GENERAL SYNOD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1924, 24 April 1880, Page 3

GENERAL SYNOD.

Friday, Apbil 23. The Synod resumed at 4 o'clock. A number of notices of motion were given for Monday's sitting, and papers were laid upon the table to come before the Synod for consideration hereafter. Resolutions accompanying the first report of the trusts committee were submitted by the Bishop of Waiapu as follows : "1. That the trustees of the Genoral Church Trust be instructed to allot out of the net annual income of the trust in eaoh year the folio wing sums :— (a) Fifty pounds to be paid to the diocese of Waiapu so soon as for each fifty pounds claimed a sum of not less than one hundred and fifty pounds shall have been raised and paid to the treasurer of the Biahoprio Endowment Fund of the said diocese, and on the further condition that the Bishop of the said diocese shall certify to the said trustees that the said sum of one hundred and fifty pounds is in the hands_ of the treasurer for the purpose aforesaid, (b) Forty pounds for the travelling expenses of clergy to and from the meeting place of the General Synod. (c) Fifty pounds for the expenses of arohidiaconal visitations in those dioceee3 in which no local endowment exists for the purpose. (d) Sixty pouudß for the maintenance of candidates for Holy Orders whilst under instruction or examination by the Bishop or his chaplain previous to ordination, to be granted to such candidates as may be recommended by the Bishops of their respective dioceses, and who shall have obtained the highest places in the first class of the seoond grade of the Board of Theological Studies. 2. That the Trustees of the General Church Trust be authorised to appropriate a sum not exceeding one hundred pounds in the whole for expenditure in repairs to the Bishop's residence at Auckland as recommended by tho Synod of the diocese. 3. That the report and accounts of the General Church Trust for the three years ended June 30th, 1879, and also the acoounts of the Trusts presented to Synod at the session of 1877, be printed, together with a statement of the objects of the Trust, and the names ofjthe Trustees, in the appendix to the Proceedings of the present Synod."

The resolutions were considered seriatim, and in sub-section d an amendment was made, leaving out all the words after the word " diocese," and substituting the following words, " at the discretion of the Board of Theological Studies." The resolutions were then put collectively, and agreed to. The Bishop of Nelson moved—" 1. That an assessment be made of not more than £9 per annum upon each diocese to cover printing and other expenses. 2. That 300 copies of the examination papers be printed for circulation and use in eaoh diocese. 3. That efforts be made to raise exhibitions of £6O per annum for theological students ; such exhibitions to be offered as soon as the Board of Theological Studies shall have received a sufficient sum of money contributed for the purpose; to be held at Buch College and on such conditions as the Board of Theological Studios shall approve. 4. That a fee of 5s be paid by each candidate at each examination ; such fee to be devoted to the formation of a fund to be expended in prizes at the discretion of the Board. 5. That the Board be authorised to invite donations in land or otherwise for the carrying out the purposes of the Board."

The resolutions were carried, and the following gentlemen appointed members of the Theological Board—The Very Rev. the Dean of Christchurch, the Van. Archdeacon Maunsell, the Rev. W. V. Harvey, Hon. Mr Tancred, Hon. Mr Acland, and C. Hunter Brown. Mr Tanored moved—" That the recommendation of the Select Committee on the memorial of the Synod of the diocese of Auckland be adopted by the Synod, namely, —' That in order to give the Diocesan Synod of Auckland a voice in the management of St. John's College, the six Governors now appointed by the Bishops should be appointed by the Synod of the diocese of Auckland; and that the authority to appoint six Governors delegated to that Synod may be heroafter resumed bv the General Synod, if the General Synod shall see fit.' " Seconded by Mr Grigg. A discussion ensued, during whioh the Bishop of Auckland pointed out that the committee whose recommendation they were considering had departed from the question really submitted to them, namely, whether three additional governors should be appointed to the Board of Governors of St. John's College. At the same time he had no objection to the power asked for being conferred upon the Diocesan Synod if it could be done consistently with the terms of the trust. The Bishop of Auckland warmly opposed the proposal to localise the supreme authority on the ground that the institution in question was established by Bishop Selwyn for the benefit of the Ecclesiastical province as a whole. At this stage the debate was interrupted by the hour of adjournment. On resuming, The Synod proceeded to the orders of the day. Mr Grigg moved the second reading of the Bill to Amend Statute No. 2, for organising Diocesan Synods. He remarked that the Bill as now proposed only referred to that part of the resolution passed by the Synod of the Diocese of Christchurch affecting the qualifications of clerical representatives to the Diocesan Synod, and did not exclude Deacons in charge. One of the reasons that had induced the present proposal was that members should, as far as possible, be men of experience and holding responsible office ; also, he pointed out that the alteration suggested was in accord with the ancient usage of the Oauroh, deacons being admitted but not allowed to vote in the old Church. As the law now Btood floating members of the clerical body virtually unattached could make laws to govern others, themselves being exempt from the operation of those laws. He submitted that, in the nature of things, they would not in all probability, be so well fitted to make rules er regulations applicable to circumstances to which they were strangers. But his principal reason in advancing this proposal was that the standard of the members of the Synod should be made to be as high as it could be, consistent with the free and voluntary system within this Ohuroh.

