St Paul’s Staying In Wellington

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31000, 4 March 1966, Page 12

St Paul’s Staying In Wellington

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 3. The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, which was offered to the St. Matthew’s Collegiate School trust board, Masterton, as a chapel for Rathkeale College, will remain in Wellington.

The board has decided to decline the offer made by the standing committee of the Diocese of Wellington. The chairman of the board, Mr H. A. R. Dunderdale, yesterday expressed the board’s “great regret” at the decision. He said that although the architects’ report had made it clear that the transfer of the old church to Rathkeale was “entirely practicable,” it had emphasised that on economic grounds the move could not be supported. The report said that the transfer and proper restoration and reconditioning of the building were likely to exceed substantially the cost of practical alternatives, such as the building of a. new chapel. Future maintenance costs were also likely to prove unfavourable by comparison, the report said. “All those who care for old St. Paul’s will share with the trust in feeling a profound sense of relief that the threat to this lovely and historic

building has at last been lifted,” the chairman of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (Mr 0. Wilson) said today. “The trust now hopes that all those concerned for the preservation of old St Paul’s, including the Diocesan Standing Committee and the Society of Friends of Old St Paul’s, will work with the trust to ensure that the church should not now become merely a State-owned museum but continue to play its part in the life of the capital city.” The Bishop of Wellington (the Rt. Rev. H. W. Baines) said today the standing committee had decided in November that if the Rathkeale proposal lapsed negotiations should be sought with the Government. “This, I expect, will be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the committee on March 29,” he said.