DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2671, 28 October 1882, Page 3

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

(Friday, OCJtobbb 27. The Synod mat at 4 p.m., at whioh houi the President took the ehair, The President intimated that he had received intimation of the election of Mr A. H. W«stenra as Synodsman for Akaroa, Bsv. H. O. M. Watson brought up the report of tho Seleot Committee on the "Churob News," whioh waff read as follows : " The Sefcot Committee appointed to report upon the best means of increasing the efficiency of the ' New Zealand Church News,' beg to report ns follows : " That the annual cost of the present issue of the " New Zealand Church News,' of say 600 copies, is about £260 10s: " That ttfe receipts, less the grant of £SO hitherto made towards the expenses of publishing the paper, amount to about £230 a year. In addition to the annual deficit thus shown there ia an outstanding liability of £222 15s 61 due to the Bishop of the diocese (See Synod report, page 89), There are other liabilities incurred and incurring, whioh, by the end of the year will amount to say £l3B 13s 4.1. To meet these there are more than sufficient available assets in the shape of balance of grant and outstanding subscriptions. Tour committee therefore beg to recommend that the following resolutions be adopted by the Synod:— "1. That it is expedient that a limited liability company be formed for tho purpose of publishing the 'New Zealand Ohuroh News.'

"2. That the Church Work Society be requested to take the necessary steps to carry out the foregoing resolution, making such conditions ss may seem to them necessary, in order to preserve the Diocesan character of the paper. "3. That it be an understanding that the company, to bo formed, undertake the liability to the Bishop, amounting to £222 15s 6i (see Synod report, page 89), and any other liabilities that may be outstanding at the time of the formation of the oompany.

" Contingent upon the above resolutions being adopted, the committee recommend : " That a Bill to amend clanse 1, subsection e, and clause 13, of the Diooesan Statute for constituting a Ohnreh Work Society (page 47) be introduced and passed through all its stages during the present session of Synod." Ven. Archdeacon Harris brought up the report of the Seleot Committee on the severance of the Fecdalton parish from Biooarton. It raoommended that the prayer of the petitioners be granted, but not until Easter, 1883.

Mr Ford moved—"l. That with respect to the estates under the control of the Church Property Trustees, this Synod sanctions the granting of leases with compensation clauses, renewable at speoified dates in perpetuity, subject to the Trustees having the right reserved to themselves in the lease to determine the interest of the lessee by purchase at the expiration of any one of the terms. 2. That with rospeot to the estate under the control of the Diooesan Board, this Synod sanctions the granting of leases on conditions similar ts the leases proposed to be granted in respeot of the estates under the control of the Ohuroh Property Trustees, with the exoeption that the lease be not granted as renewable for a longer period than sixty years from the original date, and that at tbe end of the last term of the lease no compensation should be given. 3. That the Church Property Trustees and the Lioossan Board of Trustees are hereby recommended, in granting leases sanctioned under the above resolutions, to adopt the conditions and- modifications set forth in the report of the Select Committee upon the draft lease prepared for the Church Property Trustees and submitted to the committee."

The resolutions were put teriatim and agreed to. It was resolved to have the report of the committee printed. Mr W. Deveniah Meares moved—" 1. That the resolution on 'rent of the Church reserve, Cranmer rquare,' passed in 1879, be resoinded. 2. That the back rent acoruing from the reserve in Orsnmer square from April Ist, 1881, to Ootober 31st, 1882, bs paid to the Vestry of St. Luke's Parish, and that the rent for the future be devoted by the Ohuroh Property Trustees towards the payment of the interest and sinking fnnd necessary to the carrying out, on behalf of the * Fourth Parish,' to be created hereafter in Ohristohuroh, of the resolution on the Ohristohuroh parsonage reserve, adopted 1879. 3. That the Synod recommend the Ohuroh Property Trustees to make good in the first instance any deficiency on account of interest and sinking fund of tbe loan of £BOO made to the fourth parish, on the understanding that the said [deficiency should eventually be returned to them by the fourth parish when the sinking fund of that parish has matured, or the parish has been constituted." Hon. H. B. Greason seconded the motion, whioh was agreed to. Mr Webb moved—" That the prayer of the petitioners for the severance of Fendalton from Biooarton be granted, and that it be constituted a parish with tho boundaries as set forth, with a proviso that the severaaoe of the parish do not take place until Monday in Easter week, and that the condition of clause 17 of Diocesan Statute No. 4 be complied with to the satisfaction of the standing committee."

