MAORI BISHOP.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 7 April 1926, Page 9

MAORI BISHOP.

REQUEST Bl* arawa tribe. By Telegraph — Press Association ROTORUA, April .0. , A representative meeting ol Church oi England members of the Arawa. tribe was hold at Ohineinuhu oil April ’ aiu * t>> "’hen resolutions were adopted as follows: . /J) T >> is meeting of the Arawif tr.be adhere to the memorandum placed belore the bishop conference field at' Rotorua, on June 24, 1925, the last clause ol which reads as follows *— ‘ The committee l'eels it to be its duty to inform tile Conference that amongst Maori church people there is a generally expressed desire that the Bishop at the head of file mission he a member of the Maori nice, but at the same time view the difficulties which would of necessity surround the office of Bishop in the first appointment. The .committee does not wish to stress the point, and would welcome an appointment were the Bishop a Pakelia or a, Maori. (2) While we recognise the many difficulties standing in the way of the Bishops agreeing to the appointment oi a Maori, as the first Bishop of the new diocese, we would •■respectfully point out tiinl there are also strong reasons on the Maori side why they should prefer a .Maori as a Bishop. While therefore prepared to give loyal support to a European as the first. Bishop they, at the same time, in the interests of the church as a whole, earnestly hope that means will be found for the appointment, at as early a' date as possible, of an assistant bishop, who shall be a member of the Maori ' race. We further trust that the 'Bishop will be able to give this proposal his whole-hearted support, ami that the general Synod will do likewise. .