NEW CHURCH AT TE ARO.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4260, 14 November 1874, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEW CHURCH AT TE ARO.

TO THE EIHTOH. Sin, —I read in your paper of this morning that "the result of the deliberations of the Standing Committee of the Diocese upon the plans recently submitted for the new church at.Te Aro is that Mr. Tringham's plan is tobe accepted, with some necessary modifications," I am somewhat puzzled at this not very definite announcement. Tho Standing Committee has, I understand, adopted the recommendation of a sub-committee to this effect, after inspecting the various plans sent in, which were also open to public inspection. But the question arises, was the sub-committee a competent authority to report on the subject ? Was the Standing . Committee . a competent authority to decide on their recommendation ? Is oven the general public a good authority on so special a question ? I am convinced by reflection that special authority—-skilled, specially educated authority—is required here in order to arrive at a satisfactory result. For instance, the Colonial Architect, Mr. Clayton, -was not invited to compete for . these designs. The committee would certainly best consult the wishes and interests of those for whom they are acting by seeking the opinion of that gentleman, to -which no imputation of partiality could possibly be attached. A certain sum of money has to be provided for a certain building. That sum will not be forthcoming at once in cash. Both the congregation, and people outside of it, will bo called upon, or will volunteer, to contribute in one shape or another. Will thoy not be more likely to do so liberally, if thoy bo convinced that every precaution has been taken to obtain the best plan, in proportion to tho inducement offered ? Without such precaution it is evidently possible that an injustice is being committed by a select few. Again, the outsiders—the rejected competitors —are dismissed with but scant ceremony, and still scantier remuneration. Those are indeed strange judges of architectural designs, and of tho labor of brain, as well as pen and pencil, necessary to produce good ones, who tender a five-pound note to"each author of these "rejected addresses." But what is tho meaning of " some neeeßsary modifications" to the accepted plan ? Woes it mean that whatever is better in tho others has been plagiarised from then), or from any one or more of them, and added to that which was originally imperfect, so as to mako it good enough to pans muster with a partial jury as superior to the plundered plans? On the face of the paragraph, Hindi is tho interpretation I woidd place upon it. If I bo in the wrong, I shall rejoice to bo corrected. I shall be glad to entertain tho conviction, which does not exist in my mind at proHont, that tho Standing CoinniiUuo of tho Diocese aro tho fittest men in the congregation to judge between competitive architectural designs, and Unit thoy have in this instance particularly aetnd with entiro impartiality. They can easily convince tho public that thoy have (lone no by laying the matter before a practical export, who will most likely accompany his report with an intelligent description of the comparative merits of tho different plain 1 , and intelligible reasons for tho

preference which he may accord to any particular one, or to parts of others which he may recommend: to be incorporated witli the anain plan selected. Other difficulties suggest themselves. Were the invitations to different architects couch ■;J in the same terms to all ? Was nnyl'.iing said in any of them as to any limit upon the estimate of cost, either for tho wholo building or for the portion to bo first erected ? It is evident, for instance, that one, architect, not limited to loss than £IO,OOO, might produco a far grander and more admirable design than a fellow professional, whose conceptions might be " cabin'd, cribb'd, confined," by supposing that £2OOO would be the extent, of his employer's tether. I trust that the above considerations may yet weigh with the committee not finally to decide until their judgments have been fortified by the opinion of a professional expert, such as Mr. Clayton. Further, —was anything said to any ono beforehand about tho style of the building ? whether it was to be highly ornate, moderately ornamental, or in the plain, barn-like style of the Wesleyan chapels of thirty years ago. A very commodious barn may be built to seat so many hundred people, or to contain so many tons of hay, for a moderate price. But if some taste in design, some exercise of architectural mind, some fruits of a long and costly education in the principles as well as as the intricacies of the profession, be expected, then a larger estimate, in proportion to tho number of sittings, will necessarily be arrived at. Your insertion of the above remarks may possibly conduce to the desirable conclusion. —I am, &c, Palmam qui MERUIT FEHAT.