CITY’S WAR MEMORIAL

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 93, 14 January 1929, Page 11

CITY’S WAR MEMORIAL

THE AMENDED DESIGN FOUNDATION-STONE TO BE LAID ON ANZAC DAY The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. G. A. Troup) informed a “Dominion” reporter on Saturday that a forward move was being made with preparing for the erection of the Citizens’ War Memorial at Quinton’s Corner in the angle of Lambton Quay and Bowen Street. The City Council, the Mayor explained, had already served notices on their tenants to vacate the site, and no doubt the Government had taken the same action. Tenders for the’ erection of the memorial would be called by the War Memorial Committee as soon as the demolition of the buildings had been completed. The work of demolishing the buildings would be carried out by the City Council.

Mr. Keith Draffin, of the firm of I Grierson, Aimer, and Draffin, the Auckland architects whose design for the Citizens’ War Memorial has been accepted, during the week had visited Wellington and submitted to the executive of the Memorial Committee plans for the memorial as amended to suit the new site, on Quinton’s corner. Mr. Draffin explained that the only material alteration in- the memorial is that it is necessary to reduce the width of the base by about six feet, from 88ft. to 82ft., the wings being slightly amended. The lay-out of the ground greatly pleased the members of the executive, the plans suggesting that the site is eminently suitable for the memorial, and far ahead of the former site, the triangle in front of the Parliamentary Building grounds. The shrine portion of the base will extend back practically to the line of the new roadway to be driven from Lambton Quay to Bowen Street, and on either side garden plots will be laid out. At the apex of the grounds, in the angle of Lambton Quay and Bowen Street, a flight of curved steps will be constructed, leading to a broad paved way, which in turn leads to a second flight of steps.up to the base of the memorial. On either side of the tesselated pavement will be garden beds, and the whole effect promises very well indeed, giving the memorial a stately and fitting setting, which could not have been achieved on the former proposed site. Another advantage which the Quinton’s corner site possesses is that the paved way and the three wide streets about the memorial will afford ample space on occasions of ceremony. Now that the final plans are adopted the architects are able to finalise plans and specifications and propose to call for tenders about the end of February. No decision has so far been reached as to the stone to be used in the construction of the obelisk, but the matter is in the hands of a sub-committee, and probably tenders will be called for alternative stones. Though the committee desires to use New Zealand stone if it is possible, it may be that, In spite of long transport and freight, Carrara marble will still be considerably the more economical material. It is not likely to be used, however, if a suitable New Zealand stone is available at a cost within the committee’s finance.

Mr. R. O. Gross, who is associated with Messrs. Grierson. Aimer, and Draflin in the design, and is responsible for the sculpture, is already on his way to England, where he will model the bronze figure to cap the memorial, that of Victorious Youth mounted on Pegasus, and will supervise the casting. It is to be 14ft. in height, and will weigh roughly 7 tons, so that the work is a big one. , The City Council will this week put down bores to ascertain the nature of the foundation, without which the plans cannot be completed. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone is to be performed next Anzac Day, but it will probably be at least eighteen months from the date of commencement before the memorial is completed, possibly on Armistice Day, 1930.