ANGLICAN CHURCH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 19, 22 July 1939, Page 7

ANGLICAN CHURCH

THE FIRST BUILDING

PUTIKI OR OTAKI?

The Wellington Anglican Diocesan Synod appointed a committee yesterday afternoon to investigate the question as to whether the first church in the diocese was in Putiki, and, if not, which was the first church, and to take the necessary steps to mark the spot, j The personnel of the committee is the Yen. Archdeacon J. R. Young, Canon j W. G. Williams, the Rev. P. Kokiri, j Messrs. C. P. Brown, and E. B. Too-' math. I Mr. Toomath, who raised the ques-| tion, said he had been under the impression that the first church building! in the diocese was undoubtedly at i Putiki, Wanganui. It was built of j sun-dried bricks by Native labour and was under the supervision of the Rev. Mr. Mason. The church stood only for about twelve months, when it was either destroyed by earthquake or fire. It was built about the year 1842. Mr. Mason subsequently lost his life while crossing the Turakina River. But! whether it was the first church build-] ing or not there was a certain amount of doubt, there being a possibility that the first church was built at Otaki in 1840. There was no gainsaying the desirability of marking the spot, wherever the first church stood. The work should be done, because what was commonplace today was history tomorrow. The Rev. M. L. Underhill (Raetihi) asked whether a history of the Church in the diocese would be ready for the Centennial year. The president, the Yen. Archdeacon W. Bullock, said that the matter already had been before a select committee. Mr. C. P. Brown (Wanganui) said that a history of Wanganui was being prepared and one of the chapters dealt with the Church right through. The beginnings obviously were in Otaki arvd Wanganui.