KING EDWARD BARRACKS

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27705, 8 July 1955, Page 10

KING EDWARD BARRACKS

VARIED USE OVER FIFTY YEARS

FOUNDATION STONE LAID BY MR SEDDON

“Under somewhat inauspicious conditions—the day being the unlucky thirteenth of the month and wet to boot —the foundation stone of the new drillshed to be known as the King Edward Barracks was laid yesterday afternoon by the Right Honourable the Premier and Minister nf Defence, who had made a special and hurried trip from Wellington for the purpose.” Thus “The Press” reported a ceremony performed by Mr R. J. Seddon 50 years ago.

“The Press” said the novel design resembled a short length of a huge tunnel. The architect (Mr S. Luttrell) said the span of the girders was the greatest ever attempted in New Zealand. These claims have seldom been challenged since and the form of the structure has undergone little alteration. Three hundred feet long. 120 ft wide, and 40ft high at the top. with a gallery leading off the officers rooms, and various stores—the description still applies today—the only major change being the substitution of electricity for the gas lighting originally installed to provide 9000 candlepower. The Government contributed £4635 to the cost and much was raised locally by the trustees, a fact to which Mr Seddon paid tribute. The total expenditure is indicated in this old report only by the architect’s assessment of “l£d a cubic foot compared with 3d a cubic foot for a grain store, making it one o* the most economical buildings in New Zealand.” It replaced a drillshed destroyed by fire on February 21, 1903. worth about £l5OO.

Mr Seddon said that in July. 1905. Canterbury had 2700 volunteers. 215 defence rifle club members, 400 defence cadets, 1700 public school cadets and 900 private school cadets who would use the barracks. Men of the First and Second World Wars assembled there before going into camp or overseas. But the King Edward Barracks has served for functions far divorced from the military. Long ago sprint races were held there. Tom Heeney (who afterwards contested the world title) boxed Brian McCleary, there were bicycle races, wrestling, international tennis, and football training. Industries’ fairs were an annual event until recently. The big motor show, when Sir Henry Segrave’s world record “Golden Arrow” was displayed, was in the barracks. Anzac Day services are a fixture. There have been flower shows and bird shows. Viscount Montgomery was received there. Public meetings ranged

from the prohibition campaigns of Mr W. “Pussyfoot” Johnston and evangelcrusades to Christchurch’s greatest political rally addressed in 1938 by Mr M. J. Savage. Although designed for vast!' different purposes, the barracks provided good acoustics for the centennial music festival and it has probably never been gayer than on the night of the Randolph Ball during the same celebrations. “The heavy block of Aberdeen granite.” laid by Mr Seddon, still “supports the pillars of the two entrance arches.”