The Daon eeoonded the motion, which wns oarried.

The Rynod adjourned at 6.30 p.m. On resuming, the debate wai continued. Mr L. Harpor (aid the effect of the resolution would be to divide a pariah whioh waß at present successfully worfced by one olergyman and a ourato into two aeoond late and inferior parishes. The majority of the parishioners were opposed to the proposed change, and it was through a misapprehension that a stronger counter petition bad not been presented. Although he looked upon the division as a great evil and as premature, yet seeing that the contending parties had shown so much feeling, and that an impartial tribunal had recommended suoh a course, be thought it would be better to separate ths parish as proposed. Ths Ten. Arohdeacon Harris said the information before the committee proved that the separation was desirable without delay, and that the new parish would be able to support a clergyman. The Eev. C. Bowen, as incumbent of the parish concerned, said the legislation of the Synod in regard to the division of parishes was very defective. Instead of a parish being oarved up merely on the petition of a few members residing ia it, with insufficient evidence brought before the oommittee a few I days beforehand, the matter should be thoI roughly inquired into and remitted to the j Standing Oommittee three months before the 1 final decision.

The Rev. F. Knowles said the committee were satisfied that there was a majority in number and amount in favour of the separation.

The Bev. Mr Glasson explained that, ae a resident in Fendaltown, and knowing the feelings and wishes o£ the people,_be_ had signed the petition in favour of the division. Aftor some further discnsiion Mr Webb replied, and the motion was put and oarried on the voioes. The following gentlemen were eleoted to serve as nominators for the newly constituted parish:—Messrs Fereday, Latter, Hobday, and Ellis. Mr Mclntyre moved the eaoond reading of a Bill to amend the regulations relating > _Jo the Capitular body. '^l Motion agreed to and Bill considered in committee, reported to the Synod, and subsequently read a third time. The Bev. Canon Cotterill moved—' The second reading of the Bill to amend ' the instructions to Ohuroh officers appointed by the Bishop to superintend registration in paroohial districts' by substituting in olauae 2, seotion F, for the words 'the 16th of October,' the words 'the first Monday in November."' Motion agreed to, and Bill committed ana reported. The Bill was read a third time at a subsequent stage. i he Bev Canon Cotterill moved the second reading of the Bill to amend "Diocesan statute for regulating tho eleotion of synodsmen : " for the purpose of adding to eehedule B the following words—" the distriot of St. Albans one synodsman, the distriot of Tangs.wai one synodsman, the parish o£ Fendalton one synodsman." Motion agreed to; Bill committed, reported to the Synod, and read a third time. On the motion of the Bev. Canon Choimondeley, the Bill to Amend the Cemetery Regulations was read a second time and committed. On the motion oi Mr W. D. Meares, progress was reported. On the motion of the Bev. Canon Cotterill, the following proviso was added to resolution 2 of the resolutions on "Seamen's minion :

I —" Provided that the office of chaplain t I the seamen is held by a clergyman cot re I cciring any grant from the stipend fund." , J The Bev. Oanon Cotterill moved for leav I to bring in s Bill to amend the regulation 01 I " i&struotions for the guidance and informa J tion of the ministers, churohwarden*, vestry j men, and parishioners in . parishes" 03 J substituting in olanie 15, section 9, th< j words " the flrafc Monday in the Hovembei following" for the words "the 15th day of J October." Motion agreed to, and Bill read a first 1 time. I On the motion of the Eer. O. Bowon (in r tho absence of Mr Grigg), the report of the Christ's College. Chapel Committee was ! adopted. The Bev. Canon Cotterill moved—" That a payment at the rate of £SO per annum' from the Church Proporty Trust Fund be allotted to each cure in the provincial distriofc of Canterbury for the year ending Dsoember 3ilt, 1883, and an additional payment of £SO per annum to all cure* in which an assistant

