MT. ST. GERARD CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 82, 31 December 1907, Page 3

MT. ST. GERARD CHURCH.

, iVEW' UUILDTNG- FOR THE REDEM?-': : v-^>fe':^TORIST:ORDER: ,'; . ;'■. : time .past., the'-'-Hedemptorist' Order, of 'the! Roman 'Catholic' :Churc'h has' :bc'enVin':the possession of the,property for?; rhcrly ..pwne'd by , the >late.' Mr; J.'.'E.'..'Eitz-' geraid' -.(at ■ one; time: Com pt roller-General vfbr old landm'ark.thatcrown's' the liigji- bluff on -the western ■ horn of Ofien-;' tal Bay',- (ind which is tamiliarlv known 'as .Kitzgerpld's. 'Point. - .The' family- residence', "has-been'-, used, as: a; monastery. :nn,d: chapel, combined-'for over:n yearby'the Rcdomptori.. ;ist,,l!'athprs, whose quiet work' spiritually has b'een", so successful. that it lias bden'"fouhd' Ics'sflhtVaV to build, in the _grouhds a church: ■ in. which' to": conduct- their simple ..services. 'Mjv.John S.. Swan has. been entrusted with itlici of designing:plans;', which .are Jn isiicJh;;.aV-forward'' i stato' that tenders (to,close; 'oh'vJa'iiuary' 9). are called'for.' The-church,' i which /■ has .'been . designed, on .\old ■ English- ' Gothic lines, '-will haye 'a frontage of = 50. feet ;to Hawker Street, broadening out at the irear'(wfiere it takes. in' the! sanctuary) to ;?5" t'eef, arid the structure'will .have a total; jdepth, of 88. feet., The building, which- will: ;be .constructed 'of red pressed brick and con : x'retey will be ;entered from two . concrete.flobred •porches, (10ft.'' 6iri. by '. 7ft. each),, situ'a'tbd'bn oach'side of the street frontage,' i the' central space being occupied -by' high. :CfotbJc?windows; The ,nnve-- is' -to.-'.be -57ft.., !6iri. in length by. 30ft.- in breadth, with'.a. isanc'tuary, (30ft. by 22ft." one side a''Sacristy (20ft. by 16ft.) .''and'' on the :other: an apartment' for■' the choir (20ft by" 16ftV. • Thechurch is built upnii ».'. slope, so that/ at the; harbour end there is a .basement.,' which" is to contain.awarkiiig sacristy (under tho choir-room). The transept will'bo Kifti square.- The int-erior will be'finished "in plaster and .Keene's'cement, with-an open ;;timb'er.-roof. , The construction-of the ; rpof. take's, the form. of.a. high gable, which" will bo covered.with'' "Etprnito" asbestos;roofing slate's; and " surmounted in front-by-a belfry.' A' large crpss l in' black bricks willhe let into ttto'"pressed ; brick-work ;-on the side, of the ■elidpel' which, faces the harbour... The • walls will- be IS) 'inches thick ' two-' inch -cavity,! actings as' a'da'mp-courseV '■' [,- -. 'Eroni-'the prominence of its 'position,.the Mbiint St.^'.Gerard Church' should' -become -V familiar "landmark in ■Wellington'from, land' or' sea'.';-.'.-'" ' ' ; '