DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1800, 27 November 1879, Page 3

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Wednesday, Novembbb 26. The Synod met at four o'clock, his Lordship the Biehop presiding. After prayers, the minutes of the previous day's sitting were read and confirmed. The Rev. E. Penny moved—" That this Synod recognising the value of services rendered by women, duly authorised by the Bishop, and under the direction of the parochial clergy in the church at home, would gladly see the organisation of such work in the diocese, and commends to the Church Society, or failing its establishment, to the Church work extension committee, the supplementing of funds to be raised by parishes for that purpose." The mover dwelt at some length on the services rendered by women as church workers in different capacities, showing that they formed at home a constituent part of the Church organisation. He then went on to pourtray the peculiar sphere of usefulness that women would fill. In conclusion, Mr Penny asked leave to amend his resolution by striking out all the words after diocese, and introducing the words, " And respectfully commends the consideration of the question to his Lordrhip the Bishop." The Rev. Mr Elton seconded the motion. The Rev. Mr Lingard expressed the hope that the latter part of the resolution might still be retained. The Dean spoke of the desirability of having trained lady nurses in our hospitals, and for attendance upon the sick. He heartily supported the motion. Considerable discussion ensued.

His Lordship recommended the retention of the words proposed to be struck out re the Church Work Society. He had brought out with him rules and regulations of an institution such as it was contemplated establishing, and he had continually kept the idea in mind, but the difficulty that had always presented itself in this matter was the want of the necessary funds. He hoped the mover would consent to retain the words. The Rev. Mr Penny agreed to let his motion stand in its original form, after what had fallen from the president, and seeing that the principle of the motion was affirmed by those who had spoken. The motion was then carried in this form —" That this Synod recognising the value of the services rendered by women, duly authorised by the Bishop, and under the direction of the parochial clergy in the church at home, would gladly see the organisation of such work in the diocese and commends it to the consideration of the Bishop, and also to the Ohuroh Work Society, ov failing its establishment to the Church Work Extension Committee, the supplementing of funds to be raised by parishes for that purpose."

Mr Parker moved lution of the Select Committee, on the petition of the Church members of the Waimate parochial district be adopted by Synod, viz. :—' That that portion of the parochial district of Waimate included within the following boundaries be declared a parish —Commencing at the mouth of the River Hook, along the course of that river to its source; thence to the summit of Mount Two Peaks ; thence in a south-westerly direction to where the old boundary line between run 412 and run 321 touches the Waihoa j thence along the above-mentioned line to the River Waitaki; thence easterly to the sea; thence north-easterly along the sea coast to the starting point.' " The resolution was carried. Mr Harman moved—" That the Synod do go into committee to consider the following proposals:— " 1. That the Church Property Trustees be requested to raise a loan on the security of the Christchurch parsonage reserve for the assistance of the parishes of St. Michael and All Angels, St. John and St. Luke, and of the fourth parish to be created hereafter. "2. That after payment of a debt now existing upon the reserve, the loan shall be apportioned equally by the several parishes. " 3. That the rents derived from the reserve shall be applied in payment of the interest on the loan, and that any deficiency should be j conlributed equally by the several parishes. "4. That, .in order to provide for the repayment of the loan, the several parishes shall take up and keep on foot shares in the Permanent Investment and Loan Association, equal in their prospective value to the amount of their respective loans. "5. That over and above the general guarantee of the parish to make up their own share of any deficiency, as referred to in resolution No. 3, and to keep up the shares referred in resolution No. 4, personal guarantees for both of the above payments shall be provided in each of the parishes to the satisfaction of the Church Property Trustees. " 6. That the purposes for which the above loans may be granted, shall be the defraying the cost of ohurch, school, or parsonage building in the several parishes. "7. That the concurrence of each of the parishes interested by a condition precedent to the raising of the loan, and to its apportionment between the parishes." The Committee discussed the resolutions at some length, and considerable amendments were made, the resolutions being ultimately passed in the following form : "1. That the Church Property Trustees be requested to raise a loan not exceeding £SOOO on the security of the Christchurch parsonage reserve for the assistance of the parishes of St. Michael and All Angels, St. John the Baptist, and St. Luke the Evangelist, and of the fourth parish to be created hereafter. "2. That after payment of a debt amounting to the principal sum of about £ISOO, now existing upon the reserve, the loan shall be apportioned equally between the four parishes. The portion which will fall to the fourth parish shall be managed by the Ohurch Property Trustees under the general direction of the Standing Committee." In the third resolution the word " shall" was substituted for " should," after the word deficiency. In the fourth resolution the words "of Canterbury " after" association." Clause five passed without amendment. The sixth clause was amended by introducing the words "past or future " after the word "building." "7. That the concurrence of eaoh of the the parishes interested bo a condition precedent to the raising of the loan, and to its apportionment between the parishes ; provided that until the formation of the fourth parish its interests shall be represented by the Ohurch Property Trustees." The fallowing additional clause was passed : —" It shall be the duty of the treasurer to the Church Property Trustees to satisfy himself monthly that the payments on the shares referred to in clause four have been duly made." The usual adjournment was taken at halfpast six o'clock.

