GENERAL SYNOD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1928, 29 April 1880, Page 3

GENERAL SYNOD.

Wednesday, Apbii, 28. The Synod resumed at 4 o'clock. In reference to the question of voting, and the method of taking divisions, which had been raised by the Bishop of Nelson on the previous day, The President announced that he proposed, ■with the concurrence of the Bench of Bishops, " That the votes of the bishops should in future bo taken by one of their order simultaneously with the secretaries taking the votes of the clerical and lay members of the Synod, and the votes thuß taken by one of the Bishops would be handed to the secretaries when making out their lists." Several reports were presented, and a number of notices of motion given. Mr Liffiton, on behalf of Mr Tanored, moved—" That the Most Reverend the Primate be respectfully requested to cause to be printed with the Proceedings of the General Synod all such of the New Zealand statutes as may in any way affect the powers, functions, obligations, or mode of action of the General Synod or of any Diocesan Synod, together with such portions of Acts, ordinances, or official notifications as may be referred to in Buch statutes." Seconded by Mr Collins.

After discussion (Mr Tancred not being present) the motion was postponed till the following day. On the motion of the Dean of Christchurch, a Bill to amend Btatute No. 14 was introduced and read a first time, and the second reading made an ordor of the day for Thursday.

The Dean then moved—" That the Synod do adjourn on Thursday next at six o'clock until the following day for the purpose of erabling members to attend a general Church meeting, to be held in St. Michael's schoolroom at half-past seven o'clook on that evening." Seconded by Archdeacon Butt, and carried. Archdeacon Harper moved—" That the report of the committee on sessional committees, adopted April 23rd, be a new Standing Order, under the heading ' Sessional Committees.' "

Mr Bioe seconded the motion, which was carried. Tho Bov. Canon Cotterill moved—" For eave to introduce a Bill to repeal Statute No. 15, and to enact in its place a Statute for fixing the qualification of parishioners, and electors of synodsmen, and lay representatives for the General Synod." The leave asked for was granted, and the Bill read a first lime, the second reading being made an order of the day for Thursday.

On tho motion of the Dean of Christchurch the following Bills were introduced and read a first time :—Bill to amend Statute No. 1, Bill to amend Statute No. 2, Bill to amend Statute 4. The second readings were made orders of the day for Thursday.

The Dean of Christohurch moved—" 1. That the report of the Commission on Canons be printed with the proceedings of tho present session, together with the Analysis of a Digest of the Constitution and Statutes in the forms of Canons which has boon hid on the tablo by the Commission. 2. That it be a recommendation to the next G-onoral Synod to consider the expediency of adopting the procedure recommended by the Commission in reference to legislation, and of giving the force of formal enactment to such a Digest of Crnons as that which has been prepared by th s Commission." Seconded by Archdeacon Butt, and carried.

The Bishop of Waiapu moved resolutions accompanying interim report No. 3 of Trusts Committee —'" 1. That the interim report No. 3 of the Trusts Committee relative to Native Schools Trusts be printed with the proceedings of this Synod. 2. That the resolution, Native School .Trust, marked o, at page 194 of General Synod Report, 1877, be rescinded, and that in lieu thereof the General Synod deth hereby reflolve as follows :—ln order to secure the full effioienoy of the Native school

at Taurarua (Auokland), the Bishop of the diocese shall be a trustee, and shall be specially charged with the supervision of the school. 3. That the General Synod doth hereby instruct the Diocesan Trusts Board of the Diocese of Wellington to fill up the two vacancies at present existing in the Bo ml of trustees of the Wanganui Endowed School by the appointment of two local trust eefl," The motions were carried. The Bishop of Waiapu moved—" That the interim report No. 4 of the trusts committee relative to sales and exchanges of trust properties, &c, be printed, with the proceedings of the General Synod." The motion was carried, and the Synod then went into committee to consider proposals for conferring certain powers on church property trustees in Auckland, Hawke's Bay, and Wellington. These motions were under consideration when the evening adjournment was taken. On resuming at half-past 7 o'clock, The Ten. Archdeacon Harper moved the second reading of a Bill entituled a Statute for Establishing Diocesan Boards. The text of the statute was as follows : " Preamble—Whereas it is expedient that Diocesan Councils bo established for the purpose of considering the general fitness for the ministry of persons who may desire to become candidates for deacons' orders: Be it therefore resolved by the Bishops, clergy, and laity of the Church of the Province of New Zealand, commonly called the Church of England, in General Synod assembled, as follows : That for the purpose of considering the general fitness for the ministry of persons who may desire to become candidates for deacons' orders, there shall be established in each diocese a council to be called the Diocesan Council, such council to consist of two olorgymen and two laymen, to be appointed by the Bishop annually at the annual session of the Diocesan Synod. Every application to be allowed t j become a candidate for deacon's orders shall be made to the Bishop of the diocese, who shall then lay the application before the Diocesan Council. If the Council shall bo satisfied that the applicant is generally fitted for the work of the ministry, they shall certify the same to the Bishop in writing, in such manner as may seem to them most desirable. If the Council shall be unable to make such recommendation in favor of the applicant, they shall certify the same in writing to the Bishop. Provided that nothing herein contained shall bo held to oblige the Bishop to ordain any applicant whose general fitness shall have been so certified as aforesaid, or to affect the power of the Bishop to require any special standard of qualification he may deem necessary for candidates for Holy Orders."

