WAIKATO SYNOD

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1019, 9 July 1930, Page 14

WAIKATO SYNOD

TE AWAMUTU TO BE A PARISH MAORI MISSION APPEAL From. Our Own Correspondent HAMILTON, Tuesday. The second session of the second Waikato Diocesan Synod was opened today, the Vicar-General, Archdeacon Gordon G. Bell, presiding. Petitions were received from To Awamutu and Stratford parochial districts. asking for authority to form those districts into parishes. Bills constituting the parishes were introduced and read a first time. An appeal on behalf of the Maori Mission was made by Archdeacon Hotl Haiti. He proposed a motion that the work of the Maori Mission be commended to the sympathetic consideration of synod. The archdeacon said that for years past work among the Maoris in Taranaki and Waikato had been most difficult, owing to feelings of bitterness engendered during the Maori War. When the Waikato diocese was formed there were only four Maori clergy in the whole diocese. He congratulated the Waikato Diocese on increasing the number of Maori workers to eight, and on increasing the stipends of tha clergy to a living wage. A WISE MOVE The consecration of the Bishop of Aotearoa was one of the wisest moves ever undertaken by the Church in New Zealand, and as a result of Bishop Bennett's work a great revival had taken place among the Maoris. The Church was now being regarded with greater favour in the Waikato than it had been for years, and all that was wanted was more money and more Maori clergy to carry on the good work which the Bishop of Aotearoa had commenced. The Rev. 11. Harawira seconded the motion. Mr. F. Harris said he regretted that during the last year the amount contributed in the Waikato Diocese to the Maori Mission was only £360, as against £565 for the previous year. The Maoris were helping themselves, and had subscribed £SO last year, as agajast £ls for the previous year. LIQUOR TRAFFIC Mr. G. Gibson (Okato) said a great, deal of harm was being done to the Maori race by the liqiiipr traffic, and there was a great deal of illicit selling of liquor to Maoris. The speaker appealed to synodsmen to use their influence to check this traffic. Archdeacon Hori Raiti thanked the synod for the enthusiastic reception it had given to his motion, which was carried unanimously. An address on the work of tlie New Zealand Board of Missions was given to the synod by the organising secretary, the Rev. F. C. Long. The speaker said that the Waikato Diocese had given £7SS to the board for mission work during the last year or £li more than in the previous year. Foulteen parishes had increased thev quotas, and the two largest parishes. Hamilton and New Plymouth, had given loyal support to the missionary movement. Mr. D. Hay congratulated Mr. Long in maintaining the income of the Board of Missions. A motion, proposed’ by Mr. H. A. Swarbrick, authorising the standing committee to claim a share of two legacies of £I,OOO and £SOO, left by the late Mr. J. P. Campbell, of Auckland, was carried.