MEMORIAL PLANS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 223, 16 June 1932, Page 8

MEMORIAL PLANS

Earthquake’s 84 Victims PROJECT FOR NAPIER Committee Approves Scheme DETAILS OF THE DESIGN Dominion Special Service. Napier, June 15. Hans for the erection of a memorial over tlie community grave .of 84 earthquake victims at Parke Island Cemetery are now being finalised, and tenders for its erection wilt be called within the course of the next few days. When prices for the work have been obtained they, together with the plans which have received the approval of a sub-committee of the Napier Earthquake Memorial Committee set up to deal with them, will be submitted to a meeting of citizens, which will then consider ways and means to raise the necessary money to pay for the erection of the memorial. ~ . The grave as it stands to-day is 7feet 6 inches in length and 17 feet 6 inches in width. It is raised slightly above the level of the gradually sloping ground, planted in grass, and bordered by limestone rocks. It is proposed to raise the low-lying end of the area in order to make it perfectly level and not sloping in similar manner to the hillside on which it is situated, the limestone border being raised accordingly and suitably reinforced and ornamented. Central Feature. The central feature of the design is an obelisk situated in the centre of the western side of the grave, where it may readily be seen by visitors to the cemetery as they turn the bend in the road. It will be 12 feet in height from the surface of the grave and its width at the base in front will be 3ft. 2in.. tapering to 2ft. at the top. while its sides will measure 4ft. 2in. at the base and 3ft. 9in. at the top. The obelisk will be faced with cement, divided to represent stonework, and at its western apex will appear the wording “3rd February,” and slightly below it on a diamond-shaped plate the figures “1931.” Around the base there will be steps upon which will be built flowerbeds similar to those which will also be constructed in various places on the wall by way of ornamentation. There will also be borders around the grass plot on the surface of the grave in which flowers will be grown. Names of Victims. The eastern wall of the grave will comprise a large marble slab on which in black lettering will appear the full names of all the victims of the disaster buried there, these being arranged in alphabetical order. Above the names in the centre of the slab and in larger lettering there will be the inscription, “Their sun is gone down while it was yet day.” Paths are to he constructed around ,the grave and substantial seats constructed for the use of visitors on an area on the opposite side of the path to the obelisk. At present some of the plots of the individual dead are marked by their names, and a condition is made that during the progress of the work none of these marks is to be disturbed. The associated architects of Napier are responsible for the design.