amendment, and tho resolution a 3 amended waa put and carried. Rsv. Canon Colterill moved—" That all cures in tho eastern portion of the diocese shall be divided into two classes ; the first class to consist of those cures which do not require any assistance beyond the ordinary grant from the Church Property Trust Fund ; the second class to consist of those cures which require further aid, to make up the minimum." The motion was put and carried. The Rev. Canon Cotterill moved — "That in order to enable the Standing Committee to fix the minimum amount to be paid by each cure, a Board of Assessors shall be appointed by the Synod." The Synod adjourned at half past six o'clock.

On re-ssseinbling—- _ The Yen. Archdeacon Harper took exception to the resolution before the Synod as bad in principle, on the ground that the assessors ought not to have the power, which the resolution would givo them, of fixing the minimum to be paid, which was thoprerogative of the Synod. He further waß adverse to the parochial guarantee being made annually, as oponing the door to many abuses, and also being indelicate to the clergyman in having to submit the matter periodically to ;ttc vestry. Ho thought it should be fixed once and for all on tho creation of the parish, or on the appointment of a new clergyman. _ Mr F. de c. Malet objected to tho resolution, as it would be establishing a second body to do the work which belonged, to the Standing Commiltoe. Hev. E. A. Lingard opposed the resolution, as he considered no Board of Assessors should have tho power to step in between a clergyman and his patishioncrs in tho ovent of a difference arising, as thoy could not tell what ability a parish possessed to pay their sha r e of the stipend. At present, in the event of a differenco arising, the duty of inquiring into tho matter devolved upon an Archdeacon sent down for that purpose, and ho did not think any benefit could arise from tho appointment of a Board of Assessors. Tho President agroed with what had fallen from the Rev. Mr Lingard as to the capability of a Board of Assessors being sufficiently acquainted with tho resources of a parish to decide upon such a point as was proposed. Rev. J. W. Stack spoke against the resolution. Mr J. Grigg supported tho views of Rev. Mr Lingard. Mr W. J. W. Hamilton was favourable to tfcn proposed Board. Rsv. T. Flavell suggested that the resolution should be altered to the effect " That the Standing Committee be tho Board of Assessors who should fix the amount to be paid." Rev. T. J. Cholmondeley could not see the necessity of tho appointment of a Board of Assessors, when the minimum was already fixed.

The President explained the method adopted by the Synod on the establishment of a new parish, to ascertain the ability of such parish to pay the minimum fixed for the minister's stipend, with tho help of the Church Property Trust grant. He quite coincided with what had fallen from some of the members, that a board of assessors could not do more than the Standing Committee had dene. The motion was then put and negatived. The Rev. Canon Cotterill moved —*' That in any caso when the amount of local contributions sanctioned by the Standing Committee shall fail to reach with tho Church Property Trust grant the stipulated minimum, tho stipc-nd of tho clergyman shall bo made up, as far as possible, from special funds provided for that purpose." In reply to Mr Grigg, the Rev. Canon Cotterill said that the spocial funds alluded to were monies raised from various sources by tho Church Society. Mr Mclntyre objected to the resolution, as it would be giving the Standing Committee the power which had just been refused by the last regulation being negatived. Mr E. A. Lingard pressed on the Synod not to make tho Standing Committee a board of assessors, which the passing of the resolution would do. With rogard to the parish guarantee, some parishes sent it in and some did not, and'where the latter was the case it was not applied for. He knew an instance of a wealthy town parish which did not send in the guarantee, but paid the stipend, nevertheless. Ho thought that the guarantee should in all instances be insisted on. The Very Rev. the Dean of Christchurch thought the making up the stipends of the clergy to tho agreed minimum was the first duty of the Standing Committee. The Synod waß only asked by the resolution to givo greater prominence to a principle that was already acknowledged. For this reason he should support the resolution. Mr E. J. T. Ford thought with Mr Malet, that the wording of the resolution gave parishes an opportunity if they choosed of shirking their responsibilities. He thought the resolution was too permissive, and that it should not be compulsory on tho Standing Committee to make up a deficiency caused by the neglect or indifference of a parish. Rev. Mr Bowen agreed with the remarks of the last speaker, and suggested that with some modifications the clause might not be objected to. Mr E. J. T. Ford moved as an amendment —" That in the case of any parish which from sufficient cause shown, cannot provide from local contributions the amonnt necessary to make up the minimum stipend, the stipend of the clergyman may be made up by the Standing Committee as far as possible from any special funds which may be provided for that purpose." Mr Malet seconded the amendment. The Rev. H. O. M. Watson oonßidered the amendment as objectionable, as laying down as a principle that which was only an emergency. Mr Grigg agreed with many of the remarks which had been made, but objected to a principle which would force on the Synod a responsibility which thoy might be unable to carry out. No law should be passed which would override the Synod or the Standing Committee, which represented the Synod. Mr Packer considered it would be a most dangerous thing to compel the Standing Committee to make up the amount. The Rev. G. J. Cholmondeley moved, as a further amendment —" That in the event of any parish being unable, in the opinion of the Standing Committee, to guarantee the amount necessary with the sum provided for, the Church Property Trustees will make up the minimum stipond fixed by the Synod, the stipend of such clergyman shall be made up as far as possible from any special fund provided for such purpose." Tho Rev. Canon Cotterill consented to accept Mr Cholmondeley's amendment in lieu of his original resolution. It was moved, seconded, and agreed to—- " That all the words after the word _' That ' in the Dean's original resolution be omitted." Mr Ford's amendment was then put and nogatived. The Rev. G. J. Oholmondeley's amendment was then put and carried. The Rev. Canon Cotterill moved—" That it is desirable that provision be made, bb far as possible, for securing the punctual payment of clerical stipends in all cases." The Rev. J. W. Stack seoonded the resolution, which was carried. The Rev. Canon Cotterill moved — " That this Synod recognises the principle of extra payment for long service." Before the resolution was put, the Rev. H. O. M. Watson entered a protest against it, as he thought there Bhould be some limitation, so as to exclude the incumbents holding the richer cures. CXBEGT PENSIONS. The secretary, on the motion of Mr Malet, read the annual report of the Clergy Pension Board.

NOTICES OP MOTION. Notices of motion having been given, the Synod adjourned at 10 p.m.