THE WAR MEMORIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 211, 3 September 1920, Page 2

THE WAR MEMORIAL.

OF ARCHITECTS. In reply to a question at the City Council meeting last night, fie Mayor stated -hat it was not quite correct that, the City Engineer had been charged with preparing the design lor th ■ Auckland War Memorial Museum. What had hapt pened was that as president of tile Auckland Institute, in his capacity as Mayor, r lie had asked the engineer to prepara I tentative designs for the gu'i'.ance of tl'c . War Memorial Committee in considering . the question. j The matter is at present occupying the ? J attention of the local branch of tiio , Architects' Institute, which recently t wrote to the War Memorial Committee - on the point answered by the Mayor. r Speaking to a "Star" reporter this nioriii ing Mr. Bartlej-, the secretary, ntat«d that no reply had been received i' r >.'inthe committee. Tlie institute, he s.iid. had not been approached in any way lo assistance, but in view of the importance of having the memorial made on-3 worthy of the city und the object members were somewhat exercised over what <va* being done. The matter had been discussed I at meetings, and it had ue™n agreed ti.at j the only way in which a wortiiy uiemo- ! rial oould be obtained was by inviting ■ world-wide competitive designs. Members felt that with the Museum iicoommodation required it would '>? '.mp.)s=ible to get a structure that would be frehitecturally noble and at the β-inie time i sufHcientlv spacious for museum utilities .for £ Vlo'tiOO, It was felt that a fcrro- ' concrete structure would be degrading ! as a memorial, which should be iiuilt ol ' the finest material available. The. insti- ) tute, he said, was prepared to ussi-it snd to co-operate in efforts to secure a design of dignity and nobility by means of world-wide competition to this end. It I was universally recognised that the architect's fee, even if it ran to £5000, i could be saved in the actual building ' once the right design was obtained. Time j was not a vital clement m the matter, Mr. Bartley pointed out, and it would be better to apply to the, moel distinguished architects for a really noble design, and , to build in that design in sections over a number of years, than to hastily put up a structure that would be a standing reproach to the city.