THE DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 55, 27 February 1869, Page 5

THE DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN.

We have been requested to publish the following pastoral letter from the Bishop of Christchurch, to the members of the Church iv tho Diocese of Dunedin : — Bishopscourt, Christchurch, February 5, 18C9. My Dear Brethren, — At the meeting of the G-eneral Synod of the branch of the United Church of England and Ireland in New Zealand, held at Auckland in October last, the following statute was passed : — STATUTE TO PROVIDE TOR THE DIVISION OF THE DIOCESE OP CIIHISTCHUItCII INTO TWO SEPARATE DIOCESES. Whereas it is desirable that the Diocese of Christchurch should be divided into two separate Dioceses, and to thatjencl the Bishop of Christchurch is desirous of resigning so much of the said Diocese as is comprised within the Provinces of Otago a.nd 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 assembled 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 f arm a separate and independent Diocese, to bo called the Diocese of Dunedin. 2. Until a day to he fixed in,,tliat behalf by the Standing Commission the said Bishop of Chiistchurch shall continue to have charge of the said Diocese of Dunedin, and for the purposes of the Statute for the Organization 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 nil the Diocese of Christchurch, are now formed into» the Diocese of Dunediu, and.. that the charge of them j has been temporarily entrusted to my- ! self; and that, further, it is my duty j to call into existence, in accordance I with a Statute of the General Synod provided for that purpose, the Synod or Governing Body of tho Church in that Diocese. By that Statute, No. 11., it is enacted that such Synod shall consist of the Bishop of the Dioceso, of tho licensed Clergy, and of not less than one Synodsman or Lay Representative of every Parish, of the Diocese ; and i 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 Bishoj) may seem most convenient. Again, until provision shall have been made in that behalf by tho Diocesan Synod, the Bishop shall prescribe the number of Synodsmen to be elected; shall appoint returning officers, issue notices for the election of Synodsmen, determine the mode of voting at such elections, and generally make all sucli arrangements as m:iy be necessary to ensure tho orderly and effective conduct of such elections. Again, that tho Diocesan Synod shall meet at such time and place as shall be appointed by the Bishop. Pursuant, therefore, to tliese 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 t!ic Dioceae are entitled to take their seat 3in the Synod. I further give notice that I have divided the Diocese of Dunedin into sixteen Electoral Dirtricts, and have appointed Returning Officers, and apportiined to each the number of Synodmen or Lay Representatives as follows : — • | Dunedin.- Parish of St. Paul's (2) Rev. E. G. Edwards. Parish of All Saiat's (2) Rev. E. 11. Granger. Parish of Caversham &• Green Island (2) T. L. Stanley, Esq. District of Port Chalmers, the Peninsula, and Blue^kin (1) T. Tayler, Esq. Parish of Waikouaiti, Goodwood, and Palmerston (2) R<vv. A. D.isent. Parish of Oamaru and Waitaki Plains (2) Rev. A. Gifford. Parish of Otepopo, Hampden, aad Moeraki (1) Fairfax Fenwick, E3q. Parish of Tokomairiro and Taieri (2) Rev. R. L. Stanford. Parish of Popotunoa, Clutha, to Mataura (I) G. Richardson, Esq. Parish of Tuapeka atid Waitahuna (2) Rev. M. H. Martin. Parish of Wakatipu (2) Rev. R. Gotfsy. Parish of Dunatan (1) Vincent . Pyke, Esq. > Parish of Maniototo (1) 11. W. Robinson, Esq. Parish of Invercargill (2) Rev. "VV. P. Tanner. Parish of Riverton (2) Rev. Fv W. Oldham. Parish of CampbelUown (1) -* * 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 wbo shall have signed a declaration in the following form, viz., I, do hereby declare that I am 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 resides. Lay Representatives or Synodsmen.—' Every 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 hei-eby direct that the Electors, on receiving notice from the Returning Officers of the day of nomination, deliver or cause to be delivered to 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 fourteen clear days before the day of election. /•FOroi OP NOMINATION PAPER. I hereby declare that I am a Mombor of the United Clmrch of England and Ireland in New Zealand, and a resident in .the District of ; and I nominate to serve as the Representative [or Representatives] of in the first Synod of the Diocese of Dunediu. i - Date, 1869. I Signature, | N.B. -The Elector should be careful j to ascertain that the person nominated by him be a Communicant, of 21 years or upwards, and have signed the declaration of Church membership. The names of the pcrsous thus nominated will be immediately published by the Returning Officers in the newspapers which have the largest circulation in their respective Districts ; and if the persons nominated be more in number than the Representatives to be returned for their Districts, the electors are to deliver cr cause to be delivered to the ltetuming Officers, at a place fixed upon by them, a voting paper in the following form : — ! I hereby declare that I am .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. N.B. — Tf such Voting Paper be not deliverod by thy Elector in person, his signature thei'eto must be attested by two credible witnesses not being candidates at such election. Every elector is entitled to as many votes as may correspond Avith the number of Representatives to be returned for his District. The Returning Officers will declare by advertisement in the newspapers the result of the elections, and will forward to me the nomination papers winch they may have received. 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 the members of our Church in Otago anil Southland will assist in the endeavour to secure by this election a Synod in which the Church of the newly-formed Diocese of Dunedin may be fully represented ; and that, having elected this Synod) they will acquiesco in its decisionsMany important questions affecting ! 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 organization of the Diocese by the appointment of its Bishop — on such questions the decision of the Synod ought to express the real mind of the Church. "We need, therefore, in this election the co-opera-tion of all right-minded members of the Church resident in the Diocese ; and I may be permitted to remind them that their co-epe ration, whether it be given by them as Electors or Synodsmen, can tanly expect guidance from above, an I be helpful in promoting the high and holy purposes for j which we meet in Synod, in proportion | as wo lay aside all private interests and prejudices and passions, and in singleness of heart strive together for the glory of G-od and the good of His Chun-h. Commending you, my dear Brethren to the grace of 0-od, I remain, **Yours Very faithfully, Hv J. C. CHRIBTCHURCH,