A BEAUTIFUL CHAPEL

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 136, 4 March 1936, Page 6

A BEAUTIFUL CHAPEL

New Mortuary Premises E. MORRIS, .IUNR., LTD. With pink cement sides, and shining front of watered pink and faint purple vitrolite, the new mortuary premises of E. Morris, juu., Ltd., in Kent Terrace, present an aspect of taste and refinement. This firm has been established in Wellington since 1876, aud for most of that time has conducted its business iu Taranaki Street, but with tlie growth of the citiy the property has been acquired in connection with tlie scheme to widen Taranaki Street by 30 feet. As tbe removal of such a strip would reduce the property to a depth altogether inadequate to the demands of the business, Mr. Morris decided to change sites altogether, and acquired a property ou the corner of Kent Terrace and Edge Hill, right oi»posite the Queen’s statue, within a stone’s throw of Courtenay Place and the busiest tramway junction in the city.

Having demolished tbe 50-year-old house which stood on the site, tbe firm has covered the whole of it with the most up-to-date premises and equipment of its kind iu New Zealand. This was made possible by the fact that the section, while only 35 feet in width is 172 feet in depth, the whole of which has a frontage to Edge Hill. Mr. Norman R. Lightbody was engaged to prepare the plans. He has made good use of every foot of space, and has co-ordinated all departments most happily. From the street one enters the male double swing-doors—etched aud freely lead-liglited in an artistic design—to find oneself iu a beautifully-lighted foyer 34 feet in length by 10 feet in breadth. This foyer admits either to the mortuary chapel in the centre or to toe administrative oflices off tlie southern corridor.

The lovely mortuary chapel sets a new standard altogether in this class of building. The interior is artistically designed in. old gold tones in nice harmony. The projecting columns on either side are picked out in gilt bronze, and all the mouldings are of mottled old ivory in shade, while the ground-work is a faintly-ligured cream. These touesthere are no harsh contrasts —look particularly well against the rich mould ings of selected rimu which enfram-> th© sanctuary and pulpit, and (lie leadlighted windows on either side. The sanctuary is recessed at the eastern end of the chapel, and off that again is a robing room, for the presiding minister. A feature of the chapel Is the permanent bier of black aud white mottled marble, which stands in front of the pulpit at the head of the 4ft. 6iu. aisle. The chapel is provided with 120 tip-up iron-framed seats arranged in rows like a church. All doors have chromeiflated fittings, very smart and modern. The rest of the premises are re-

quired in tbe administration of ih“ business. An electric lift connects with tbe first aud second floors. The first floor consists (at the back) of a motor garage (60ft. by 30ft.). and a post-mortem aud embalming chamber. The garage opens out on a level with Edge Hill, which slopes up from Kent Terrace. On the second floor aro commodious and well-lighted workshops and polishing rooms. Messrs. E. Morris, Junior, Ltd., are to take over the premises from the builder (Mr. H. Edwards) next week. The papering and decorating has been done by T. A. Wells, Ltd., the plumbing by H. Boon and Co., the electric fittings by Stewart’s, and tho joinery by Dennis aud Co.