CITIZENS' MEMORIAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1929, Page 13

CITIZENS' MEMORIAL

CLEARING THE SITE

AN IDEAL SPOT

A start has been made by the Wellington City Council with the clearing away of some of tho buildings on Quinton's corner preparatory to tho laying of the foundation-stone of the Citizens' War Memorial, which will definitely tako place on Anzac Day, 25th April. Not all the buildings will bo removed simultaneously, tho corner building remaining longest, tut it is expected that all will bo removed by the timo the complete memorial is ready for erection. Tho exact. position of tho foundation-stone, which it- is hoped will be laid by His Excellency tho Governor-General, has not yet been decided upon, but as the "baso of the main portion of the memorial will bo near tho now roadway which will bo made from the Quay to Bowen street, its approximate location is determined. The slight alteration in tho lay-out of tho corner which has been decided upon is an improvement which will make tho memorial stand out more conspicuously. A flight of steps will lead from the new roadway to the back of tho memorial, tho grounds of which will, form a rounded triangle, surrounded by a footway, with its apex pointing td wards Lambton Station. Prom the front the memorial will "bo approached by a flight of steps which will lead to a tesseloAted paved area flanked by shrubs, taking up the wholo of the remaining area up to the flight of steps leading immediately to the memorial itself. This will give an unobstructed view of the strueturo from threo sides, and will give a greatly increased space within full sight of the memorial for tho public on ceremonial occasions than tho original sito could have afforded. Tho background for such an imposing piece of architecture— including a pylon the total height will bo 65 foot—is an important mattor, but as the land on tho further sido of the new roadway is the property bf the City Council it is safe to assume that buildings erected thoro will have, if not a blank wall, at least nothing.of so ornate a nature as to detract from the impression of the memorial.