New Anglican Cathedral for Wellington

Progress, Volume XII, Issue 11, 1 July 1917, Page 1004

New Anglican Cathedral for Wellington

At tho Wellington Diocesan Synod hold in Wellington early this month the question of the cathedral site was again discussed in committee, and the following resolutions were considered:— That the Taranaki street property is not suitable for a cathedral site; (a) that the land in Taranaki street, or its realized value, be treated as an endowment for the cathedral; (b) that the committee report to the Synod at its session in 1919 as to the retention or sale of the Taranaki street property; that Synod approves the present site of St. Mark’s church and buildings as the site for the cathedral, and resolves that the committee investigate and report to next Synod upon arrangements that it may be necessary to make as between the parish of St. Mark and the diocese; that the generous offer of St. Mark’s parish, conveyed in the vestry’s resolution of April 17, 1917, be gratefully accepted; that Synod accepts the preliminary plans prepared by Mr. Frank Peck, F.R.T.8.A., on the understanding that in the event of Mr. Peck not being eventually employed as architect, he will receive a fee of 250 guineas for the plans; that Mr. Frank Peck be appointed architect for the proposed cathedral, subject to his plans and specifications being approved by Sir Aston Webb, Mr. Gilbert Scott, or such other recognized expert or experts in ecclesiastical architecture as the committee may select—such alterations, as such expert or experts

may recommend, and the committee approve, to be carried out by Mr. Peck; that the following be the committee to carry out the foregoing resolutions, viz.:His Lordship the Bishop, the Revs. W. Fancourt, A. M. Johnson, 0. F. Askew, H. Watson, and Messrs AY. J. Birch, E. Balcombe Brown, R. AVilberfoss, E. F. Hadfield, J. W. Henderson, G. E. Tolhurst, W. J. Gaudin, J. Bcsant, and the mover, with power to add to its number; that the thanks of Synod be conveyed to Messrs William Ferguson and W. H. Morton for their valuable report on sites; that the funds to be collected be vested in the Cathedral Fund. Trustees in terms of their present trust deed. No decision was given for publication. In an interview given to a local paper the Rev. C. F. Askew is reported to have stated that the idea

is to build in ferro-concrete, to be overlaid and embellished within and without with stones, which shall include marbles and granites. The design is to be Gothic and the cost of quite secondary consideration. He further stated :— “We are out for the best. We want Wellington to have a building which will be the glory of the Southern Hemisphere. I am sure that when it is finished people will come from far and near to sec it. It will be the Mecca of New Zealand. Everything should be as beautiful as it is possible to make it, so that anyone who visits the Cathedral shall leave it feeling a better man for having seen it.

The Cathedral as to the main part could be up in five years, and its towers and other features could be built later, the whole work could be completed in ten years.”