of the Parish, I should count it the greatest privilege and reward to see St. Mary's completed. There would be few, if any churches, either in New Zealand or Australia, to excel it, whether for beauty of design or solidity of structure. It would be, so far as any material building can be, for many a century a witness to God's glory, and the loyal devotion of St. Mary's people. But facts must be faced. Could they reasonably expect to meet the cost?" There was no doubt as to the answer. The scheme had the support of the Churchwardens and Vestry, including clear-headed business men, Captain Wray, Messrs. M. J. Knubley, C. H. Tripp, C. Perry, J. Shepherd, and others. A Building Committee was chosen to act with the Vestry, Mr. R. W. Simpson being Secretary and Treasurer, who had given much thought and time to the matter.
Mr. Armson, the late architect of the church, had left sketch plans for its completion in the hands of Messrs. Collins and Harman, his successors. These provided for the completion of the tower on foundations already laid, with a broached spire, a chancel and sanctuary with apsidal end, organ chamber and vestry, all in keeping with the Early English style of the nave. We decided on certain changes: a square ending to the sanctuary instead of an apse, more after the style of Early English than the apse, which is distinctly French. Moreover, it admits of far more light, and by its height of roof greatly increases the dignity of the sanctuary. In place of the original plan of vestry and organ chamber, which were too small, a transept has been designed, or, strictly speaking, a side-chapel, opening into the chancel by a large archway, with room for the organ and a number of sittings. From this a cloister passage leads to a vestry