curate has been appointed in accordance witb Snancial regulations, olauce 2, sub-sections a aad b ; and for the same year a payment at the rate of £SO per annum shall be made to the chaplain of the Ohristchurch Hospital, Lunatic Asylum, Female Befnge, and other pubiio institutions; also, a payment at the rate of £25 per annum shall be made to the acting chaplain of the Ohristohurch gaol and barracks, and the same amount to the acting chaplain of the Lyttelton gaol ; also, a payment at the rate of £SO to the curate in charge of Burnham and Dunanndel in consideration of services performed at the Industrial School, Burnham. The above allowances to be subject to a pro rata reduction in case of insufficient income." At the suggestion of the Bev. K. A. Xiingard, the words "and other pubiio institutions" were added. The motion was then agreed to. The Ber. Oanon Cholmondeley mo^ed—"That it is desirable that some principle should be laid down by the General Synod upon which the list of clergymen eatitlcd to vote at the election of olerioal representatives to the General Synod should be conducted. That the representatives of this diocese in the General Synod be requested to endeavor to give effect to thisresolut on." Motion agreed to. Xhe Very Bev. the Dean moved—" That the standing committee be requested to prepare draft regulations, to be submitted to the Synod at its next cession, for conducting the annual revision of the list of clergymen entitled to vote for clerical representatives in the General Synod." Motion agreed to. The Very Bev. the Dean moved—" That the Synod proceed to revise the list of clergymen entitled to veto for clerical representatives in the General Synod," Mr W. J. W. Hamilton moved the addition of the following words :—" That no names shall be placed or retained on the revised list of any clergymen who have habitually absented themselves from the meetings of this Diooeian Synod." Mr Meares seoondod. After some disoussion the amendment was

negatived. The Rev. 0. Bowen moved, as an amendment to the Dean'i motion —•• That all clergymen holding the Bishop's lioer.se for this year bs placed on the revised list of clergymen entitled to vote for clerical representatives in the General Synod." The Bev. Canon Ootterill seconded the amendment, whioh was put and negatived on the voices. The original motion was then carried, and the Synod proceeded to revise the list. Mr W. O. Eandall moved—" That as a means of carrying out the resolution adopted last session, ' That a library of sermons be formed for the use of lay readers,' the Primate be respeotfully requested to invite lay readers and others to give books of sermons for circulation until the Church Work Society is in a position to supply means for the purchase of books." The Very Bev. the Dean seconded. Motion agreed to. The following motion by the Bev. W. fl, Elton was withdrawn : —"1. That an educational endowment fund be established from any sources whioh may be available. 3. That the proceeds of the fund be appropriated to subsidising parochial church day schools wherever opened in the diocese under the regulations. (Synod report, page 71.) 3. That the administration of the fund be entrusted to the committee of the Church Work Sooiety." The Bev. |T. Elavell moved—" That while cordially recognising the work of the Sunday school, and while oamestly hoping that some Ohuroh day schools will soon be established, this Synod also earnestly trusts that every opportunity will be used for the purpose of imparting religious instruction in the Government sohools." When sohool committees were properly approached they very rarely refused clergymen entrance to the school, provided they did not go during school hours.

The Yen. Archdeacon Harris seoonded the motion, whioh was put and carried on the voices.

