UNFINISHED ST. PAUL’S

Evening Star, Issue 19272, 10 June 1926, Page 9

UNFINISHED ST. PAUL’S

DUNEDIN'S NOBLE CATHEDRAL CONSUMMATION AWAITS GENEROSITY They were a. poor church. He felt that in what they had done in their poverty they were setting a good example to the generations that would follow. And he was sure that those to follow' _would see to the final consummation of that which they had that day begun. Over eleven years have passed since tho late Bishop Nevill, Primate of Neiv Zealand and Bishop of the Diocese ot Dunedin, expressed those sentiments. On June 8, 1915, he laid tho foundation stone of the magnificent Gothicdesigned Cathedral of St. Paul’s, Above tho block of Coromandel granite, rose a stately pile, worthy ot the diocese and the’church. Three and a-half years later, Dr Nevill consecrated the Cathedral, then, as to-day, only partly constructed. , , The Cathedral is free of debt, but the plans of the completed church have not been taken from the steel box in tho vaults of a Dunedin bank for handing over to the builders for the completion of a great ivork in the history of the Anglican Church iu Otago. Although now magnificent and commanding, the Cathedral is unfinished. The plans provide for the extension of the building further back towards Moray place. Tho present chancel is only temporary, and it will be removed when the completing construction work is com nienced. When will that be? Canon Nevill could not answer the question when he w r as asked. “ I only wish I could tell you,” he stated. His wish is to see completed the ivork started by his revered uncle. The complete plan of the Cathedral includes tho nave, ambulatory, aisles, transepts, choir, and a very high and massive tower which will rise to a height of 165 ft above the nave. Before leaving New Zealand, Mr George Grey Russell gave £I.OOO and promised a further £I,OOO. When the late primate wrote to claim that sum, he suggested that the tower should lie named after the generous giver. With tho tour spires, similar to the two in tho front of the Cathedral, 135 ft above tho steps in tho Octagon, the beauty of the white pile will be impressive. “ Wo have paid off the cost of all tho work ive have done,” stated Canon Nevill. “But the completion depends entirely upon the generosity of some future donor. Wo nave a little nest egg of £5,000 which is growing all the time. Bub if no donations wore made it would be fifty years before wc would have the money to complete the Cathedral. If ive could only get a man like the late Mr Harrop (whogave £20,000 to the Cathedral fund) we might he able to finish the ivork. We have all tho plans ready, but the trouble, simply and solely as usual, is tho money, Tho future depends very much on "the generosity of tho people of the church.” Canon Nevill stated that £50,(W0 would he needed for tho completion of the Cathedral.