SALVATION ARMY CONGRESS HALL

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 261, 4 August 1928, Page 11

SALVATION ARMY CONGRESS HALL

NEW STYLE OF AUCKLAND BUILDING COST, £20,000 The new congress hall and buildings which have been erected in Auckland for . the Salvation Army and arc to ba opened by His Excellency'the GovernorGeneral, Sir Charles Fergtisson, towards the end of this month, have cost approximately £20.000. They are in dose proximity to the Town Hull. 1 The main hall, which will hold-1000 people, is surrounded by fourteen other halls, offices, etc., the whole comprising (it is said) otic of the finest, sets of a corps buildings in any part of the world. The site is at 'the corner of Grey and Neal’s Avenues. In addition to the young people’s, primary and intermediate halls, classrooms, stores, etc., there is a large scoiit mid guard drill hail, and a "Songsters..mid Corps-Cadet study room.” The sisters of the corps have their room also, and there is a kitchenette. A large practice room is provided for the band, and there are lavatories on every floor. A father novel feature is an infant welfare room, opening off the main entrance hull at the front. Here mothers may leave their babies nnd be free to enjoy the meetings. There is also a “pram dock.” A large social hull is one of the charming features of the place. This will be used for smaller meetings, for the Home League, Officers’ Councils, and for meals by those comrades' who stay in all day on Sunday. It has thirty-six lockers for the use of fnmi-J lies, and tables of uniform pattern. The commanding officer and the census local officers have private rooms also. . ... . The main auditorium is fifty feet wide; and there are no obstructing columns to support the gallery. It will have a dado of panelled rimu timber,, classical pilasters, an elliptical arch of-huge dimensions over the platform, and near the ceiling a frieze of dark blue, with suitable mottoes. This, with the har-moniously-tinted sen-green glass, of the circular headed windows, makes a charming effect. New Penitent Form.

A new style of penitent-form has beau installed. It consists of two sections, each six feet long. These will be used for men and women respectively. The recruiting sergeants will kneel bn the . opposite side to the penitent. “A large ' panelled feature in local timbers will be plilced in the entrance hall and contains a statement of the Army’s beliefs. ■ The main hall has direct approaches... ' <>m- the gallery to the penitent-form... The move from the hall in Albert. Street, which is on. leasehold land hnv-.-ing but five years to.run has been the.’ work of Commissioner James Hay. who '■ arranged early last year for the-ser-vices of Staff-Cantain Dale for the new. scheme. The plans were all prepared in Melbourne, following the stuff-cap-,.’ tain’s first visit in July last, when an.-, extra block of land adjoining was purchased. A large proportion of the cost ' has, already been subscribed, the General.-, forwarding a donation of £lOOO from: London.