BISHOP OF AO-TEAROA

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1928, Page 4

BISHOP OF AO-TEA-ROA

THE MAORIS GREATLY PLEASED. Napier has been chosen as the place of consecration because it is the seecity of tlio Diocese of Waiapu, and the Rev. F. A. Bennett is to hold office as a Sufragnn Bishop to the Bishop of Waiapu (Dr, I W. W. Sedgwick). The consocration service on December *2, will lie one of the mo3t notable ever held in the history of the Anglican Church of New Zealand (says the “Dominion”), Mr Bennett being the first representative of the native race to liecomo a bishop.

Since April last, when General Synod passed a bill making possible tlio realisation of the Maoris’ desire for selfexpression by allowing them a bishop of their own race, and particularly since the announcement of the appointment of the Rev. F. A. Bennett was made by ’Archbishop Avcrill, on the evening of August 13, the place of consecration of the first bishop of Ao-tca-roa has been the subject' of a great deal of interest and speculation. Resolutions luivo Been passed' by the Maoris suggesting Paiha, in the Bay of Islands, where the gospel message was first preached in Now Zealand, and where the first missionaries had their home. Tikitiki, on the East Const has also been suggested in lioncur of the Ngati Porou and Sir Apirnrta Ngata. As the geographical centre of the North Island, Rotorua has been mentioned while another suggestion was that tile consecration should take place at To Ante College, the neutral marnc of all Maori tribes, and the home of the lato Archdeacon 'Samuel Williams, who founded the Williams Memorial Trust that has done so much for the Maori missions. As has been stated; however, in choosing Napier ‘ the authorities wore influenced by the fact that Napier is the centre of the diocese to which the new bishop will be attached.

The nnnointm'uit r ” Rev. h. Bennett has given <"”»orn1 satisfaction to members of.tlic native race who feel that their request has .Veen granted r,fto’. years’ effort, and that the onus" is on them to ■ 1 ■'" the stipend stipulated for their bishop. This was sc-t down at not less than £507, wth n suitable ranidenee, and reasonable travelling allowance. The Maoris are preparing to shoulder the whole of this financial burden without making an appeal to the- pakehas.. Sir Apirana Ngata and Neiiti Porou and the East Coast tribes have offered to carry on the financial Burcle.n for this year ending March 31 11129, and so give the other tribes ample time to organise their finances for nekt year. • The Wai'iipu diocesan office has already received £?,°ll from the East Coast and £SO from Lady Carroll. With the subsidy from "the Williams Memorial Trust this gives a total of £760 for the remainder of ■ this finhneiriT yenr. In addition,'Sir Apirah'a and the East Coast tribes has guaranteed the sum of £3OO iper annum for the next five years. The Arawa tribe of Rotorua have aho sent in legal documents guaranteeing tlve sum <!f £230 per annum for the next "five'years'. The new bishop will have no diocese of his own, nor will he have a diocesan synod, but he will have episcopal supervision over members of the Maori race in the Diocese of Waiapu, and in the dioceses of those other bishops who wish him to exercise similar supervision. His province has been defined by the select committee that recommended such an appointment as has now been made, as “a spiritual link {binding together t':q Maori people.” Broadly speaking, he will be specially dedicated to work among the Maoris in all’ the North'lsland dioceses, and ns the select committee also remarked: “If the plan proves successful, nr. it is confidently believed it will, an outward organisation of some kind will probably follow.”