NEW CHANCEL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 128, 1 June 1936, Page 5

NEW CHANCEL.

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH. ; REALISATION OF A VISION. i WORTHY ADDITION. ! Seen from Wynyard Street through a j pretty vista of pines that seem to bring > a touch of the quietness of the country ! in contrast with the rumble of the city > tramcars above, the high brick and concrete structure that is to be the long'f. awaited chancel of St. Paul's Church ! shows already that it will be a worthy ; addition to one of Auckland's finest ! stone churches. More than 90 feet 3 from ground to gable, the extension is well under way, and it is expected that the new chancel will be completed within t a few weeks. ' With its completion will come the realisation of a vision of many of the j Church's supporters, and especially of » its vicar, Canon A. B. Watson. When ; the church was built in the 'nineties on 3 its present site, a steeply sloping one } just past the top of Wellesley Street r East, it was erected in striking Gothic T style, but its permanent chancel was 1 not completed, and remained up till this t beginning of this year an incongruous , wooden structure. A fund was started 3 as early as 1908, but the Great War cut i operations short, and only the founda--1 tions were completed. And so the I sound of the builders' hammers and of r the chink of bricks, even though it i breaks the quietness of the church, is f truly a sweet one to-day. 1 The new chancel will measure 40ft by f 30ft internally, and will be of concrete ) and brick with plastered walls. Prof vision has been left for lining the t exterior with stone at a future date, f The additions provide for a lady chapel i and adequate caretaker's quarters, and j I the organ, which is being overhauled, 1 i will be rebuilt in a new position. 3 Tuesday, October 27, has been chosen 3 as a tentative date, for the formal dedit cation of the chancel, and it is hoped to arrange a week of festivities.