On resuming at 7.30, The Synod proceeded to the Orders of the Day, but the Bev. O. Bowen and Mr Grigg, who had motions to move, being absent, the Synod referred back to the notices of motion. The debate was resumed on Archdeacon Harper's motion—" That in the opinion of this Synod it is desirable that the General Synod, at itß next session, should take into consideration some measure which may have the effect of restraining any proposal to legislate in General Synod in reference to alterations of, or additions to, the Prayer Book and Formularies, so that no such legislation should be possible until after due information has been given to the several Diocesan Synods of the proposal, and until after the General Synod shall have itself considered the matter fully during the course of at least two of its triennial sessions,' be continued. The Bev. Mr Flavell continued the dobate in support. Mr Walker followed in opposition to the motion. He did not consider they had arrived at a position to alter any of the fundamental conditions—their relation to the Church now was the same as when the Constitution was I established.

The Bev. Mr Cholmondely spoke strongly against the resolution, which, if carried, would seem to contemplate a possible change in the formularies, whereas he contended that they were bound by the fundamental provisions of the Constitution of the United Church of England and Ireland, to which they should trust to put down any attempt to introduce changs. The Hon. H. B. Gresson followed in a similar drain, and the Dean also spoke in opposition to the motion. The Ven. Arohdeacon Harper replied. The motion was then put and negatived on the voices. On the motion of Archdeacon Harper, a Bill to repeal the financial regulations of Westland was introduced, and read a first time, the second reading being made an Order of the Day for Thursday. The Bev. W. A. Pascoe moved—" That in the opinion of tbis.Sjnod it is desirable that on the appointment of a clergyman

to a cure, the parish or parochial district to which he has been appointed shall bear at least one-half of the expenses inourred by him in travelling to and taking charge of the cure."

The Hon. H. B. Gresson seconded the resolution, which he thought it was necessary should be placed upon record. '- :< Mr Malet moved that the words " at least one-half " should bo struck out, so that the parishes should pay the entire expenses of travelling. Seconded by Mr Harman. The motion, as amended, was carried. Mr Malet moved—" That the Church Property Trustees shall insure the churohes in all parishes and districts in the name of the Church Property Trustees, and that the parishes and distriots be called upon to pay such insurances at the end of the quarter in which the insurance shall be made. If such payments be not made by the parishes and districts the amount shall be deducted by the Diocesan treasurer from the next quarterly grant from the Church Property Trust to such parishes and districts, such amount to be repaid to the Church Property Trustees." Mr Harman seconded the motion. After some little discussion,

Mr Malet, at the suggestion of Mr MoIntyre, withdrew his resolution, and gave notice to bring it forward again next sitting day, with amendments, to include parsonages and schools.

