DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN.

Southland Times, Issue 1116, 1 March 1869, Page 2

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN.

m PASTORAL LETTER : ELECTION OF A SYNOD. The Bishop of Christchurch has addressed the following Pastoral Letter to " the Members of the United Church of I England and Ireland, in the Diocese of Dunedin :" — " Bishopscourt, Christchurch, Feb. 5, 18G9. " Mr Dear Brethren, — At the meeting of the General Synod of the Branch of the United Church of England and Ireland iv New Zealand, held at Auckland in Octobtr last, the following statute was passed : — " STATUTE TO PROVIDE FOB THE DIVTBIOIT OP THE DIOCESE OF CHBISTCHURCH INTO TWO SEPABATE tjIOCESES. " Whereas it ia desirable that the Diocese of Christch'irch should bte divided into two separate Dioceses and

to that end the Bishop of Christchurch is desirous of resigning so much of the said Diocese as is comprised within the Provinces of Otago and Southland : " Be it resolved by the Bishops Clergy and Laity of the Branch of tho United Church of England and Ireland in New Zealand in General Synod asse.nbled as follows : " 1. From and after the first day of January 1869 the said Provinces of Otago and Southland shall cease to form a part of the Diocese of Christchurch and shall thenceforward form a separate and independent Diocese to be called the Diocese of Dunedin. "2. Until a day to be fixed in that behalf by the Standing Commission the said Bishop of Christchurch shall continue to have charge of the said Diocese of Dunedin and for the purposes of the Statute for the Organisation of Synods shall be deemed and taken to be the Bishop of such Diocese. "It will be seen that, under this Statute, the Provinces of Otago and Southland, which hitherto were included in the Diocese of Christchurch, are now formed into the Diocese of Dunedin, and that the charge of them has been temporarily entrusted to myself ; aud, thai , further, it is my duty to call into existence, in accordance with a Statute of the General Synod provided for that purpose, the Synod or Governing Body of the Church in that Diocese. "By that Statute, No. 11, it is enacted that such Synod shall consist of the Bishop of the Diocese, of the licensed clergy, and of not less than one synodsman or lay representative of every parish of the Diocese ; and that until the boundaries of parishes shall have been defined by competent authority, the Diocese shall, for the purposes of representation, be divided into districts, in such manner as to the Bishop may seem most convenient. " Again, until provision shall have been made in that behalf bj the Diocesan Synod, the Bishop shall proscribe the number of Synodsmen to be elected ; shall appoint returning officers, issue notices for the election of synod.-unen, determine the mode o ' voting at such elections, and gent jail/ make all such arrangements as in... be necessary, to ensure the orderly and effective conduct of such elections. " Again, that the Diocesan Synod shall meet at such time and place as shall be appointed by the Bishop. " Pursuant, therefore, to these powers vested in me, I hereby give notice that the first meeting of the Diocesan Synod of Dunedin will be held at Dunedin, on "Wednesday, the 7th day of April next. " The licensed clergy of the diocese are entitled to take their seats in the Synod. " I further give notice ihat I have divided the Diocese of Dunedin into sixteen electoral districts, and have appointed returning officers, and apportioned to each the number of synodsmen or lay representatives as follows : — Dunedin. — Parish of St. Panl's (2) Her E. GK Edwards. Parish of All Saints (2) Rev E. H. Granger. Parish of Caversham and Green Maud (2) T. L. Stanley, Esq. District of Port Chalmers, the Peninsula and Blueskin (1) T. Tayler, Esq. Parish of Waikouaiti, Groodwood, and Palnierston (2) Rev A. Da9ent. Parish of Oamaru and Waitaki Plains (2) Eev A. Gifford. Parish of Ofcepopo, Hampden, and Moeraki (1) Fairfax Fenwick, Esq. Parish of Tokomairiro and Taieri (2) Rev R. L. Stanford. Parish of Popotunoa, Clutbi., to Mataura (1) G-. Richardson, Esq. Parish of Tuapeka and Waitahuna (2) Rev M. H. Martin. Parish of Wakatipu (2) Rev R. CoSej. Parish of Dunstan (1) Vincent Pyke, Esq. Parish of Maniototo (1) H. W. Robirson, Esq. Parish of Invercargill (2) Rev W. P. Tanner. Parish of Kiverton (2) Rev W. F. Oldham. Parish of Campbelltown (1). Total to be elected, 26. " The following are the qualifications fixed by the General Synod for electors and lay representatives : — " Electors : Every layman of the age of 21 years or upwards, who shall have signed a declaration in the following form, viz., " I, do hereby declare that lam a member of the United Church of England and Ireland in New Zealand, is qualified to vote at the election of lay representatives for the district in which he residss. Lrty Representatives or Synodsmen : E'Cry layman being a communicant of the age of 21 years or upwards, and who shall have signed a declaration of Church membership in the above form, is qualified to be elected as a representative for any district in the diocese. "As it further rests with me at this time to make provision for the conduct of elections, and to ensure, as far as may be possible, that they be conducted in an orderly, effective, and impartial manner, I hereby direct that the electors, on receiving notice from the returning officers of their respective districts, at a place to be fixed by them, the names of such duly qualified persons as they may propose for election — such nominations to be made in writing, and to be signed by the elector, and to be at the place appointed fourteeu clear days before the day of election. N.B. — The elector should be careful to ascertain that the person nominated by him be a commnnicant, of 21 years or upwards, and have signed the declaration of Church membership. " The names of the persons thus nominated will be immediately published by the returning officers in the newspapers which have the largest circulation iv their respective districts ; and if the persons nominated be more in number than ehe representatives to be returned for their districts, the electors are to deliver or cause to be delivered to the returning officer at a place fixed upon by them, a voting paper in the following form : — " " iv L hereby declare that lam a member of the United Church of England and Ireland ; and I give my vote for as the representative of the district