A debute ensued on the motion, several members of the Synod pointing out that the effeofc of the Bill would be, practically, to disfranchise a class of men whoso presence at Synod meetings had been of signal service in the operations of Church Government, referring particularly to deacons. Mr Grigg, in his reply, urged the Synod to pass the second reading, remarking that the matter had been considered by the Diocesan Synod of Christchurch. The Bill was read a second time. The Synod then went into committee on the Bill, the text of which was as follows : Clause 2—After the word "Clergy," in line 2, to add the following words, viz.— " Who hold diocesan offices, or are Incumbents of parishes, or ministers of parochial districts." An amendment was proposed in committee to subetitule for the proposal of the Bill the following :—" That after the word ' clergy," in line 2, these words be added—' Who have been not ieea than years in holy orders, or who are not engaged in any secular profession other than tuition.' " After a long debate, the original proposal of the Bill was rejected, and the House subsequently negatived the amendment. The Chairman then reported progress without asking leave to sit again. The second reading of the Statute No. 4 Amendment Bill was moved by Mr Bous Marten, who, in doing so, spoke of the great importance of there being an interpretation of the word communicant. It was to provide a definition of that term ho had introduced the Bill before tho House, the text of which was as follows: "Proamble. —Whereas it is expedient to define the term ' Communicant,' as used in the 6th sec ion of Statute No. 4 : Be it therefore rooolved by tho Bishops, clergy, and laitv of of the Church of tho province of New Zealand in .Synod assembled, as follows :—l. In the 11th s'ection of Statute No. 4 the follow-

ing words shall be inserted after the word ' parish ' in the fourth line of that ssction : —" The word ' Communicant,' for the purposes of this Statute, shall be taken to mean any man of the age of twenty-one years or upwards who shall have subscribed a declaration in the churchwardens' book that he is a oommunicant of the Church of the province of New Zealand, commonly called the Church of England.' " The motion was seconded by the Ten. Archdeacon Stock. A discussion took place, during which several speakers, while agreeing with thn principle of the measure, expressed their opinion that the amendment proposed by the mover would require to be modified, Mr Harman pointing out that it might possibly be found to go beyond what Mr Marten aimed at, by excluding persons non-residents in a parish to be churchwardens or vestrymen. The Rev. Mr Leighton and Mr Tanored stated that they should be prepared to propose amendments in Committee, and the Dean of Christchurch spoke at some length in opposition to the measure. He recognised the desirability of legislating in the direction indicated, but suggested that the B'll should be withdrawn and brought up in another form. A debate of considerable length then followed, and Mr Marten replied to the several objections raised, saying that he did not propose to alter the present statute, but to supply an admitted doficiency. The Bill was then read a second time, and the Synod went into committee upon it. An amendment was proposed and fully discussed, when it was pointed out that the committee on registration was dealing with a matter that would affect the question, and would report on Monday, It was then resolved to report progress, and ask leave to sit again on Monday, and the matter was postponed till that date. The Synod then went into oommittee on the report of the committee on Sessional Committees, when The Bishop of Melanesia moved to leave out all the words after "sessional " in the report, and add the following words : —" There shall bo a Sessional Committee, which, unless otherwise ordered, shall be nominated to the Synod by the President, and such committee shall nominate the following Sessional Committees (here name those carried in the report). And to place the clause, ' The committee to be nominated not later than the third day of Session,' at the end of the motion, after the word 'quorum.' " After a desultory discussion, the motion was carried, and, on the chairman reporting to the House, the question was put that the report of the committee be adopted, which was unanimously carried. The Synod then (at 11.45) adjourned till Monday at the usual hour.