ON MOUNT COOK

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 123, 27 May 1930, Page 11

ON MOUNT COOK

THE NATIONAL GEOUP DESIGNS NEXT MONTH Though necessarily there, is a good deal of the Estate secret " about the preparation and judging of the architects ' designs for tho National group of . buildings, to be erected on the Mount Cook site, the' Art Gallery, Dominion Museum, and the Wellington Memorial Carillon, it is understood that the announcement of the judges' work is fairly near at hand. Tho main competition, for which al>out twenty architects entered, closed early in the year, and.from those the -jury of award (Mr. C. W. Wood, of Christchureh, Mr. W. Gray Young, Wellington, and Mr. .J. W. Mawson, Government ■ Town Planner) selected three, which were returned to the designers for elaboration into working designs. It had been expected that the final designs would havo been received this month, but for imperative reasons an extension of time was decided upon, and the final judging will not now be announced until probably near the end of next month, by which time, also, the Mayor, Mr. G. A. Troup, will have returned to Wellington from his health trip. It is undertsoocl that the three designs selected as a result of the first nudging are all particularly fine and promise a magnificent group of buildIt has boon generally accepted that the carillon tower would bo the first section of the, group to bo undertaken, as the bells arc completed—and havo been playing in Hydo Park, London, for three months —and could be landed in Wellington at fairly short notice, but final decision on that point must wait upon the acceptance of the winning design. .

GROUNDS AND GAOL DEMOLITION

The conditions under which tho competition is being conducted allow the designers a very wide scope, not only as regards the buildings but for the ground lay-out as well, with, of course, the limitations imposed by contours and position of present buildings. So far mo definite statement has been, made as to the removal of the old- Mount Cook gaol, but a proposal made a.day or two ago that its demolition would provide work in mid-city for a fair number_ of unemployed has decidedly interesting possibilities which may be referred to by the Government in its statement as to relief works policy for this winter. The old gaol is definitely going' to be a tough job of work, for the designers meant it to last and the buiklers were men who had much time before them. Tho improvement of the grade and the widening of Buckle.street may to said to bo an essential part "of the Mount Cook scheme, a contribution by the City Council to the ground layout, but it is probably but a small part of the road access improvement that will ultimately be Carried out- tar the council. What is proposed m that regard, However, is a matter of town planning, even tho outlines1 of which the council has determined, lest speculators should profit greatly at the city s expense, to guard asa close secret.