Bishop of Waiapu Passes

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 63, 7 December 1937, Page 6

Bishop of Waiapu Passes

SUDDEN DEATH IN NAPIER

Link with Days of Old Maoris Broken MISSIONARY FAMILY The deatli occurred suddenly yesterday of the Rt. Rev. H. .W. iWilliams, Bisliop of [Waiapu, aged 77. He had been indisposed for some time with. heart trouble, and when attending a diocesan meeting in the afternoon collapsed and never recovered. Bisliop Herbert Williams was the son of Bishop W. L. "Williams, familiarly known. as Bishop lieonard Williatns, third Bishop of Waiapu, who was a soh of Bishop William Williams, first Bishop of Waiapu. By his passing a link -with. the early association of Maori and pakeha is broken, for his was the third generation of the Williams family who took such an important part in christianising New Zealand. The late Bishop, who wais born at Waerenga-a-hika (Bast Coast) in 1860, was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch. From Christ's College he went on to Canterbury College, whare he graduated B.A. in 1880. He then went to Jesus College, Cambridge, and later accepted a position as assistant mathematics master at Haileybury College, England, remaining there until 1886. He was ordained deacon that year and was admitted to the priesthood in 1887. » Return to Dominion. The young clergyman then returned to Gisborne, aiid was vlce-prlncipal of the Te Hau Maori Theological College from. 1888 to 1894, and principal from 1895 to 1902, when he was appointed superintending missionary in the East Coast district in 1903.

In 1907 he w&s appointed Archdeacon of Waiapu and remained in that position for twenty-two years. From 1910 to 1929 he was chaplain and examining chaplain to the Bishop of Waiapu. Eor the pasfc twenty yeaTS* or more he had "been * valuable member of General Synod and he was regaTded as the aoundest authority in New Zealand on Ghurch Constitutional Law. His adminis'trative ability was- shown in the efficient manner in which the work of Synod was put through and his condoict •f meetings is taken as a model. Made Bishop in 1930. i On the xesignation, in 1930, of Dr. Sedgwick, Bishop of Waiapu^ Archdeacon Williams was chosen Bishop and consecrated in St. John's Cathedral, Napier, on February 9, 1930.. Eor some years he had suffered from heart trouble but only for brief periods at rare intervals did he permit illness to interfere with his tasks. Last week he visited the Poverty Bay district where he conducted severai confirmations. Some others, however, had to be cancelled. He Teturned to Napier and ou his doctor 's advice remained in bed. Yesterday afternoon a meeting of clergy was being held in his room when" he collapsed and shortly af terwaTds died.

A service will be commenced at '2.30 o 'clock to-morxow afternoon at St. John's Qhnrch, Napier, and among those taking part will be Archbishop A. W. Averill, the Bishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. St. Barbe-Holland, and the Bishop of Aotearoa, the Rt, Bev. E. A. Bennett. Eollowing the ser▼ice, the funeral will leave for the Napier Cemetery. Memorial services will be held at St. Matthew's Church, Hastings, on Wednesday, with a holy communion service at 7 a.m-, xequiem communion on. Thursday at 10.15 a.m. and a service on Sunday at 11 a.m.