The Bev. Canon Cotterill seconded the motion.

At the request of Canon Cotterill, on behalf of Ms order, the clergy retired to a separate chamber to confer as to the motion before the House ; and a similar request being preferred by Mr Maude on behalf of laymen, that order also retired by themselves for conference. The two orders returned, after an absence of one hour, when The Dean, in moving an amendment, remarked upon the important precedent that had been formed on this, the first occasion upon which the privilege they had just exeroised had been taken advantage of by the G-eneral Synod. It had been generally desired to give the matter before the House very careful consideration, and ho was pleased to be able to state that the result of the deliberations of the clergy bore evidence as to the wisdom of the course adopted. Both laity and clergy were averse to any action which could be interpreted into an invasion of the speoial privileges of their bishops, but they recognised that the episcopal authorities were often placed in a position of difficulty in regard to the question at issue, and the present proposal had been framed with the view of obviating that difficulty. The amendment he had to propose, in which Archdeacon Harper fully concurred, was as follows—- " That a respectful recommendation be made to the Bench of Bishops, that before receiving any person as a candidate for deacon's orders, they should summon a council of advice to consider with them, as a preliminary question, aB to the general fitness of the person for the office which he seeks." The Hon. H. B. G-resson seconded the amendment on behalf of the Order he represented, and in doing so remarked that the laity were anxious to be understood as not in any way desiring to interfere with what had been called the inalienable right of the Bishops, but merely wished that the Bishops should have the advantage of information which would be of service to them in making appointments of the kind, an object which would be beat secured by the course it was proposed to adopt. He had therefore great pleasure in seconding the amendment. The Bishop of Wellington expressed the opinion that however satisfactory the result of the proceeding adopted in relation to this matter had been, he thought it would be found most satisfactory in future by not being acted upon too frequently. In illustration of his meaning he pointed out that such a course of action (i.e., the orders retirin)g virtually precluded the clergy and laity from hearing any arguments the Bishops might have to offer on the question before the House. Apart from this, however, he need hardly say that he heartily approved of the resolution arrived at, since it was in direct conformity with what he had strenuously advocated at former meetings of the Synod, when he had met with a good deal of opposition. The Bishop of Dunedin expressed his concurrence in the amendment before the House.

The Bishop of Nelson also intimated his approval of the course recommended, but would, in a general sense, deprecate the orders retiring to consider questions of importance, as he considered it was due to the Bishops and necessary to efficient legislation that the reasons through which resolutions were arrived at should be made known and subject to criticism.

The amendment, as moved by the Dean, was then put to the Synod and carried item.

Mr Tancred, by leave of the House, moved the resolution standing in his name, and which had been postponed during the afternoon sitting. The motion was amended in places, and passed as follows :—" That the Moßt Beverend the Primate be respectfully requested to cause to be printed in pamphlet form all suoh of the New Zealand statutes as may in any way affect the powers, functions, obligations, or mode of action of the General Synod or of any Diocesan Synod, together with suoh portions of Acts, Ordinances, or official notifications aa may bo referred to in suoh statutes."

The Synod (in committee) continued tho consideration of the report respecting church trusts in the dioceses of Auckland, Hawke's Bay, and Wellington, and the resolutions were reported with amendments to the. House, and passed. The Synod then adjourned at 11 o'clock.