SELWYN CHURCHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20519, 21 March 1930, Page 16

SELWYN CHURCHES.

Sir,—ln your description of the very interesting views of "Selwyn Churches" in Tuesday's Herald I noticed the remark that St. Peter's, Onehunga, was threatened with demolition. In my opinion, as a citizen of Auckland, such demolition ought not to be allowed. These churches are of very great historic interest to the whole of the Dominion, and no body of parishioners should have the power to demolish them. Neither do I believe that it is at all necessary. I think lam right id saying that some years ago a very suitable site for a new church in Onehunga was secured adjoining the parish hall, and a considerable sum of money collected for the erection of a new church on that site. Why,cannot this sensible proposal be carried out, and why is the money not to be used for the purpose for which it was collected ? Again; when a new church was required for Otahuhu, the old building, another fine "Selwyn Church" was carefully preserved and removed to a site at Mangere,, where it is now being used as the church of that district. If St. Peter's, Onehunga, is inadequate in size, and for that reason a new church is needed, and for some other unknown reason the new church site is unsuitable, let the present church be carefully removed and reerected on some other site, Penrose, To Papapa, One Tree Hill or elsewhere, where a growing population needs it. I am not a resident of Onehunga and I have no personal axe to grind, but I .appeal to Auckland citizens, and especially Anglicans, to say emphatically that this church shall neither be demolished nor incorporated beyond all recognition in some entirely new structure. Anglican.

Sir, —In your issue of the 18th an article appears on "Selwyn Churches," and reference is made to St. Bride's Church, Mauku, as beirt£ the only one that is not cared for and in bad repair, and that the light could bo seen through the roof in places. As these statements cast a serious slur on the vestry of St. Bride's which is quite unjustified, I would like to give tliem an emphatic denial, and would like to place the facts before your readers. St. Bride's has been painted quite recently, and only a few months back any structural work that was necessary was done, and also new shingles were put on where required (possibly these were what Messrs. Sedcole and Crookes mistook for tin). As for the statement that the light could be seen through the roof in places, well, as there is ft tongued and grooved sarking under the shingles in as good order as the day it was put on, I can't conceive how anybody could see through. I quite admit the church wants reshitigling, and the vestry at tiie present time have this matter in hand, but the estimate given is about £l5O, a financial undertaking much above the means at our disposal, and unless we get outside help it is going to be hard for this small district to manage. Perhaps this may catch the eve of some who spent their childhood in the early days of Mauku and who are now in distant parts, but who may still have an affection for the old church and would like to contribute to such a deserving cause. C. A. Chispe. Vestryman, St., Bride's, Mauku.