PUTIKI CHURCH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 243, 13 October 1937, Page 6

PUTIKI CHURCH

WORK NEARING COMPLETION CONSECRATION IN DECEMBER Canon. W. G. Williams has been in Wanganui for the past two days making final arrangements for the completion and consecration of the Putiki Memorial Church. The interior work of the new church is almost completed and an expert in Maori scroll-paintings and a Maori carver from Wairoa are finishing off some of the details of the decorations and memorial furnishings. One of the most difficult pieces of work has been the memorial pulpit, presented by members of the Taylor family in memory of the pioneer missionary, the Rev. Richard Taylor, his son Basil, and their wives. The panels of fine taniko work for the pulpit have entailed a tremendous amount of time and painstaking labour. One each of these has been handwoven by Mrs Scott and Mrs Katene, of Putikl, another is being done by Mrs Foley, a noted Rotorua weaver; a third by Mrs Eruini, of Maketp, and two rear panels are being woven by Lady Ngata, at Wellington. The new church will have seating accommodation for 120. The buildings and furnishings have cost just over £2500 and by a third grant of £250 from the trustees of the H. and W. Williams Memorial Fund, the whole »f this sum has now been raised and the church will be consecrated free of debt on Sunday, December 5. Of the total amount raised, the sum of £3BO has been donated by various individuals for special memorial furnishings, a list of which, with a brief note of each person commemorated, will be hung in the church porch.

The committee and all connected with the church will owe a lasting debt of gratitude to Sir Apirana Ngata, without whose skilful designing and constant personal supervision the execution of the unique Maori decorations would have been impossible.

It has now been 'definitely arranged that the church will be consecrated by the Bishop of Wellington, assisted by the Bishop of Aotearoa, on December 5. It is hoped that it will be possible to conduct the first part of the service in the open air; but it will be understood that as accommodation is very limited, the admission of Europeans to the service within the church will have to be limited to a few to whom special invitations will be sent.

The stained-glass windows, given by the church people of the Wellington and Waiapu Dioceses in memory of the late Rev. A. O. and Mrs Williams, are being made in England, but will not be ready in time for the opening of the church.