THE DECORATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 5, 6 July 1939, Page 7

THE DECORATIONS

PETONE BEACH MEMORIAL

An idea of the decorative effect of the Centennial memorial on Petone Beach was given by the architect, Mr. H. Massey, of Auckland, during a visit |to Wellington yesterday. From out- ! side the building the chief feature would be the sand-blasted window with [the design of a newly-arrived early j settler greeting a Maori chief beneath j ! a tree fern. The window will stand 20 j feet higher than the mode] of the ship i which will project from the facade I ! close to the ground. The window de- : sign will be effective, viewed from i ; without or within. j The hall within. 22 feet square, will | have a floor of mosaic, and a dado of j i imitation stone four feet in height. As i !the height of the hall will be 28 feet, i there is plenty of wall space for decoration. Beginning about sft 6in from I the floor, there will be a 10ft band running round the hall devoted to mural paintings, depicting colonisation. These pointings, which are being done jby Mr. Turkington. Auckland, comJmence on the immediate.right of the j ■ main front window. The first repre- ! sent? the first settlers' arrival. . and | ! shows them stepping ashore on the! ' Petone Beach. The next shows them I bartering . with the Natives within the j shadow of a typical raupo hut. As time ! marches on. the settlers are shown carving out new homes for themselves in the bush, rail-splitting, and attending jto their scanty flocks and herds. The | next painting shows New Zealand i answering. the call of the Mother. CounI try to take up arms in the Great War: I Maori and pakeha soldiers are depicted , bidding good-bye to their loved ones. i The last of the series shows New Zeajland in the year 1940, with' men at j work on the waterfront, while overI head is a modern aeroplane.

In the centre of the hall, on a marble pedestal, will be a large globe of copper, on which will be engraved the course taken by settlers' ships from the Old Country.