KAIKORAI PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 14

KAIKORAI PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Sunday, Dec. 1, was a red-letter day in the history of the congregation of the K«fkorai Presbyterian Church. The opening of the new church took place in the morning under the most favourable and pleasant conditions. The weather was gloriously fine, and the sitting accommodation of the building (400) was considerably overtaxed, so that provision had to be made for fully 100 persons with chairs and other seats. The first service of the day was a special prayer meeting, which was conducted by the minister (the Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland) from 10 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. after which the Junior Christian Endeavour Society joined the congregation.. Thus -the first service of the day was one of prayer and praise to Him Who ia the Giver of every gcod and perfect gift. The special offerings for the day amounted to £60.

i The foundation etone of the new church i was laid on November 14, 1906, by the I late Mr A. C. Begg, the then Meyor of Roelyn, whose widow last week sent • cheque for £100 towards the building fund. Mr D. Ross, a Jocal watchmaker, made a gift to the congregation of a line English clock, specially made for the church to his order ir. London. The Young Women's Bible Class made and provided the reading desk with a handvome plush cushion. The oare of the church and grounds is in the hands of Mr Andrew Sonjmerville.

The new church has been erected on the site of the old church, on a corner section facing the main road. It is designed in the Gothio style, and is built of brick, relieved with cement bands, mouldings, etc. The tower situated on the right-hand corner of the building gives a. fine massive appearance to the building. It is 6*ft high, and is supported at angles -with buttr€6ses rising almost the whole height of the tower, and finished with enriched finiale. In the upper walls of the tower a-re long, lanoet-shaped and mullioned windows, glazed with lead-lighte. These, on account of their long vertical lines, give lightn««« and height to the upper part of the tower. The entrance vestibule is situated in the front of the church at the foot of the tower, under a separate gabled roof. In the front and sides of the church are Gothic-headed windows of different eizes and chapes, the larger ones being divided with mullions and finished at top with tracery. All are glared with lead-lighta, with glass, of several tints. Two large windows in the transepts _ and two email windows in entrance vestibule are to be glazed with memorial windows. These windows are almost ready, but in the meantime the openings are temporarily glazed with plain cathedral glass. The entrance vestibule is large ; on the left are folding doors, admitting to the floor of the church ; and, facing the entrance door and

in the tower k* a wide stair' finished ia figured red- pine, which leads to the gallery The ohiirch -mmsmres 55ft deep by 50ft -wide jit -the transepts. The oeiling is 29ft high" "at the flat portion over the 'Centre of the church A" gallery seated for 100 is placed *t the back, and the floor of the ehuToh '• is ' Seated for ' 350. There ia a Elope on the floor '.of ' two feet- The - pulpit and , pla-tfocm are situated at the " south' end, in a deep coved recess, and the choir in front and on both" sides' of the. platform." The platform and ohoir enclosure are finiahed in- front with Gothic-shaped figured Ted pine balustrade, hacked with. - red baize,/ and .choir seats, -kept well up above dfce another^ The roof is supported with five ham'mer-oeam principals, ceiled in at sweep of lower rib, to form coved oeiling, and above co!laistie--*o form flat' ceiling. The ribs are exposed, moulded, and finished with turned drops, and tinted a soft green. The ceiling is finished with. | elastic pulp plaster and fibrous plaster ' coving, and enriched cornices, mouldings, etc. The front «f lie gallery is also | finished in fibrous * plaster, tastefully de- [ signed witb Gothic panels. The roofs over* i-the transepts are divided frcm _t» main I roof to .allow the coved ceiling over the I nave of the church to run through without „ a creak, the principals being supported on each side with two Gothic arches carried in the centre on oaet-rron columns. Alt the pewe in wood-work throughout the church are of selected red pine oiled. The trails are finished with rough tinted piaster lined out in Ashlar couesab. Exit folding doors are placed at each transept, with inner draught screens and doors. Tne window lead -lights -rive, with their pleasing .. combination of colours, a fine effect to tho interior of the church. The acoustic pro* iperliea proved on Sunday to be excellent, every word of the preacher being easily heard in every part of the building. The church ie » distinct ornament to tie dU* trict, and -the -comfort o f the congrasation < in regard to «eatmg, lighting, heating, and ventilation «eems to Save had thorough coß(uderation~ The architect kMr J. L, Salmond, and the contractor Mr S. S. Abcurn. The fibrom plaster work *was carried out by the Dunedtn Fibrow Raster Company, the lead-lights by Smith and Smith, the plumbing by Walker Bros., sod tbts furnishing, whrah ia in vary pleasing and harmonious *tyl«, by Messrs SoooUaT ; and Chkholxn.