HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20420, 23 November 1929, Page 5 (Supplement)

HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT.

The movement for a war memorial was launched in October, 1920, by the Mayor, Mr. (now Sir) James Gunson, who called a public meeting to consider the question. It was thoro resolved that it should take tho form of a museum building and tlie objective aimed at was fixed at £200,000, toward which some £52,000 had already been, promised provided a museum building was decided upon. In addition tho sito on the Domain was available without cost, tho City Council in 1918 having granted permission for the erection of a museum in that. park. One principle was laid down in regard to tho collection of funds, and it is to the credit of Auckland that no departure was ever made from it, and that was that no adventitious or unworthy means should bo used. It was determined that tho building should bo raised as a thanks offering and that it should be built by voluntary giving. The design was mado the subject of a world-wido competition, tho main conditions being that it should bo a noble and dignified building worthy of tho purpose of a provincial memorial. Seventy-four designs wero submitted and the jury of award gavo tho first prize to that of Messrs. Grierson, Aimer and Draflin, of

Auckland, all the members of which firm had themselves served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The second prize went to Messrs. R. \V. McLaunn and C. 11. Mitchell, of Wellington, and the third to Messrs. E. G. le Petit and G. M. E. Downer, of Auckland.

In January, 1923, the winning competitors were appointed architects and instructed to amend the design to reduce tho cost to £200,000. This was done, and in July, 1924, tho contract was let for £183,654 to the Hansford Mill Construction Co., Ltd., of Wellington. The foundation stone was laid on July 1, 1925, by the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, (lie then Prime Minister, in the absence through illness of His Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe. A great deal of consideration had been paid to tho question of the stono to be used on tho outer walls, tho final decision being in favour of English Portland stone, of which so many famous buildings of Britain have been erected. Tlio use of English stone was one of the reasons why tho work of construction was protracted. The contractors handed over the building last August and no time has been lost by the Auckland Institute in transferring its collections and arranging

their display. The City Council also has employed expedition in preparing the grounds and forming roadways. The cost of this work has been £9OOO, part of which has been borne by the city. Upon the completion of the building tho committee realised that tho memorial features of the building would not bo complete without a cenotaph, and this has been erected in a paved court of honour at a cos!; of £6OOO.

Soveral largo donations wore made toward (he memorial fund. The Auckland Savings Hank headed the list with £50,000, the Parliament of New Zealand gave a total of £37,500, the Auckland City Council £IO,OOO, in addition to the site, tho Auckland Harbour Board £SOOO, tho Auckland Electric Power Board £2500, and .the Auckland Racing Club £5066. Donations by private citizens, some ot whom gave most generously, totalled no less than £93,000.

From the inception of the movement Mr. V. J. Earner has acted as honorary treasurer, and by his wise handling of the capital made it earn £36,000 as interest, which brought the grand total to £238,000. Tho committeo has thus been able to release the Auckland -Institute from the obligation of making good a deficiency, and it has thus been able t6 retain for purposes of equipment the sum of £32,000, which it obtained from the sale of the old museum building and site. The first chairman of the Memorial Committee was Sir James Gunson, who was also Mayor and chairman of the Institute. He was succeeded by Mr. A. S. Bankart in Mureh, 1927. Tho first secretary was Mr. W. Elliot, who was succeeded temporarily by Mr. C. V. Houghton. Mr. C. R. Ford taking tho position in January, 1927.

Tho floor area of this chamber is 40 squaro feet, but it expands to 64ft. above. The floor itself is of terrazzo, in pleasing design. This is a form of mosaic. It is formed by beating marble chips into a concrete mass, and then grinding off and polishing the surface. There are eight lonic columns, their bases being hexagonal and in keeping with the general system carried throughout, j aro faced in black marble. The capitals of the columns liava the characteristic ■volute ornamentation, but Maori motifs have been introduced with pleasing effect, though this form of enrichment in tho ornamentation is strictly limited in the memorial section of the building. Greek statuary around the floor and second gallery of the hall harmonises with the general conception. Tho two spacious staircases are magnificent. The steps are j of grey marble, landings are in terrazzo, and there is a skirting of black and grey marble. The wide balustrade has an exquisite capping of mottled marble. Exhibition halls lead off from the ground floor and the first gallery, but, to follow out tho memorial sequence in the structure, it is necessary to pass them by, and proceed direct to tho top floor. The first feature to hold the attention is the stained-glass ceiling, 40ft. square, that covers tho well space. * Surrounding a huge Celtic cross, in black and white, 13 a colourful square band, formed by the coats-of-arms of Great Britain, the Dominions and the colonies. On the south side of the gallery is the shrine. An apse swells out the wall, and in this wide-doorcd recess stands one of the most impressive memorial features of the whole building. It is an altar in white-veined black marble. It is an exquisite thing in itself, and in its symbolism it is eloquent. In .form it combines the curving line of the apse with tho sarcophagus form in front. It is surmounted by a circular block of marble, where, doubtless, many a wreath will be laid upon days of war anniversaries. Above the altar hangs a trophy of banners, the Union Jack and white blue and red ensigns, to represent all the arms of the fighting forces. Each of the windows of the apse is dedicated to a particular branch of the military service, and between them, on standards, will hang the flags of Allies, a symbol of the tribute of these | natio.M Jo shji fiev? lorces*

The collection of war trophies ranges from as large a " souvenir" as the engine of a German aeroplane to a jcm-tin bomb of the Gallipoli campaign. The curator of tho museum, Mr. Gilbert Archie, who was a 6oldier, lias arranged the exhibits in groups which have high historical value. Certainly there are. many items in the collection which belong to earlier ages. For instance, the collection of. iirearms contains many old types, which it must do, if the history of the rifle is to be told in specimens. There , are also Eastern which, under other circumstances, might be numbered with -the exhibits of crafts of their countries, but nevertheless they are entitled to a place, seeing that, obsolete as they are, Bedouins engaged in the war wore them, if they did not use them,as weapons. Treated in the museum manner, war trophies and souvenirs here Mave a value and an interest which is not possessed by them when " dumped" in,, as thej havo been all over the country, in town and country halls, parks and other public places. There they are simply trophies with only a sentimental value. Thanks to Mr. Archie's arrangement, they have a much wider purpose and appeal. Ont should imagine that when the public sees this hall many donations will be forthcoming from possessors of souvenirs, and the exhibition of those which help tc record the scientific development of inutruments of'war will be ox particular importance.