QUEEN'S MEMORIAL STATUE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12414, 25 July 1902, Page 5

QUEEN'S MEMORIAL STATUE.

By the San Francisco Mail which arrived yesterday morning Mr R. T. Wheeler, jun., secretary of the Queen's Memorial Statue Committee, received the following letter from the. Hon. R. Oliver:—

London, June 19. Dear Mr Wheeler,—Since I last wrote to yoa I got the London committee together at Mr Hampton's studio, and they expressed great satisfaction at the beauty of the model, and practically adopted it. I now by this post have tho pleasure of sending you a photograph <ri it, and we hope you will think of it as we dothat there is no statue of Queen Victoria- up' to this time which compares with it in beauty. Mr Hampton is going to make a slight alteration in the length of the neck, whiohlie thinks tlio height of the pedestal and statue tends to make too short in appearance. The contrac? has been prepared 1 by his lawyer, and has been sent back by me with some suggested alterations. It may be said, however, to be agreed on. Under its provisions we pay him £2200, the odd £75. being taken off because we ireo him fzoin payment of insurance and'freight. Wo shall have to pay him on the signature of llio agreement £183 6s Bd, which, with the £250 already paid, will make up one-third of the cos-j here. He stipulates for three months in -Which to furnisn us with working drawings oi the .pedestal and stops. Of course, even that will allow ample time to build them; but i' am disappointed that I cannot send them earlier,,

In a subsequent postcard tho Hon. Air Oliver stated that Mr Hampton had signed t-ttfe agroemont after the letter was piJsted. He intends to inako the Queen's head a little smaller than it appears in the photograph. Judging by the photograph of the modei the statue will, when erected in position, be a worthy memorial of tho great Qu«en it is intended to represent, and will be one o? tho best works of art In the colony;. The statue represents Queen Victoria, in the prime of life, in a standing position, wealing her crown and robes, and holding hec sceptre in her hand. On the pedestal is p, panel hearing her name, and also the years of the commencement and end of her reign, 1037-1901; while on each side is a mourning cherub. Tho panel is surmounted by the royal crown and a lion. On the sides of the pedestal .appear excellent representations of the figures of Wisdom and Justice. The 6tat«c, which will be" about Bft 6in in height, will be comnosed of marble, • the upper cube of tho pedestal of white marble, tho basement ill grey granite, and the steps of bluestono. The figures of Wisdom and Justice will bo made o{ bronze. In terms of the agreement, Mr Hamnton will have the statue finished in from a year to. 15 months after the signing of the contract. The specifications and drawings for the nedestal and steps are expected to arrive here in about three months. The committee has not sufficient funds to carry out the whole thing, but, deeming it desirable to have the work done thoroughly, it has mado arrangements to that end. and will probably ask the public for an additional sum. '