THE NEW WAR MEMORIAL SITE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 121, 20 February 1928, Page 10

THE NEW WAR MEMORIAL SITE

Sir,—Mr. W. S. Wilson will doubtless be surprised and even shocked to discover that at least one humble citizen considers that the newly proposed site tor the soldiers’ memorial will “bear investigation,”. and cannot “be dismissed from the public mind." It is very obvious from Mr. Wilson’s published remarks that he possesses a very' elementary knowledge of town planning when he suggests that Kent and Cambridge Terraces must be “eventually taken through, under, or over rhe Basin Reserve.” Tho citizens of Wellington are no more likely to allow this to happen than the citizens of London are likely to allow a r.oad to be taken through, under, or over the Kensington Oval or Lords cricket ground. Kent and Cambridge Terraces will or should remain a dignified avenue similar in character to the Champs Elysees in Paris, and a glorious . opportunity will be lost if the soldiers’ memorial is not placed in a similarly ideal position to the Aro de Triomphe, which stands over the tomb of the unknown French warrior, and is a crowning feature of tins magnificent avenue. Has it not occurred to Mr. Wilson that the problem presented by the Basin Reserve in relation to tne city street plan has been solved time and again in larger cities than Wellington, and that by using a diagonal highway it has been found possible to avoid even greater obstacles? Mr. Wilson declares emphatically that the site given by the Government for the soldiers’ memorial on Lambton Quay is quite suitable in every way for the purpose in spite of the facts that (1) the site is irregular in shape; (2) the axis of the site is in no way related to the surrounding buildings or streets; (3) the site is not a level one; (4) a memorial erected upon the site would not only mask the handsome Parliamentary block, but Would be a danger to the sweeping traffic from Lambton Quay to Molesworth Street. Such blind confidence will surely stir our town-planning experts into giving an opinion which is awaited with interest.—l am, etc., aiuch-travelled digger. Wellington, February 16.

Sir, —It is a pity that in endeavouring to throw cold water on Mr. Hurst Seager’s admirable proposal that the mem‘"orial should be placed on the best available site, an attempt is being made to revive the old bogey of destroying the Basin Reserve by the sonstruction of a road or tramway through it. Happily, however, that ghost has been effectively laid by the City Council in the erection, at a cost of some .£20,000, of the magnificent pavilion which now adorns the reserve —one of the finest reserves of its kind in Australasia. If hereafter it should ever be found desirable or expedient to provide means by which the few seconds of time spent in going round the reserve may be saved — at the cost, nevertheless, of a capital expenditure of thousands of pounds, and a permanent annual interest charge of a large sum—the Kent Terrace tramway could be extended by means of a shallow tunnel underneath the surface of the reserve —a not uncommon method of communication adopted in large cities. The location of the War Memorial in the proposed site, in substitution for the hideous public convenience now standing there, would not interfere with that extension in the slightest degree. A careful consideration of Mr. Seagers illuminating report, and a comparison "f the advantages of the new site with those of the restricted Thorndon site, carry- conviction that the adoption of the ‘latter site, if finally made, (would be a grave mistake. —I am, etc., A. G. Wellington, February 16.