William Cobbett reflected in 1802 on the influence of the church made possible by the equal distribution of clergy throughout England:
… the clergy are less powerful from their rank and industry than from their locality.
They are, from necessity, everywhere, and their aggregate influence is astonishingly great. When, from the top of any high hill, one looks around the country and sees the multitude of regularly distributed spires, one not only ceases to wonder that order and religion are maintained, but one is astonished that anything as disaffection and irreligion should prevail. It is the equal distribution of the clergy, their being in every corner of the kingdom that makes them a powerful and formidable corps.2
The church began to minister to the settler communities in the 1840s and simply followed the English system, as best it could, as it knew no other. New dioceses were gradually established and, within them, parishes were formed to provide ministry in local areas, no easy task when funds, buildings and clergy were in short supply.3 By 1945, Anglican coverage was as complete as any other organisation. Through the parochial network every part of the country was included within the boundaries of some parish, each with a full-time vicar. Because church life was based on residential location the post-war emphasis was on catching up with a backlog of work in new suburbs. Little thought was given to providing ministry based on work places. Ministry to hospitals, prisons and defence establishments was seen as supplementary.
Parishes and Parochial Districts
The term ‘parish’ was used generically of all geographical ministry units but it also referred specifically to those ministry units which were more secure and financially self-
2 Lewis Melville, The Life and Letters of William Cobbett in England and America (1913) vol. I, p.156,
cited by Anthony Russell, The Clerical Profession, London: SPCK, 1980, p. 153.
3See, for example, extract from Henry Sewell’s journal of 1855 in which he laments the lack of
assistance for the church in Canterbury. W. David McIntyre (ed.), The Journal of Henry Sewell 1853-7, volume II, Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1980, p.124. Entry for 31 January 1855.
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supporting. In 1945, only 32 percent of non-Maori ministry units were parishes 4 (table 4.1). The significance of this distinction was apparent when a new vicar had to be appointed. A parish elected four nominators to meet with four diocesan nominators to propose a nominee to the bishop; in a parochial district, the nomination was the prerogative of the diocesan nominators. In some dioceses, parishes sent two representatives to synod; parochial districts only one.
A parochial district could achieve parish status if it could first satisfy the diocesan synod that it had the required minimum number of parishioners, a debt-free parish church, and an adequate vicarage and hall. It had to meet the costs of its clergy and contribute to the diocesan budget.5 Dioceses were reluctant to increase the number of parishes as it meant that the bishop was less able to influence the placement of clergy. The 1946 General Synod considered a bill to give parochial districts a voice in the selection of their vicars but this was opposed by the bishops. Holland (Wellington) declared that it was wrong in principle as the diocese, the central unit in church life, was
responsible for ‘seeing that the best man is appointed to each cure’. Fitchett (Dunedin) said that ‘a parochial district was on its way to becoming a parish, but could not in the
meantime take its full share of responsibility in the upkeep of the diocese. The privilege
4 Of the 275 ministry units, only 90 had parish status; the other 185 were designated as parochial districts.
Within the dioceses, the percentage of local units with parish status in 1945 was: Christchurch (43), Dunedin (39), Waiapu (37), Auckland (35), Wellington (26), Nelson and Waikato (18). The overall percentage was 32.
5 The Diocese of Dunedin made the following provision:
Members of the Church residing in a particular parochial district may, by a petition signed by not less than ten registered church members, five of whom shall be members of the Vestry, apply through the Bishop to the Synod, for the Parochial District in which they reside to be constituted a Parish.
The text of the Bill to constitute the proposed Parish shall be given to the Bishop three months before the then next Annual Session of Synod and by him laid before Standing Committee.
When the Bill is brought before Synod, the sponsors shall show that the following conditions have been satisfied:
(a) That there are residing within the boundaries proposed for such a parish at least 300 registered church members of whom at least 100 shall be Communicants and above twenty-one years of age. A list of such persons who are Communicants and above twenty-one years of age shall be supplied by the sponsors. (b) That the Church to be named as the Parish church be free of debt.
