A BILL.

Toa Takitini, Issue 59, 1 July 1926, Page 422

A BILL.

Intituled a Statute to provide for organsiation of Church Work amongst the Members of the Maori Race and the episcopal supervision , thereof. WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the further organisation of Church Work among the members of the Maori Race and the episcopal supervision thereof. Be it therefore by the Bishops, Clergy and Laity of the Province in General Synod assembled enacted as follows: 1. That a Diocese is hereby created to he styled the Diocese of Aotearoa hereinafter referred to as the said Diocese. 2. That in respect of the said Diocese the provisions and regulations set forth in this Canon shall apply, anything in the other Canons of the General Synod to the contrary notwithstanding. Provided that any question which may arise in regard to the application of any Canon to the said Diocese shall be determined by the Standing Commission. 3. That the boundaries of the said Diocese shall be those set forth in the first schedule hereto. 4. That the jurisdiction of the Bishop of the said Diocese shall with the consent in writing of any other Diocesan Bishop, extend to, and include all members of the Maori Race domiciled in the Diocese of such other Bishop and such Europeans as may be exclusively licensed for church work amongst the members of the Maori Race in such other Diocese. Provided that such consent shall be effective until revoked by the Bishop conferring the same or by his successor. Provided further that any Maori who is or may hereafter be registered in the Churchwarden’s book of any European Parish or Parochial District as provided in Clause 11 or Clause 13 of Canon V. Title B. shall while so registered cease to be under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of the said Diocese. 5. That until other provision shall have been made by General Synod in this behalf the Synod of the said Diocese shall proceed to the Nomination of a Bishop in the manner following: — (a) There shall be elected at each ordinary Session of the Synod of the said Diocese a Delegation consisting of five Clergy elected by the Clerical members of the Synod and five laymen elected by the Lay members thereof. '(b) The Delegation so elected shall before the nomination of the Bishop confer with the Bishops for the time being of the Province. Provided that the presence of not less than half the number of Bishops then

present in New Zealand, and not less than three of the Clerical and three of the Lay members of the Delegation, shall be necessary for the holding of such Conference. (c) The Archbishop, or in his absence, the Bishop presiding at such Conference, shall submit in writing to the Delegation the names of not more than three persons approved by the Conference. ( d The Delegation shall then nominate to the Archbishop one of the persons whose names have been so submitted to be the Bishop of the said Diocese. (e) The Archbishop shall then follow the procedure laid down in Title A, Canon I. Provided that until the first Bishop shall have been appointed the Synod of the said Diocese shall consist of the Maori Clergy appointed by the Dioceses of Auckland, Waiapu and Wellington, to attend the Conference held at Rotorua on June 23rd and -.24111, 1925, together with three lay representatives from the Diocese of Auckland, three from the Diocese of Waiapu, and two from the Diocse of Wellington to be appointed by the Bishop of the respective Dioceses. Such Synod shall be convened and presided over at a special Session by a Commissary appointed by the Primate and shall proceed in the manner hereinbefore laid down for a Delegation elected by Synod, the Synod itself acting instead of a Delegation for the nomination of the first Bishop. The quorum of such special Session to be not less than half of each order. Provided that in the case of a vacancy in the Members of such Synod prior to the election of the first Bishop the vacancy shall be filled by the Bishop ; of the Diocese from which the member whose seat has become vacant was appointed. *' 6. That if at any time a vacancy shall occur in the Delegation to be appointed as hereinbefore provided, the vacancy shall be filled by the Standing Committee of the said Diocese. [Note: There are 27 clauses to the bill, but the above only are quoted as having reference to the nomination and election of the Bishop.—Editor. ]