DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 708, 20 August 1859, Page 5

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

.. :■ !; ■■-.. Tuesday, Alugttst 16. •■' • - The Synod met-at-Half-past. Six, p.m. Present:—The Bishop, yen. ArchdeaconMathifis, Revs. ■J.'I'Wilson;':W;.;-lAVrfnel',.;W; W. Willock, C.' Alabaster,: "H. Jacobs, &. 'CofcteriU, M.; Lally, H. Fendall,.■ 11, W; 'Harper, F. Snowies, C. Bowen.. ■ Messrs. Acland, Barker, Blakiston, Bowen, .Brittan, ;.Hall, Hamilton; Maude, Ross r Scofet,Thomson, . Jorlesse, Wylde. • > Prayers were read by the Bisliop, and the minutes of the previous meeting" were.read and confirmed. y . "■'"■' JTIjECTION OF NOMINATION BOAEDfi, ' Mr. Hamilton, chairman of th'ecommittee chosen; to enquire into the appointment of nominator's,; ■-brought up the report of the committee, which was' read by the secretary; when Mr.-Hamilton moved that the whole Synod do go into committee on the report. This being put and carried,'it was resolved' that— : ■■.-■•■ " The nominators to be chosen annually, by tho Diowsan Synod, under clause 1, of statute 5, should be three in number. "It seems desirable that such nominators be * chosen from the members of the Diocosan Synod. "The nominators to be chosen, by vestry of each parish should also be three in number. •■"The time for .naking such choice should be—- ''':, (a) By (he 'Diocesan Synod. at their annual "'"'' xaee ting. .- '. .- . . .