The Bev. F. Knowles moved—" That a select committee be appointed to take into consideration that portion of the Bishop's address which relates to the need of a second clergyman to minister to the seamen in Lyttelton, and to report during this session; that the committee consist of the Very Bev. the Dean, the Vcn. Archdeacon Dudley, the Bev. J. Townsend, the Bev. Arthur Davidson, Messrs H. Selwyn Smith, H. B. Webb, and the mover ; and that the Bishop be respectfully requested to act on this committee." Carried.

The Bev. Canon Cotterill moved—|'That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend Dioceßan Statute for the Begnlating the Election of Synodsmen by the substitution for clause 11 of the following clause : ' If there should be more candidates nominated by papers left with the Beturning Officer than the number to be elected, or if there shall be a greater number of candidates nominated at the meeting than the number to be elected, then the Beturning Officer shall immediately after the day of nomination notify by public advertisement, and if possible by announcement in the Church, the names of the candidates, and his readiness to supply to all electors of the district voting papers in the form provided in schedule A, hereunto annexed, and shall so supply them on application. Such voting papers shall be made returnable before 4 p.m. on a day to be appointed by the Beturning Officer, being not less than fourteen days from the day of nomination.' "

The Bill was introduced, passed through the first stage, second reading, and made an order of the day for the day following. The Synod then proceeded to the election of the following Committees : Standing Committee, Diocesan Nominators Committee, Diocesan Education Committee. The two latter were re-elected as constituted last year. The following gentlemen were elected a Standing Committee : —Clergy—Bev. Canon Cotterill, the Dean, Bevs. Cholmondeley, Stack, Pascoe, and Harris; laity —Messrs Malet, Blakiston, Tancred, Herman, Packer, and Mclntyre. The Dean moved :—l. "That the Synod proceed to fill up the vacancies in the Cathedral Commission caused by the retirement by rotation of the following members, viz : The Bev. H. B. Cocks, Mr 0. C. Bowen, Mr H. Thompson, Mr C. B. Blakiston." 2. "That the Bev. H. B. Cocks, Mr C. O. Bowen, Mr H. Thomson, and Mr 0. E. Blakiston, be re-elected members of the Cathedral Commission." The motion was carried.

Archdeacon Harper moved : —" That in the opinion of this Synod it is desirable that Statute No. V, General Synod, 'to provide for the appointment of Pastors to Parishes,' should be amended at the next session of the General Synod, so as to provide for the presence of the Bishop of the Diocese at the Board of Nominators as Chairman of the Board, provided that the Bishop should not vote, and that he should retire from the meeting previous to the actual nomination being made." After discussion, during which some members' took exception to the proposal that the Bishop should have no vote, The mover asked to amend his resolution by striking out the latter part after the word " Board." A division was taken on the motion as amended, resulting as follows : Ayes. Noes. Clergy 10 5 Laity 4 11 14 16 The Bev. E. A. Lingard moved :—" That in the opinion of this Synod, it is the duty of those members of Synod who do not attend its session, that they should, as a mark of respect due to the Bight Bev. the President and the Synod generally, address a letter of apology to the President, stating the reasons of their inability to take their seats." Carried.

The Bev. J. W. Stack moved:—" That the Standing Committee be recommended to give effect to the petition of the Kaiapoi Natives in as far as the funds of the Maori Mission will allow." Carried.

The following motion stood in Mr Walker's name : —" That in the opinion of this Synod it is desirable as a general rule all candidates for Holy Orders should, before ordination, have taken the B.A. Degree." His Lordship said he must decline to put the resolution unless some satisfactory explanation was offered, inasmuch as the object of it appeared to be to limit the discretionary power of the Bishop. Mr Walker regretted that he should have brought forward a motion which the President thought it necessary to reject, but, in explanation, assured his Lordship that he (the mover) had by the words "general rule" intended to convey that the resolution was not intended to interfere with the discretionary power of the Bishop. The motion was withdrawn.

The Bev. G. Cotterill moved for leave to bring in a Bill for adding to Standing Orders certain Orders relating to petitions. The Bill was read a first time; second reading for next day. After notices of motion being given, the Synod rose at 12 o'clook.