LANDMARK FOR ENEMY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20678, 31 January 1942, Page 7

LANDMARK FOR ENEMY

REPAINTING CHURCH SPIRE AUTHORITIES INTERVENE Plans to repaint the tall spire ot the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Khyber Pass, Auckland, a shining aluminium colour, have been hurriedly modified as a result of orders by Auckland defence authorities. On the grounds that the action of the sun on a coat of this shade which had already been completed, transformed the spire into a beacon which could be seen from a considerable distance out at sea, the church management was instructed to dull over the whole of the spire’s surface. A steeplejack who has been employed on the task of painting the spire had finished putting the red priming coat and an aluminium under-surface on to the structure when the orders were given. He spent Saturday dulling the seaward side of the spire with a paint mixture that is flat grey in colour, the shine of the aluminium, which was also going to be used for the final coat, being taken out of the paint. The topmost point of the spire is about 125 ft. above ground level, and with the added elevation of Khyber Pass, the distance from which the spire could be seen out at sea was placed as high as 60 miles.