(c) That there is an adequate Vicarage and a Parish Hall.
(d) That there is no Capital debt; or, that where there is a Capital debt, the regular reduction of the liability is being made at such a rate that the total liability will be liquidated within a period of ten years.
(e) That the proposed Parish is in a position to pay all dues, assessments and contributions required by the Diocesan Statutes, or by Resolution of the Synod, to be paid by Parishes, and to provide in addition the minimum stipend and the travelling and depreciation allowances required by Clause 24 hereof to be paid to the Minister of a Parish.
(f) That the proposed Parish for the preceding five years has been a Parochial District and, during that period (i) shall have met in full any quotas and assessments for any purpose (including mission quotas) required by Synod and (ii) shall not have been in receipt of any grant in aid from Diocesan funds.
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… should not be extended to people who could or would not bear their full responsibilities.’6Financial considerations were paramount and the bill was lost.
By the 1960s parochial districts shared in the church’s increased prosperity. They found it easier to meet the diocesan criteria for parish status and argued that they should have a say in the appointment of their clergy. By 1965 the percentage of units which had parish status was still very low. There were now 337 local units but only 34 percent7 had parish status (table 4.2). Bishop Gowing (Auckland) accepted that ‘it may well be time that the distinction should be removed.’ He suggested that when an appointment was being considered, the diocesan nominators should meet the churchwardens to discuss the needs of the district. However, he acknowledged the practical difficulties involved.8
Other Ministry Units
There were other local church structures. ‘Cathedral districts’ were established where the cathedral was also the parish church for the area in which it was located9 in order to distinguish between the functions of the cathedral chapter and vestry.10 Dioceses were permitted to establish Maori pastorates or mission districts, appoint pastors, define boundaries, and provide for representation in diocesan synods.11Ministry was supplemented by chaplaincies12 which were distinct from the parishes in which they
were geographically located. The legislation specified that the chaplain shall ‘be subject to no control or interference on the part of the vicar.’13
6Church and People, April 1946, p.7.
7 129 out of 337 had parish status. The diocesan percentages in 1965 were: Christchurch (55), Dunedin
(46), Wellington (45) Waikato (31), Waiapu (29), Auckland (26), and Nelson (25).
8 Some districts were far from Auckland and the board of nomination was dealing with a number of
vacancies.At the end of 1965 it was considering appointments in eight parochial districts Diocese of Auckland 1966 Year Book, p 25. Gowing returned to the subject in 1967 and confessed that no solution
seemed obvious. ‘If there is any further suggestion … as to how this task can be better carried out, I know the board would be pleased to consider it.’ Diocese of Auckland 1967 Year Book, p 24.
9 First enacted in 1919. Title B Canon VII Of Cathedral Districts, see PGS 1964, p.321. This was the case
in all dioceses except Christchurch. There the cathedral had no boundaries and, technically, no parishioners.
10 The chapter consisted of the bishop, dean and canons. Title B Canon VI Of Chapters, see PGS 1964,
p.321. This Canon was enacted in 1889. The vestry (vicar, churchwardens and elected vestrymen) had responsibility for parish matters. Usually the dean was also licensed as vicar of the cathedral district.
11 Title B Canon V Of Parishes, proviso to clause 1, see PGS 1964, pp.101-02. 12 For example, to schools, prisons, hospitals, military bases, and seamen. 13 First enacted 1889. Title A Canon II Of Pastors, see PGS 1964, p.283.
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There was a growing realisation that parochial structures did not meet all ministry needs and so, in 1964, General Synod provided for ‘mission districts’ which
would ‘provide a form of administration …under the control of the Bishop …
appropriate to the nature of the needs of such mission district’14 where the local church could not function effectively as a parish or parochial district. Auckland faced serious problems coping with expanding suburbs and sought new ways of responding to
mission opportunities. Most dioceses made use of the provision although none had more than half a dozen mission districts at any time.15