Mr J. L. Hobden |moved —"That the boundary between the parish of St. Saviour's, Sydenham, and the parochial district of Adding ton be altered, so as to include in the latter that block bounded by Orescent road from the point on that road where Addington and St. Miohael's parish, Ohristohurch, -join, thenoe westerly to Selwyn street south, thence southerly along Selwyn street to the junction of Stark's road with Selwyn street, thence by a straight line northerly to the starting point." The Bev. Mr Oocks seconded. Motion agreed to. The Yen. Arohdeaoon Harper moved—- " That it bo a recommendation to the OhuTch Property Trustees to raise from time to time, as may bo needed, and in such manner as may seem to them desirable, a sum not exceeding £ISOO to meet the requirements of parishes and parochial districts, the sums so raised to bo advanced as loans to parishes or parochial distriots, bearing such rates of interest as the trustees may have to pay : no suoh loan to exceed the sum of £3OO to any one parish or parochial district; such loans to bo applied in assistance of the erection, enlargement, and repair of churches, sohools, and parsonages throughout the diocese, provided that the indebtedness of any one parish or paroohial district to the Ohuroh Property Trustees at any one time shall not exoeed the sum of £SOO ; and that the Standing Committee be recommended to require as a condition in each case that suboriptions to onehalf of the amount of the loan be raised for the same object by the parish or district applying for such loan." The Bev. Canon Ootterill seoonded. After some discussion, Mr Malet hoped the resolution would be withdrawn. The subject could not be satisfactorily dealt with in the last hour of the Synod, and with a small attendance. It really amounted to an extra vote of £I6OO. The Dean said the motion had been on the paper for several days. He hoped the Synod would pass it. Mr Weston asked from what source it was proposed to raise this money t Members—" Borrow it." Mr Weston did not like to imagine the Church so hard up as to be obliged to borrow from A, B, O, and to take up investment shares for the purpose of providing security. At any rate, it showed the absolute necessity for a searching inquiry into the <overiil trusts now being administered; and when that inquiry was made, and the report laid before them, they would be able to lay down some principle upon whioh the future administration ol the Ohuroh should be oonduoted. As a man of business he did not like to see this method adopted of "raising the wind" to carry on the daily purposes of the Ohuroh. Seeing that they were in cxtremit— ["No"] when they had their clergymen's salaries discussed, and were obliged to appropriate a sinking fund to maintain the Cathedral services, no other conclusion oould be come to, but that they were in extremis, and to_ borrow as proposed was very questionable polioy. The Bev. P. Knowles explained that money was raised in various ways The regulations provided that application for a loan should be made to the standing committee, and it was granted on the recommendation of the Ohuroh Property Trustees. The money was paid over to the parish, aud a personal bond taken from oertain approved guarantors. It was also required that certain shares should be taken up in an investment association, and .the premiums kept up, and the interest paid regularly. Except in one district, in whioh the circumstances were peculiar, the interest and sinking fund had been in all cases closely kept up. This resolution did not involve any permanent draft on the funds of the trustees. The Yen. Archdeacon Harper said if tra motion were not passed the Church wonla suffer very much.

I The Synod divided on the retolution j Ayes—Oiergy, 10 ; laity, 10. Noes—Clergy 4; laity, 13. Essolution lost. Mr Melntyre moved—" That it be a recommendation to the Standing Committee It limit the grants from tho Clergy Stipend AH Fund, in the oaee of parishes, to an amount not exceeding £20." Mr Hamilton seconded. After some discussion the motion was withdrawn. !'J?he President moved—" That for every parish and parochial district In which there is no parsonage hoase, and to which, in accordance with the financial regulations, an annual payment of £2O is or shall be made in lien ol parsonage house, the Church Property Trustees be authorised to rsiße by loan a ram not exoeeding £250, to be appropriated, under the direetion of the Standing Committee, ai agrant towards the erection of a parsonage house in any such parish or diK'rict - r provided that not more than fire such grants be made before the expiration of the annual aesfion of the Synod m 1883." The Very Bev. the Dean seconded. ladoing so he referred to some rrmarke of Mr Weston in a previous debate, and said that • valuation of the general chtwoh estate, unencumbered, exclusive of the Bisnop and Chapter eetate, was made three ye°r« agoby MesßrH Harman and Acland, who put tho amount down at £243,000. The valuation of tho nrnnpr£v

mo p.-o-pei-ty uraer lease —aanmieaiv B low one—was £174,000. The present liabilities, consisting of an English loan on the general Trust Estate, amounted to £46,000. From this had to be deducted £6OOO sinking fund, and £BOOO duo bv the parishes, leaving imbalance of £32,fJ00. These figures would show that the Church was not in eatrenit± but that its borrowing pow> r was still large. The Ven. Archdeacon Harris moved that the following words ba added to the resolution—" Provided also that a sum of not leas than £2OO shall be raited by subscriptions or otherwise in tho parish or parochial district in which the grant is made." The words were added. Mr Hamilton moved as an amendment—- " That the motion be referred to the Standing Committee and Church Property Trustees during the recess, their report to be laid before the Synod at its next session." Amendment pat and negatived on tho voices. At the suggestion of Mr Meares the words " during the ensuing twelve months " were inserted in the original motion after the word That'.' Mr Malet etrongly opposed the resolution,

and said that if the Synod hud known it was going to be proposed it wonld not have voted against a pro rata deduction on a previous evening. They had been betrayed into committing a mistake. Mr Meares, in answer to Mr Hamilton, enid the full amount of the Synod's liability under the resolution would be £I2OO. After a long discussion, in which the Dean, Messrs Hamilton, Tanored, Grecson, and Melntyre took part, the question was pat and a division called for, but there was no quorum. The Synod consequently adjourned at 12 40 a.m. until Monday at fonr o'clock.