! .0>) By H the ve-stry^it'their-anmml meeting - for the election of churchwardens, and { ' nfter such elections-shall be made: "Ivu'h parochial nominator should be chosen from urnont,' the coi'nimuiiciints of this Di6ee*(». " Kju-h noniiniitov should be chosen by majority of tin 1 vcNiry-meii present, nnd voting openly at Mich meeting. "•,<■,' "The minister of the parish should be chairman, e.r-nffia'o, and should L.iko the vot'os-alul in case the number of votes be eqiful, should have a ca>tiuy vote and no other.' ' -' •'" The chairman should, so soon as conveniently may be.'transmit (o (he J-si<hop,' in writing, the names'of-the nominators chosen. "Nominators clio-sen by the Dio-esan Spnod m.iy v-sign their ottiee, by letter sent t^the Bishop; and those choscri by "the ve-try by letter sent to the incumbent or chuichwaidens. " , "Vacancies ocouring by death; resignation, or otherwise, slioul lbe Hjled up:— ." " (.»)"lirthe case of nfemberVclTosen by Diocysan Synod, by (he standing co'minitteo of th« ."ynod, if any Mich be appointed ; otlieiwi^e by tho BiVhop. (h) In the case of nonnnaloih chosen by vestry, at a vestry meeting- to be- convened for that purpose, by tlie incumbent or chinch war lens." PREPARATION OF MEASURES. Mr. Bluciston moved that a comtn if tee b° appointed to draft any sta utes which the Synod tn,iy decide *,hall be subjected for its con-ii'«*rilion duiiiiif the present ses-ion. Such committee to corsist of Yen. Aic'ideacon M.ilhias JJevd. J. Raven, Mes-r-. Aclaud, Hall, Hamilton, and the mover. Carried. CIICECIT PROPERTY. Theßevd. James Wilson moved that a committee be appointed to consider the tmure of ecclesiastical property in. this Diocese; such committee to include Yen. Archdeacon Mitliias, Eevd. W. W. Willock; Mes.srs. AcLmd, H.dl, Jiowen, and the mover. Carried. After notices of motion by Revs. IT. Jacobs. C. ALibister, and Mr. Hamilton, the Synod, on the mo(i m of Mr. Hall, seconded by lievd. H. Jacobs, adjourned to Thursday, 18lh'ins,fc., at half-past .six p.m. TirtiKSDAY, August 18, 1559. The Synod met at haU-p c *t six p.m. Present: the Bi-hop, Yen. Aichdeacon Mathias Revs. J,unes "ViKon, C. Alabaster, W. W. WillocK, H. Jacobs H. Pendall, G. Cctterill, J. Raven, H. \V". Harper, and U. B.nven. Messrs. Acland, Brirker, Bl ikislon, Jiowen, Brittan, Donald, Hall, Hamilton, M.aide. Ross, Scott, and Torlesse. Alter pra\ei-h bad been said by the Bishop, the minutes of the hut meeting were read and confirmed. The Bishop then- drew the attention of the synod to the fact that assistance \va- lvquiivd by tiie secretaiies in the performance of their duties, aid requested that the .synod might take into'conhideiation how this might best be effected, and also how funds for this object might be provided His Lordship then presented an account of the contributions received and'expended on account of the General Synod at Wellington and the representatives of this diocese. The account was then (03' request) read by Mr. Ross. Mr. Bhutan gave notice of his intention to move at next meeting that a clerk be provided to the secretaries, and the expense be defrayed by subscription amongst the members of tl)e Synod. The Yen. Archdeacon Mathias proposed that the required assistance might be rendered voluntaiily by the members, and expressed his own willingness to contribute his sei vices. Mr. Eoss, the lay secretary, explained that the woik ,in which assistance was needed was not such as to require the services of a permanent, clerk. It consisted chiefly in the furnishing of copies of resolutions for the use of members, which might be effected bjr employing occasional j out-of-doors assistance. I Mr. Hamilton suggested that -the object (that of lightening the work of the Secretaries) would be gained if each member were to supply the necessary number of copies of such resolutions as hemight have to bring forward.' ' ' ■■. > Mr. Acland here presented the report of thecommittee appointed to report on the division of; the province into parishes, and to suggest alterations in the same. Report brought up and read. The Rev. G. Cotterlll, in pnrshance of notice.; moved, " That a committee be appointed to collect information with respect to'the natives of the pro-, viivce. ■■■•Also, to consider what plan for providing for their spiritual welfare seems most advisable; and what will be the best methods' for*r;iising the means tor carrying out this plan in accordance with the resolutions of the General Synod on Monday, . the 4th April, 1859 ; and to report to the Synod." In proposing this resolution'the Rev. gentleman took-occasion to point out vividly to the Synod the' urgency of the demand now made on their attention. He strongly advocated immediate action in this matter, and lamented past delay. He said there could be no doubt that the Muories had fallen off and were falling off physically and,,he grieved to think, spiritually also. Therefore, as it was allowed they were passing away from the face of the earth, he would earnestly urge those present not to allow j their consciences to be burdened by the reflection that the Maorips had so passed away without any provision having been made for the welfare of their j souls. '-, . .

Tlie motion haying been seconded by Mr. Bowen, the Bishop stated, as a coincidence worth}' of mention, that a Maori teacher had jn.st (yesterday) arrived in the Diocese. Motion put and carried.'

The following gentlemen vvere then chosen to constitute the corrimittep. Rev*. H. Jacobs, W. W. Willoek, and' F. Knowles ; Messrs. Hall; Torlesse, Hamilton nnd the mover. : ■ •■'

; The Rev. H. Jacobs, in pursuance ;of notice, moved "That a committee be appointed 'to take iiito"con(=ide''ation that part of the Bishop's address which; refers to the maintenance oi the clergy ; to, enquh'e into the working of the plans hiiKerto! adopted in this' diocese and the probable working; of the plan recommended by the Bishop; and to :vepi>rt generally with 'a view of facilitating the; settjemon.fc of tins question by the Synod." Seconded, by Mr. Hall, and carried. \! The yen. Arehdeucon Mathias, TCev: J;. Wilson, Messrs.''Hamilton, JBrittan, v Wylde, and Scott, and the mover"/ were then named as members of this committee, to report this day fortnight. Agreed to. ; Mr. Hamilton moved "That a standing.coin-; mittee of the Diocesan Synod be appointed to-act when1 the Synod: shall be out of session, in such; matters as may .from time to time be referred'to; them.1' -Seconded by Mr. Hall. ""' !

