Samoans could be brought into Christchurch to aid the city’s rebuild following top-level talks between the Samoan and New Zealand Prime Ministers. At a press conference on Thursday New Zealand Prime Minster, John Key, said he and Samoan Prime minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi had discussed the possibility of expanding the existing Recognised Seasonal Employer Read more
Contractors began digging the foundations for the Anglican Church’s new base in Christchurch, popularly known as the cardboard cathedral, on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the earthquake-damaged Christ Church Cathedral, Reverend Craig Dixon, says he heard on Monday building consent for the foundations of the temporary replacement had been granted. Rev Dixon says work on the Read more
In Christchurch divorces are happening by the “bucketload”, a Family Court registry support officer says. Dissolution of marriage applications are flooding Christchurch’s Family Court and the registry support officer fears it may be only the first wave. Family Court registry support officer Judith Millar said the court was receiving at least five divorce applications a day and Read more
Earthquake prone churches in Temuka and Pleasant Point have become the latest earthquake victims with both churches now closed following engineering reports. The Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, Bishop Barry Jones, after consultation with parish priest Father Brian Fennessy, accepted the structural engineers’ recommendations to close the buildings. The St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Temuka has Read more
Demolition of the Christchurch Cathedral will be put on hold while the church authorities consider an independent report saying it can be saved. When he announced the report Jim Anderton said that Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, promised, at a meeting six weeks ago, that demolition work would be paused. Prime Minister John Key told TV3’s Firstline Read more
Last week the High Court at Auckland approved a plan proposed by ACS (New Zealand), known as a scheme of arrangement. ACS New Zealand is the largest insurer of churches and heritage buildings, and its creditors include Christchurch’s Catholic and Anglican cathedrals. In February the company, formally known as Ansvar, changed its name to ACS (New Read more
The Queen will use a private audience with Prime Minister John Key to seek assurances over Christ Church Cathedral after being inundated with pleas from New Zealand to save the building. Mr Key confirmed the Queen’s lady-in-waiting had briefed him that Queen Elizabeth wanted to talk about the future of the Cathedral after a flood Read more
Some churches are more than just buildings; they are symbols of greater realities. They are important not just to believers, they represent the lives, hopes and aspirations of a whole people. That is why the decision not to rebuild the Christchurch Cathedral “makes a profound statement about the entire city’s future”, says Chris Trotter “Those Read more
A Christchurch caravan family of five have said goodbye to their caravan and shifted into a rent-free Woolston home after a charitable Cantabrian came to their aid. A landlord, who wished to remain anonymous, offered the family a home for three months rent-free after their plight was featured in The Press two weeks ago. Continue Read more
A $55 million plan to restore Christchurch Cathedral has been put forward by heritage campaigners. Marcus Brandt put his restoration design before a 50-strong crowd at the Court Theatre on Sunday. He called it “The People’s Steeple”. Brandt, who has been restoring historic structures for 30 years, said the cathedral was the most controversial heritage project Read more