A MOTHER CHURCH FOR WAIKATO DIOCESE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 82, 28 June 1927, Page 9

A MOTHER CHURCH FOR WAIKATO DIOCESE

BISHOP CHERRINGTON JUSTIFIES HIS ACTION REGARDING ST. PETER’S (From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON. To-day. Reference was made at the Synod of the Diocese of Waikato this morning by Bishop Cherrington to the criticism which had been levelled from some quarters at the action he had taken, supported by the Standing Committee, in making a Dean and Chapter of St. Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton. He would like to state that he always liked things to begin as they would go on. In consideration of the fact that the churchmen of the borough of Hamilton did so much for the establishment of the diocese he thought, for that and other reasons, it was well to bring about, as soon as possible, the constitution of a Mother Church of iho diocese. The advantages of the dean and chapter were that they could gradually build up the church on the lines of cathedrals in the Old Country to be of service to the remainder of the diocese. In that action they had the guidance of England, where further bishoprics were being founded on similar lines, Leicester being one of the instances. In his appeal for funds, added Bishop Cherrington, he had put the enlargement of the cathedral last, as he considered it the most unimportant demand on the diocese, but it would be recognised that the present building was inadequate, and although building should be last and spiritual work first, he hoped it would be possible to begin the completion of the cathedral before long. Since his last intimation to the public of the amount given or promised to the funds, a bequest of £SOO had been made to the church of St. Peter's to be used as the bishop should direct. The Synod to-day passed a bill altering the name of “St. Peter’s Parochial District” to “Cathedral District.” to be controlled by a chapter consisting of the dean, archdeacon, cathedral canons and lay representatives.