FIRST CHURCH OF OTAGO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 38

FIRST CHURCH OF OTAGO.

THE NEW ORGAN.

The organ which is now nearing completion w ill be opened this week by Mr Maughar* Barnett, of Wellington. Thereafter it will be u=e<3 in the services of the church. The* instrument is the first large organ in the South Island to be built on the tubular pneumatic system. When a key is depressed a valve is opened This is all the labour required, the rest being accomplished! by the pneuma^fc action. This action ia applied to the keys, pedals, and draw-stops. The longest tube in the organ is about 46ft, from the console to the great organ. In alt there are abaut two and a-half miles of this tubing. The touch is very light, and the speech very prompt. The draw-stops require only a touch to bring theni out, and they! draw a distance of one and a-half inches. In old organs these stops draw out three or four inches, and it. is often a labour to get them out. The organ which is toi be used in future in First Church contains several new stops that have never been heard ir> Dur-edin. The highest point of the orgart is 23ft from the main floor. The swell andl choir organs are placed in swell boxes, which are opened or closed by balanced swell psdals, actuated by either foot. These pedals are made to rest at any point. Th» motive power i« h}-draulic, the engines being; supplied by the builders, who also provided the design for the case, which is in oak, end has been made by Mir Marlow, of this city. Tlie erection of the organ has been carried out by Mr H. -A. Tustin. the representatives of Messrs Norman and Beard, the builders 1 * This work has been well and faithfully done. The organ stands in two divisions, one onr either side of the pulpit, the console being detached, and equidistant from the two divisions. There are 46 draw-stops in all. The whole work has to be finished subject to the satisfaction and approval of Mr Jesse Timson, the organist of the church, who ia also responsible for the specification.

Mr Keir Hardie states that, what witK the loss of wages to those, who rush to> sports and other expenses, every bijx football match in Scotland costs about £25,000. Last year, at the Royal Mint, 31,872,13* aluminium coins were struck, this being the first occasion on which this- metal has been used. The coins comprised half-cent, pieces for use in Uganda and one-tenth of s penny pieces for circulation in the Nigerian Protectorates.

The flaxmills in" the vicinity of Otautau. are not working 1 full time, the price of fibro ac present not warranting the proprietors carrying on. at the wages a6ked for by tb# men.