on a legal technicality, that no proof had been established that the Parish was ever incorporated in the Episcopal Corporation. The matter did not rest with this decision. His Lordship Bishop Henry O'Leary , appointed a commission of three priests; Rev. A. Mc- Aulay, Rev. R. J. MacDonald , and Rev. A. P. MacLellan to investigate the matter. It was their decision that, notwithstanding the legal technicality, in equity the contractor should be paid. A settlement was made by the Parish with Mr. Creamer on April 20, 1927, for the amount of $2252.74. This decision further discouraged the people who had to pay for something that was a manifest failure. But the exterior of the church was completed, and was dedicated to the service of God , October 22, 1916, by His Lordship Bishop Henry J. O'Leary . He was assisted by the Pastor, Thomas Curran , P. F. Hughes , secretary to the Bishop, Owen Kiggins , Leo Herrell and Joseph Rooney . Father Herrell offered the Mass, and the sermon was delivered by Rev. Owen Kiggins who commended the "spirit of faith and sacrifice the people of God had shown in the construction of this handsome edifice". On March 2nd., 1917 Rev. Father Curran, the pastor, erected the Stations of the Cross, and annexed the indulgence to them. But the church building continued to give both pastors and people trouble — the bricks were of poor quality, the mortar was crumbling, the church leaked in the rainy season, and snow drifted in during the winter. Each succeeding pastor was faced with the question, "What to do?" The question was never clearly resolved and so each year saw the people more discouraged, some moved away while others lost their interest. When Father Clarence Pitre was appointed Pastor in the Fall of 1930, a decision was made to repair the tower of the church, but he was transferred to Rustico before any other improvements could be made. The problem had not improved by the time Father Ken MacMillan was appointed to the parish. After much discussion among the people, and after securing expert opinions as to the cause of the problem, and its solution, it was decided by the people to demolish the building and con¬ struct a new, smaller, wooden one. So on May 11th, 1953, the work of demolition was begun by the contracting firm of Morrison and McRae and it was completed on May 26th ., at a cost of $3000. In 1952, it was necessary because of the unsafe condition of the building, to make use again of the first church built in 1948, for Mass and the other liturgical celebrations. On September 7th., Rt. Rev. R. V. MacKenzie erected the Stations of the Cross. In September of 1953, Father MacMillan was appointed Pastor of Tracadie , and was succeeded by Rev. James Smith . —16—