DANGER TO ORGAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21874, 9 August 1934, Page 8

DANGER TO ORGAN

LEAK IN CATHEDRAL ANXIETY ,IN CHRIST CHURCH SEARCH AT MIDNIGHT The story of a midnight search through Christchurch for a tarpaulin large enough to cover a section of the cathedral organ which was believed to be menaced by a leak in the roof that almost invariably followed a hail or snow storm, is i;old in the Church News. The journal states that at a time when its finances are severely embarrassed the cathedral chapter is faced with a number of troubles " involving expenditure which makes it blench. " First, the fleur-de-lys ornaments round the tof> of the stonework of the tower were found to be shaky and have had to be removed piecemeal, lest they should crash on someone's head and —apart from the discomfort of the victim—^cause even greater expense in compensation. The removal of the ornaments is a disfigurement which causes pain to the beholder, but it is in conformity with earthquake precautions which the chapter would be unwise, if not negligent, to ignore. No doubt when conditions improve steps will be taken to get rid of the disfigurement. The tower and spire have been a source of trouble in earthquakes before—witness the twice-repeated destruction of the spire. The top is now copper, the sway balanced by a swinging weight within. " But the insecurity of the ornaments was a minor worry in comparison with a threat to the safety of the expensive organ tha.t has .developed. Some time ago water percolated through the roof above the organ—also over the console—and did extensive damage to the delicate controls and pipes. Anxiety With Every Storm "Ever since then every storm has been fraught with anxiety, and thereby hangs a tale which must be told. On the evening of June 30 the clouds hung low and seemed to portend snow. In a, certain flat in the city a man looked out apprehensively on the brooding southern sky. His thoughts ran on the cathedral organ and the roof above it. The worried man was Mr. J. E. Brodie, New Isealand representative of the builders of the organ. The organ is one of his chief cares. It seemed to him that danger threatened the beloved instrument. Strictly speaking, he had no official responsibility, of course; but at last, late at night, when it seemed certain that the heavy rain would turn to snow, he turned to the telephone and rang up the dean. Mr. Brodie held anxious consultation " -frith the dean and urged that something should be done to protect the organ that vei-y night. And more, with . a fine sporting spirit which the chapter has since recorded with its warm thanks, he volunteered to go forth into the wild night and get something done. His offer was received with alacrity, and rounding up a helper—one of the staff of Mr. Lorimer, who has been attending to the pinnacles—he scoured the town for a .tarpaulin big enough to cover the threatened part of the organ. It can be well imagined what his difficulties were at that hour of the night. Steps to Bemedy Trouble "At last, when hope seemed exhausted, a sheet was obtained from the Railway Department, in their kind pity. 'Together the two men laboured to get the big tarpaulin into place. At length it was done and, with the organ protected, a weary pair went to their beds in the small hours of the morning. There is no doubt Mr. Brodie's actiom saved further damage and the, chapter expressed high appreciation of tno altruism of both Mr. Brodie and his assistant. The chanter had a report on the cause of the leak and found that it occurs after hail or snow, which banks up in a valley and soaks through. Steps have now been taken to remedy the fault."