COUNTRY NEWS.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14869, 18 September 1918, Page 4 (Supplement)

COUNTRY NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondents.)

TAKAKA. CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART. Sunday was a red letter day for the |■£ Oman Catholic community, of Takakn On this day the handsome marble church .built of marble quarried in the lakaka Valley, was formally owned liie weather was beautifully fine and a arge company assembled tcf witness or take part in the proceedings. At 11 a.m. solemn high mass was sung by "the Very Rev. Bean 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 w-as held r whea solemn benediction was given by the Archbishop and the sermon preached by Rev. Father Kimbell, S.M., of Wellington. Between the services the visitors were entertained privately at a lunch at the Junction Hotel. In th*>. 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 portien of both services, and also for the concert in the evening. '; When the first service commenced in*, the morning there was a debt of "£300'::----still owing on the building. At the conclusion of the day's proceedings thechurch was announced as free of debt, the collection at the morning servicealone, totalling £233. This speaks well for the 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. The building is a very handsome one, the design being simple, .yet striking in its simplicity. The dimensions are 60ft by 27fb_ the side walls being 14ft high and the front from base to top of cross 35ffc. Tho nave is 50ft by 24ft, the sanctuary 10ft by 12ft, and the sacristy, 10ft by Bft. The entrance to the sancv tuary 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 Silieian marble with black variegated Takaka marble door. On each side of the tabernacle are Wo polished steps, above which rises the 7'eredos of various coloured marble, the canopy being supported by' two polished columns, the whole effect presenting a striking illustration of ■« hat can be-dune with our local marble. 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 lighted. The roof is supported by five substantial principals and lined diagonally in panels of rinru. The whole of | the marble used on the building was supplied free by Mrs El'ic Sparrow, of Uruwhenua, from the quarry on their own property. The Avails and exterior work were the care of Messrs Gray and Vass. The interior portions were the particular care of Mr Jas. O'Connor, and the work of polishing was in the hands of Mr Vass. who also gave the i first sketch of what was afterwards put i into full design by Mr A. R. Griffin, ', of Nelson, for the style of the building. IMr Greenam, of Nelson, presided over | the carpentry -work, and the tiles for ; the roof were made in Takaka by Messrs ! Chamberlain and Stannard, of Nelson. • The front of the building, is much im- ! proved by semi-circular stone cojungs .on each side, having neat iron gates at each corner of the building and large gates for wheel traffic on the outside of each sweep. Takaka certainly owes ' the energetic Roman Catholics a debt of gratitude for making such an im- 1 provement m the appearance of, the .main street. It would be more than unfair to conchide this article without mentioning the name of Father. Tymons. This worthy priest ha-s from first to last worked like a galley 6lave to get this church erected. Without Fathef^Tymons there would have been no opening of any church in Takaka to-day. For months now lie-has been toiling with head and hands, by precept and By practice, to get the" building completed.. No hired man ever worked like him—one day driving lorry loads of rough marble; at another time, coatless and perspiring, !"he might be seen mixing mortar—no job too hard or too dirty. The good father has certainly earned the respect and esteem of all creeds here by tho i whole-hearted style he has stuck to his ' task—that of establishing a worthy church for his faith in our .township.