Lae's Anglican Church Be A Memorial

Memorial to the Fallen

From a Special Correspondent

AN Anglican parish church in the new township of Lae, New Guinea, is now being built. It is the gift of the Church in Australia, and a memorial to those who fell in the defence of the Territory.

Construction is in the hands of the Lae Building and Joinery Works. The church, of local hardwood and Bulolo pine, is 45 feet long and 31 feet wide.

Features are absence of conventional windows; the treatment of interior walls; the main west doors; and the interior height, which is 20 feet throughout. The doors, 14 feet high and 8 feet wide, are of adzed cedar planks with a cruciform design in relief.

Ventilation is provided by means of four six feet-square ceiling grids down the length of the nave.

The sanctuary, about 18 feet in depth, is the same width as the nave. A vestry on the north side opens into the sanc tuary; and a porch at the south-west corner provides additional access to the nave.

The baroque altar ornaments, made by a well-known London firm, are wood and heavily guilded. The crucifix is about five feet in height. A heavy tapestry, predominantly dull rose colour, will hang behind the altar, and the sanctuary car pet is pale green. An old Venetian sanc tuary lamp is being sent from England by friends and the parents of a Com mander RN, who is buried in the Lae War Graves Cemetery.

The altar, and all other furnishings are being made locally, of New Guinea tim bers.

Lae parishoners and their friends are responsible for the complete furnishing of the church. In the past 21 years they have collected and subscribed more than £7OO for this purpose besides main taining the mission priest, etc. A sum of £l4O is still needed to ensure that the furnishing of the church will be free of debt at time of the dedication.

Among gifts which have been received for the church are the beaten copper inset basin for the font—the gift of the Dance family; bookcase and table for prayer and hymn books, the gift of the Melbourne-New Guinea Women’s As sociation; sacred vessels given by Mr.

G. Whittaker and Miss Heaney in memory of their mothers; ciborium and cruets given by communicants in Lae.

The Women’s Guild is making vestments and other needlework required in the church.

Friends who would like to assist the panshoners in their objective may send contributions to the Bank of New South Wales, Lae, New Guinea, marked Lae Anglican Church Building Fund.

THE Church Council has throughout been greatly helped by the Bulolo Dredging Co.—already verv helpful in rebuilding St. Augustines Church at Wau. Advice sought on technical mat ters, and points of design have been gladly given. In Sydney, the Ventura Trading Co. has been tireless in its ef-

forts to make features of the design possible—no small task in these days.

Lastly, in Mr. Forbes, the local Church Council has had a co-operative builder.

At a meeting of the congregation held on Aoril 30 last, it was decided to ask the Diocesan Bishop to allow the dedi cation of the church to All Souls—a proposal originating with a former mem ber of the Guild, Mrs. Rigby now of We wak. The Bishop has granted the re quest.

It is not yet possible to announce the date of the completion of the work, nor the day of dedication of the building and consecration of the altar.

The Church under Construction.

The Rev. Dr. C. E. Fox, of the Melanes ian Mission, has returned to the Solomons.

His headquarters are at Firi, on Malaita.