"THE BRICKS"

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18878, 18 December 1926, Page 17

"THE BRICKS"

UNVEILING OF CAIRN. TO-DAY'S CEREMONY. As a preliminary to tho ceremony of unveiling tho cairn this afternoon 03 the site of •'The Bricks," near tho Bar* badocs street bridge, tho Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) yesterdny afternoon de» posited a deed box in tho cavity in th« cairn. Tho box was handed to him by Mr Arthur Dudley Dobson, president oS tiie Christchurch Beautifying Association, which provided tho cairn. I'ho box contained copies of yostcr* day's daily nowspapers, photographs and views of Christchurch, a state* ment relating to tho history of the river Avon; tho photographs included one of "Tho Bricks" site prior to the erection of tho cairn, showing tho old cottago and rlied on it: copies of Christ* church scholastic magazines were also, contained in the box. For to-day's unveiling ceremony, which takes place at '2 p.m., tho cairn will bo complete with tho exception of tho inscription which is to appear on ono of tho btono panels. Pioneer* attending tho ceremony will bo conveyed to tho sito in tho Christchurch Coaching Club's old West Coast, road coach, which will start at 2.30 p.m. from Hereford street, midway between Colombo and Manchester streets. The Mayor has been invited to make the trip and accommodation will bo available for fifteen pioueors. After the cere* mt# at ''The Bricks," tho coach will run short trips about the City. Part of i he cairn consists of some of tho identical bricks landed on the »ita in the early days. ■ The manner in which they were obtained for tho purpose of incorporation in the cairn is interesting. Mr J. J. Collins, tho trelU known architect, noticed in Thb PUU a paragraph asking for information as to wheio 6omo of tho old bricks could bo got. Mr Collins was able to provide tho bricks, which wore of Eng* lish manufacture and came out aa baT« last in somo of tho 6hips that brought settlers to Canterbury. Mr W. Gmaa Brittan, sen., ono of the pioneers, used somo of tho bricks for his house on the corner of Fitzgerald avenuo and Rives road. Avonside; tho architect was Mr Fowks. Tho particular bricks for the cairn wore left on the section after somo alterations to tho house which, later, was occupied by the lato Hon. Mr E. C. J. Stevens, and still later by Mr J. J. Collins. Questions have been asked why th 4 cairn has not been erected in the centre of the site. The section belongs to tho Drainage Board and in giving permission for tho erection of the cairn, tho Board stipulated thaH it must be within 60 feet from tin bridge, which would leave the larger portion of ihe> section available for OH3J buildings tho Board may erect on it.