Mr. Hamilton spoke at some length in support of fchi.s...motion, setting forth the. necessity which, lie felt ever,would .be found to exist for the.const.i-: tn I ion .of some, such- body as that now proposed, without which, inI'some form or other, .he believed no deliberative body existed. Rather than lose the resolution,. k the vital importance of which., he felt; so strongly, he would, if he saw much opposition manife.-ted, before it was put, to the Synod, beg leave to postpone its consideration to a. lajter period of the session, when its importance would be more felt and more generally recognised. He was fully supported by Mr. Hail .'throughout, a lengthenedaud animated discussion which arose on this motion, in the course of which the Rev. W\ W. Willoclc asked his lordship whether the Synod was distinctly bound by resolutions'of the General Synod. Mr. Hall objected to this question, svhich.however, was answered by the bishop, wha said he considered they Were,so bound, a* %g.,.weve acfcms under authority and; commission. ol?; the General;

Synod, at wlnch'ineThbers-from' the diocese had; been,' present.. --.. ..-> ;•„ : -,. ■■■ :. ■" ..-, ■- • „,■ ■'■ ' His lordship afterwards! spoke iti support of ;the motion. Motion put and carried. .... „. Mi1. llAMiLTpw.moved that the resolutions respecting the appointment of nominators, -for the filling of vacant cures, as passed in --committee of l<;' the whole Synod at their last meeting, be read as a d rat fc statute for the first time. Agreed to, and read: by Mr. Ros9 accordingly. "• , .'.., . ",. ..',."-.' Mr. Hamilton then moved that the house do go into committee to consider tjie additional resolutions of this stMfuto.^ Seconded by Mr. Bowen. ; Levd. C. AijAßAs'iEk moved, as ; , amendment that the house do go into committee.on the whole bill Secoiided.ji.jMr. Biittair and carried. : The house havin«; gone into committee, and Mr.' Blakiston taken the chair, the ■'clauses were read; seriatim by Mr.. Ross ■!»;;,;.,.. - A lengthened und sharp discussion arose.on clause 1, on two points :—first, as to the number of: nominators to be appointed, which, by an .amendof Mr. Bowen, was finally fixed (on division) at four, and secondly on a motion of Mr.• Hall's that; 'they -should-be. chosen by the lnity 0n1y.,: This was strongly opposed by the. Rev. J. Wilson, whoregretted that the question had been raisecLat. all, as it might of itself ber-thouirht to cast a slur on>; the clergy. Motion opposedalso by the Rev. H Fendall, and by Dr. Donald, who preferred that laymen should act (is-nominators, but not to the entire exclusion of the clergy, and.by Mr."Bowen. Put and lost. ' '■ , ; The clause as it stood was then put and carried., Clause 2 was then rend-with the .substitution ' (its in preceding clause) of A, for 3, -and carried. • Clrsuse" 3. with ar. amendment by the Rev. C. Al.ii);ister, that the election of .nominators should take phice on i.Whit-. Monday in each year, was read and famed. ...■' r,,,; „ •■ .:; ;'. Clauses 4, 5, 6, and 7 were then read-and carried ; (is was also, rlaiise 8; with an amendment by the Rev. C. Alabaster, " that no nominator shall re-; sign his office after the occurrence of a vacancy in; any cure, until the. installation of J'a clergyman' thereinto." ■ ; , .. ; Clause 9. Read and carried. Li; ' Clause 10 was then read;'and'-considerable discussion arose on an amendment, proposed by Dr." Donnld, that not less than two clergymen be nominated, in the midst of which the Chairman reporte<l the time of that evening's session to^ have expired,! on which, the Right Rev. President Imvirig resumed1 the chair, the house adjourned to Friday, the 19th; instant, at noon. •■-,.:. ;. ■