KNOX CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 2933, 13 July 1872, Page 4

KNOX CHURCH.

To the Editor. Srß,—Referring to the paragraph of “Knox Church” in your issue of the 9th inst., having been a competitor for their new church, I must express myself very much surprised that your informant, a member of the building committee, should state “ that the present committee had nothing to do with the original competitive designs, and that a fresh set of designs was sent in under an extended limit of cost, and under that extended limit made unanimous selection of Mr Hunter’s design.” I ask, Is he not aware, as a member of the new committee, there are many gentlemen who were on the previous one ? and that he took office under the following instructions from the congregation, viz., “ To examine the who’e of the plans alreadysubmitted t) competition, and call for the one they may select as the best, at a cost not exceeding LCOOO, and that the design and tender selected for the final approval of the congregation ” ? The plans your informant claims to he fresh are the originals ; but the new committee object* d to the tower, which Mr Hunter remodelled. Do you not think it would only have been fair to competing architects to have selected the designs without comment, had the committee been so unanimous, and have made their alterations afterwards, and not have kept myself and others waiting ? But the fact is, Bir, your correspondent must wish to convey a wrong impression to the public, as the instructions above quoted point out, and moreover I am credibly informed the matter is not settled until an eligible tender is produced, when the congregation will accept or not as they think fit. I should have taken no notice of this matter had not these glaring misrepresentations (which affect myself and others who have stood the contest from the commencement without rushing into print), have been made by your informant. Apologising for occupying so much of your valuable space.—l am, &c., E. J. Saxdebs, Architect and Surveyor, Princes street, Dunedin. July 12th, 1872.