CITIZENS' MEMORIAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 10

CITIZENS' MEMORIAL

THE FINAL DESIGN A: SPLENDID SITE TENDEKS TO BE CALLED Mr. Kcitli Draflin, of the firm of ; Grici'suii, Aimer, .and Drailin, tho Auckland architects .whose design for tho Citizens' ;War Memorial has lieen accepted, during tho week visited Wellington and submitted to the executive of.the Memorial Committee plans .for .the memorial as amended to' suit the ue.w site, on QuintohVcomer.- '. ■ Mr. DrafhV 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 BSft to 82ft, . the, wings being slightly, amended. ..■■.:. The lay-out of the 1 ground" greatly pleased the members of the executive, a "Post" reporter- was'informed, the plans suggesting that the site is eminently suitable. for the memorial, and far-ahead of the former site, tho triangle in front of the Parliamentary Building grounds. A STATELY SETTING. The shrine portion of the base will extend back practically to the line of the new roadway to. bo 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 angleof Lambton' quay and Bo wen 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 tcsselated pavement will be garden beds,,and the whole effect promises very well indeed, giving the memorial a stately and fitting setting, which co'uld'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 tho 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'andfreight/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 ,tho committee's finance. THE BRONZE FIGURE. Mr. R. O. Gross, 1 who,is associated with Messrs. Grierson, Aimer, and Draffin" in the 1 design, and .is responsible for the sculpture, is already on his way to England, where ho will model the bronze figure to''cap, the memorial, that of Victorious Youth mounted on Pegasus, and will supervise, the casting. It is to bo.l'lft'in.height,-and..will weigh roughly 7 tons,.so,that, the .'work is a big one. /.:■:; ' The City Council will.during the coming week-put down bores.to ascertain the nature of, the foundation, without which [the plans cannot bo completed. The ceremony of laying-the foundation'stone is to be performed next An«ic Day, but it will probably bo at least months' from- the';date of commencement before thememorial is completed, possibly on ;Arinistice Day, 1030.