ENLARGEMENT OF ST. PAUL’S CHURCH.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1727, 27 September 1862, Page 4

ENLARGEMENT OF ST. PAUL’S CHURCH.

A general meeting of the parishioners of St. Paul’s Parish, Auckland, was held on the afternoon of Thursday last, 25th inst,, in the School-room, Eden Crescent —where about fifty assembled.

The Rev. Mr. Lloyd was moved into the chair, and opened the meeting at a | past 4 p.m. All present, he said, were no doubt aware of the object with which the meeting had been called, hut before entering on the business before them he would slate one or two particulars that: might help them in coming to a decisionAs nearly a.s he could ascertain, the church population resident in the parish having very much increased lately was now about 85<), besides which there was a large floating population residing in temporary lodgings, boarding houses and hotels, which might increase the number to 1000. From his experience in the last few years he hail found that out of any given population about hall’attended church in fine weather. It was plain then that they ought to have accommodation for 500; but besides these again there were frequent sudden additions to the population by the arrival of immigrant ships, to meet which they should provide accommodation for fifty more; for they knew how annoying it was to people just arrived from England and desiring to go to church the first Sunday, to find there was no room for them. As nearly as he could ascertain the present church held a little over 400 adults, or taking children into consideration, about 430, so that there were at least 120 to 150 persons who sould not find accommodation in the church at the present moment, and were consequently obliged to remain at home or go elsewhere. During the last six months, the population of the parish had been increasing very fast, chiefly owing to the throwing open of Government land by the Grafton road and the Scotch church, on which much building had been going on. If they provided accommodation only for those now requiring it, it was clear that before another year they would be again in the same difficulty that they were now, and they must therefore provide for much more than the bare number now required. He now called upon the Chief Justice to move the first resolution.

Sir George Arnev then moved, “ That, owing to (he increase of population in this parish, additional church accommodation is much required, and ought to be provided, if possible, without'delay,” a resolution to which every member of the meeting would probably give their assent, Mr, J. A. Gilfillan in seconding the motion confirmed the remarks of the Chairman, and remarked that he believed a great many more would attend the church if there were more room tor them, for when a person went once and could not get a scat, he went away again and probably would not return. He boro testimony to the great necessity of providing increased accommodation, and Imped that whatever decision might be come to as to the manner of doing it, they would all act cordially ami unanimously in carrying it out. Resolution put and agreed to ncm. con.

Mr. F. Whitaker being called upon to move the second resolution, remarked that there might he some difference of opinion as to the resolution he was about to propose, but he hoped that having discussed it they would unanimously set to work to do something. He was not absolutely committed to the plan embodied in it, but as far as he could judge it was the best of the three modes open to them of increasing the accommodation. They might build a new church on the present site, build another church in another part of the parish, or enlarge St. Paul’s Church. It" the necessary funds (5001)/. or Good/.) could he found he would say, build a new church at once, but unless be heard something to satisfy him that such a sum could be raised he should prefer to dc something else, for to do that they would have to shut up the present church for a considerable length of time, meet with many difficulties and fail to do it satisfactorily after all, unless ample funds were at their disposal. He set aside, therefore, the plan of building a new church, because he thought it beyond their means, though if it could he shown that they could accomplish such a work, he should he happy to subscribe ami render any assistance he could towards carrying it out. The next way was to build an additional church iu another part of the parish, a plan to which there were many objections. He did not think it would relieve the present church to any great extent, it being looked upon as the church which supplied accommodation for people from the ships iu harbour and new arrivals. Then they would have to double the establishment,greatly increasing the expense, which was a strong objection. The present church, moreover, being an unusually small one for these days, it would be better to enlarge it than erect another small one like it. He thought, therefore, that that motion could not he entertained, and they came then to the question whether it were practicable to enlarge the church iu such a way as to answer the purpose. Col. Mould would he better able to speak to this, but he (Mr. W.) assumed that it could he done for such a sum as they could raise, and they would get a church holding 700 or 800 people. In the objections which had been raised to the present structure he was assured there was nothing substantial, but that it could without difficulty he enlarged so as to hold 700 or 800 and its appearance he improved thereby. He concurred therefore, ns far as his present information went, in the resolution placed in his hands. He moved, “That in order to obtain increased church accommodation it is recommended that St. Raul’s church should be enlarged.”

