TAKAKA.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14868, 17 September 1918, Page 2

TAKAKA.

CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART. Sunday was a. red letter day for the Roman Catholic community of Takaka. On this day the handsome marble church built .of marble quarried.in tho Takaka Valley, was formally ooened. Tho weather was beautifully fine, and a large company assembled to witness or take part in the proceedings. At II a.m. solemn high mass was sung by the Very Rev. Dean Holley, S.M. Provincial of the "Marist Brothers, and the sermon was preached by His Grace Archbishop O'Shea, S.M. At 2.30 p.m. a second service was held, when solemn benediction was given by the Archbishop and the sermun preached by Rev. Father Kimbell, S.M:, of Wellington. Between the services, the visitors were entertained privately at a lunch at the Junction Hotel. '. j In thf- evening a sacred concert was held in the hall, when a very pleasing and well-arranged programme was listened to with pleasure by a good audience. Mrs B. R. Gapper presided in an able manner at the organ for the musical portion of both services, and als'o^ for the concert in the evening. Yvhen. the first service commenced in the morping there was a debt of £300 : still owing on the building. At the conclusion of the day's proceedings the church was announced as free of debt, the collection at the morning service alone totalling £233. This speaks well for tho Roman 'Catholic community of Takaka, and records a feat they should be proud of. The church is- the second of its kind in the Dominion, Motueka having the prior honour. '■ ''' .'""... j Tlu\ building is a very handsome one, the design being simple, yet striking in its simplicity. The dimensions are GOf b by 27ft. the side walls being 14ft high and the front from base to top of cross 35ft. They nave is 50ft' by 24ft, the sanctuary 10ft by. 12ft, and the sacristy 10ft by Bft^ The entrance to tKe sanctuary is decorated by two polished pillars with moulded caps, from which .springs a Roman arch 10ft,inside diameter. On the platform is the altar, of various «coloured marbles, and the three front arches on which the table rests are supported by four polished pillars. The table is surmounted by the tabernacle, which is of Silician marble with black variegated Takaka marble door. On each side of the tabernacle are two polished steps, above whi<-!> rises the reredos of various coloured marble, the canopy being supported by two polished columns, the whole effeo' presenting a striking illustration of v,nat can bo dsme with our focal marHe The whole interior of the church is strikingly handsome and reflects great, credit on the designer and on the craftsmen who carried" out,-the work The church will seat 200 people and is well hglrced.. Iho roof is. supported by five substantial principals and lined di'aoo-i----ally in -panels of rimu.. The whole of the marble used on the buildiim- lv ,r> supplied free by Mj-s Eric Snarrow of UruwJienua, from the quarry on &<-<- ---own property. The walls arid exterior : work were the car© of Messrs Gray and Vass. Ihe interior-portions were, the particular care of Mr Jas. O'Coinior. and tne work of polishinir was in tW hands of Mr Ynss; who also <jave t!i<> first sketch of what was afterwards "t>into full design, by Mr A. R. GriffiiV. or JSielson, for the style of thebuildh^ Mr G-reenam, of Nelson, presided ovr> the -carpentry work, and the tiles fo< the roof were made in Takaka by Me«->>-.Chamberlain and Stannard, of Nelson. The front of the building is much improved by semi-circular stone conir..'::? on each side, having neat iron gates :.i '.each corner of the huiidins: and la:-? gates for wheel traffic on "the outside of each sweep. Takaka certainly owns the energetic Roman. Catholics a cVi^t of gratitude for making such an improvement in. tho anpoar.inco ot tSumain street. It wnukl bo i;o()i-» i^-in itrfnir in <■</■■- fl'.;de this article without mp.ntioni-n. tlie name of Father Tymo:-}s. This v^;thy priest has from first to R'<t v,-f)V'-.>': like a galley slave to get tbis c'r.ircl. erected. " -With.o-.it iN-.theV-Tynions thorn would have boen no opeuins: of auv v;-hurc!i in Takaka tn-day. Fnv mojit!novr he has been toifipg with hrod'Cih'd hands, by precept -and"-by •orar'.tic-e, t<-7 get ith.e building completed." No ii.ii\-d man ever worked like? him one <7.A' driving lorry loads of rough marble : v'~ another time, eoatle-ss and ■pei'scirisv^., be rr-ight be seen 17-iixirsg r^rtar—u('> job too hard or too dirty. . Tbe.iroqv .father- has certainly ecrned the rcspr'ct and esteem of all creeds h-cre by t,!:-;:- ] .ivhole-heai'ted *tyle he hns stuck- to hi? task—that of estn.blishihs'- a vorthy. j church for his faith in our township, j

" " "■ '. ! Only 586.000 tons of papei' reached j Eiigland in. 1917, as against 1,793,000 i tons in 1914. i During one week, 14,468 soldiers audj sailors slept in the V.M.C.A. station; imts in London. ;