A NEW ST. MATTHEW’S

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 July 1942, Page 4

A NEW ST. MATTHEW’S

(To the Editor.) Sir,—l was pleased to see a letter by my old friend “N.J.8.” in your journal this evening, in reference to the demolished St. Matthew’s Church, Masterton. In the old church that faced Queen Street, I was a vestryman and a member of the choir. The Rev. Paige was the Vicar in 1882, and Mrs Paige was organist. “N.J.8.” speaks of St. Paul’s pro-Cathedral of Wellington, and also the church that preceded that church. Now, Sir, T had the honour as a youth, of attending the lastnamed church and then, in due course, attending the first-named Cathedral and being a member of the choir up to 1882, when I went up to Masterton to the “Times" in Mr J. Payton’s time. At that time the firm’s name was “Payton. Roydhouse and McKenzie.” The proCathedral was built by Mr McLagan, and he put the best of timber therein. It is as good today as when it was built. But it is to give precedence to a grander Cathedral in Molesworth Street, as soon as there are funds enough to warrant its erection. Our present Bishop is progressive and he has views of what Wellington will be in the near future. I very much regret the mishap the late church has had and trust that the experience will be the means of a church being built that will stand up to such a quake as we have just experienced. I may say in closing, I have seen many changes in Wellington and the Wairarapa during my life in the Wellington province. I was born in 1853, and was in the great earthquake of 1855. when my parents suffered a great loss therein.—Yours etc., MARK MAXTON, J.P. Grey town, July 23.