Colonel Mould rose to second the resolution just proposed, proposing to apply himself more especially to the practical part of the proposition, lie agreed with Mr. Whitaker that rebuilding the present church was out of the question. It would be a great inconvenience •to the parishioners, who would be deprived of a place ol worship for an indefinite period; and as had been said, the expense would be very heavy and amount to a sum which they would find it very diflicult to raise. Ho also thought it was out of the question to build another church elsewhere in the parish, St. Raul’s being in the most convenient situation in the parish, and ns there would be difficulty in obtaining the site for a new building, for the chances were it would have to be purchased, which would be a large expense in addition to that of the new building. He, therefore, would certainly come to the conclusion that an enlargement was the most suitable way of providing the church accommodation required, and the question then arose in what way should this be done. It might be done by adding to the length of the present church at the South end — taking down the present chancel and extending the building as far as the boundary of the allotment. Such an enlargement would cost about £7OO, and might possibly give some 120 additional sittings, which would hardly be worth the expense; and, besides, they would still perpetuate what eclcsiastieal architects endeavored to •avoid as much as possible,—having the chancel at the south end of the church. To be sure, that was almost immaterial, but still prepossession were in favour of having it at the east end. In addition to that they might put up a couple of side wings, and so gain, probably, another 120 sittings, at a cost of £I2OO or £I4OO. They might also, without taking down the present walls, put galleries in the church; but those who knew the building would sec at once that the walls were so excessively low, and the tie beams of the roof came down so inconveniently upon the summit of the walls that galleries would not only bo very unsightly, but those in the hack ol the church would certainly not see the clergyman, and probably hardly hear him. He therefore put on one side the plan of having galleries. It might be truly said that by the first mode the building would be ns litile as possible altered, and it might be executed without very materially disturbing the congregation; but his own feeling was that it would not bo advisable to adopt that plan, for it would be very unsightly if they added the wings at each side, and they would still keep the chancel at the cast end, which, though not decidedly objectionable, was what they would probably not wish to see. lie came to the conclusion then that either of these plans was not so advisable as some other that might bo suggested. Ho had given the subject much consideration, and it had occurred to him that by mi enlargement in the form of a cross, making the present body of the church the nave, and the two ends transepts, they might get very considerable accommodation, and have the chancel at the east, end of the church. Roughly calculating, he assumed the probable cost of the alteration would he about £2OOO, and the additional accommodation gained would be about .100, so that by adding a large nave at the west end side of the church, and a choir and other accommodation at the east side, they might haven total church accommodation for about 700. In directing this enlargement, me congregation would )U3C»3Barily be tb

a longer time out of the church than by the enlargement first suggested. For the amount named they would have a very convenient commodious church, and he believed a suitable building externally—a point that should be considered, for without any great amount of decoration the House of God should be worthy at all events of the position which they fortunately held in this colony. The question then arose, of what material the enlargement should be made. If they thought of raising a large sum of money for a new church in another place, they might have merely a temporary addition executed of frail materials. If, for instance, the enlargement proposed were executed in wood, there might be a not very material saving of about £6OO ; but it appeared to him that it would not be satisfactory to the parish or worthy of the parishioners to put up a temporary building of that kind, with a view of at some period building a church elsewhere. He rather thought there were some individuals in the parish who thought the church should be moved elsewhere, —that there were more suitable situations for it (but he was not of that opinion); and it might bo suggested that these additions should be temporary. The present church had stood about 20 years, and cost, he believed, about £4OOO, and it had lusted up to the present time without any probability of being moved elsewhere. If the parishioners were looking to a site which if it had been selected at first would have been an admirable one, viz., Albert Barracks, ho was afraid they would have to wait much longer than the existence of the present building before they got a site in that direction. He therefore suggested that permanent material —scoria or brick—should be used in any enlargement that might be made. If any of the meeting should make any objections or propositions with regard to the different modes of enlargement, ho should be prepared to give them any information that might be in his possession, or his opinion upon any question. He had great pleasure in seconding the resolution. Mr, C. Hunter Brown inquired if the present walls and tower were in such a sound state as to admit of these alterations? Colonel Mould said he had examined the materials of the present walls and the bricks were certainly not of good quality, but were so firmly bound together in their present position by an exceedingly good waterbound mortar that he believed they would keep their position for another century; but if the present building were taken down they could not at all counton the bricks going in any new building. Mr. Frr/.G iiiiiON would like to know how long it was calculated the church in its proposed enlarged state would answer the wants of the parish—how long it would be before a further enlargement was required?