of in the first Synod of the Diocese* of Dunedin. " X.B. — It' such voting paper be not deliwrod by the elector in person, his signature (hereto mint be attested by two credil)i!' wijncs-ed not being candidates at sue!) oiiviioii. " Iv.vr,- <■!•'. -i uc is entitled to as many votes as : .c:iy correspond with I he number of ]■■■■<■■■ .:<cnt.i\ives to be returned for his district. " The returning officers will declare by advertisement iv the newspapers the result of the elections, and will forward to me the nomination, papers which they may h:ive received. V if any of the persons whom I have appointed returning officers be unwilling or unable to accept the appointment, I hereby request and authorise them to appoint deputies to serve in their stead. " Those who accept the office of returning officers will notify their acceptance of it in the newspapers, by giving notice of their readiness to receive from electors the nomination of candidates, | fixing for that purpose a period of not less than fourteen days, dating from the day of their notice, within which such nomination will be received by them. "In conclusion, I would express an earnest hope that all members of our Church in Otago and Southland, will assist in the endeavor to secure, by this election, a Synod in which the Church of the newly-formed Diocese of Dunedin may be hilly represented ; and that, having elected this Synod, they will acquiesce in its decisions. Many impor tant questions affect ins: the present and future welfare of the Church will necessarily be submitted to the consideration of the Synod, and none perhaps of more importance than that of completing the organisation of the Diocese by the appointment of its Bishop. On such question the decision of the Synod ought to ( express the real mmd of the Cimrcn. We need, therefore, in this election, the co-operation of all ri^iit-iniudui rne-.ubers of the Church resident iv the Diocese; and I may be permitted to remind them chat their cj> operation, whether it be given by them as electors or wynodsaion, can only expect guidance from above, and be helpful in promoting the hi.^h aud holy purposes for which we meet iv Synod, in proportion as we lay aside all private interests and prejudices and passions, and in singleness of heart strive together for the glory of God and the good of his Church. " Commending you, my dear brethren, to the grace of God, I remain, yours very faithfully, H. J. C. Ciiristchurcii.