ACOUSTICS OF THE CATHEDRAL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 10

ACOUSTICS OF THE CATHEDRAL

SOUND* AMPLIFYING PLAN APPROVED

UNANIMOUS DECISION OF MEETING

A decision to install a sound-ampli-fying the Christchurch Cathedral was reached unanimously last: night by- the ; annual meeting 'of the' Friends ‘of the Cathedral Association. The proposal had previously been disand details of the system to be used, and of a test made in the Cathed-’ ral, were given the meeting by Archdeacon A.K. Warren. ■;

The need for a sound-amplifying system was discussed^'at by Dean Julius, who said:that for years-a.faujt, of the Cathedral had-- been that - those in certain parts of- it' found itl'impossible to .hear, the .preacher. The.Cathedwas the diocesan building, for use too, for national and civic church gatherings, and on such occasions as those it was essential that provision be made for those in every section of the build-, ing to hear the speaker. '-?■

Archdeacon Warren said thatitKe system to bemused would not provide, a. c some, loud-speaker systems did, a huge volume of sound which would bellowthrough the building; instead, byytflac: ing in various positionsfsome fld loudspeakers, each, on about the strength of the ordinary radio 'sets used in homes, there would be a small volume of sound in every part of the Cathedral A test carried out in the Cathedral a few days ago, by placing four radio sets in various points, and tuning them to the broadcast of'a devotional ser-‘ vice, had been , heard by members of the association’s committee, all of whom had been satisfied with the results. A point made by both the Dean and Archdeacon Warren was that if the proposal now made to lengthen the Cathedral was carried through the installation of ’ a sound-amplifying service would ,be more than ever necessary, if the preacher, and the service-from the altar, were to be:heard satisfactorily; The approval of ;.the Chapter, for the project had already been received, it was stated. , - y ;

The motion to proceed with the'installation, on the lines suggested by Archdeacon Warren, was moved bv Mrr George Gould and seconded by the Rev i P. Revell.