CYCLES FOR CLERGY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 146, 8 July 1937, Page 6

CYCLES FOR CLERGY

"All They Can Afford," Says Bishop Cherrington The two-fold complaint' that many clergymen are underpaid for the work they have to do and that the expenses ineurred in that work are too great was made by the Rt. Rev. C. A. Cherrington, Bishop of Waikato, in his charge to the dioeesan synod at New Piymouth. The - bishop said that il clergymen lived witbin their means' they would have no other transport than a push bicycle while a bishop would have to be content^with a motorcycle. The standing committee had done its best to carry out the duty imposed upon it at the last session of synod, oi paying a living wage to those of the clergy wbo were not receiving it, said the bishop. The grants committee had oflered turther grants to certain parishes, providing they met this increased grant with a similar amount. ihe standard aimed at was £200 for every parish where a clergy uian was in sole charge. lt would be a long time before these parishes reacbed the statutory figure oi £300 and a house. He hoped the day would come when all stipends — bishop, vicars of parishes, vicars oi parochial districts, curates, and the rest — migbt all be pooled and that all would be paid accordiug to age experiencc, size of families and so on. Apart from official duties such as maintainiug an episcopal house, twice too large for him — and in these days it was difficult to get help in the house — giving hospitality to all and sundry iueludiug ordinauts, people wanting iuterviews — there was uo reason why a bishop's stipeiid should dill'er from a vicar's— or curate's for that matter. if he was a singJe man. Further, expenses ineurred for lomg a clergyman's work ought to be quite a thing apart from his salary, and that brought the speaker to another ruost difficult matter — travelling expenses. lt was not right that they should have to pay for maintenance of machines in ordei to he able to do their work. They eould uoi alford it. And in parishes where the btipeud was the lowest, the greatest expenses in travelliug were ineurred, because these parishes were so seattered If they did whafc they could alford, most of the clergy would be contiuing themselves to the huinble bieyele, while the bishop should certainly aspire no higher than a motor-cycle.