The Chairman said it would be hard to answer that question; so much depended on the number of persons that arrived in the colony. Mr. FitzGiuron said, as far as he could understand, it would only provide accommodation for their present wants.

The Chairman said the present population would he provided for by 120 to 150 additional sittings; and by this enlargement they were to get 300. Mr. Hunter Brown suggested that a greater enlargement might perhaps he made now more cheaply than by doing it in twice. Colonel Mould said the ground on which the present church stood was very limited in extent, and it was only practicable to carry out the enlargement a certain distance on each side. Suppose the extension took place at the south end. they could barely go 30 feet before reaching the fence. The greatest available distance was on the west side of the church, where there were something like 48 feet between the present wall and the fence, which he presumed bounded the land granted. The resolution was then put and agreed to without dissent.

Mr. Kennedy then moved, “ That the plan of enlargement designed by Colonel Mould, and approved of by the Vestry be adopted, and that the Vestry be requested to take the necessary steps for collecting' the funds and for commencing the work of enlargement with as little delay ns possible.” Mr. If. Jones in seconding the motion said that after inspecting the site he did not think there was a better plan for the enlargement than that prposed by Col. Mould, the effect of which ho thought would ho very good. He also made some enquiry about the roof.

Colonel Mould with reference to a remark of the Chief Justice said it was not proposed to alter the present wharf in any way. To raise the present roof would be attended with great difficulties of construction, and he was not sure it would alter the architectural appearance. They frequently the roof of the nave,higher than the transepts, hut in all cases the pitch of the roof was the same. If the roof were raised the pilch would lie altered, and the architectural effect bad.

Mr. J. A. Gilfillan suggested that the meeting sliould endeavour to obtain 50 men to give 20/. each to enable the vestry to make a beginning. He should bo happy to assist. They ought all to thank Col. Mould for the trouble ho had taken in preparing the plans before them, and his kindness in coining there to-day to explain everything so fully, and so well that though ho (Mr. G.) came rather prejudiced against the proposed plan, ho was now quite convinced it was the best.

Capt. Salmon suggested that in addition to the enlargement proposed a gallery should be placed across one end of the church so as to accommodate 100 more people, and it would not be very expensive.

'Hie Chairman with reference to Mr. Gilfillan’s remarks said that Mr. Thatcher, an ecclesiastical architect, had told him the other day that the work Colonel Mould had undertaken was hard work for a whole month, independent of the supervision of the work when going on. .Resolution put and adopted. Mr. Hunter Brown moved, “That in case the whole amount required shall not be obtained by subscription, the vestry be requerted to make arrangements for effecting a loan, the interest and principal to be paid inwoven years by equal yearly instalments, which shall he made, a first charge on the parish funds, after the payment of the clergyman’s salary.” Mr. O’lWbkb seconded the motion.

Sir George Arsny inquired what were the funds on which the money was to be raised? If only voluntary contributions there might be some difficulty about it. The Chairman said the question had been before the Standing Committee, and explained that St. Paul’s Parish had an Endowment Fund of 1050/, and if the money was borrowed from that, the Standing Committee would require, as in the case of a loan to the parish of Otahuhu, that a number of respectable parishioners should be made responsible for it, but there was no danger of their being called upon if the parish was as prosperous as it had been for the last seven years, in which the absolute amount of subscriptions exclusively of collections for ex-parochial purposes was 70()/. a year; and for the hist three year 826/. a year, out of which after paying 300/. for clergyman’s salary, would leave the interest of the loan secure, and 300/. a year for general expenses. Resolution put and agreed to. Votes of thanks having been passed to the Chairman and Col. Mould, a subscription list was at once opened on the motion of Mr. 11. Deßukoh Adams, and 200/. subscribed on the spot.