MEMORIAL ROAD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 96, 17 January 1919, Page 6

MEMORIAL ROAD

TO FALLEN SOLDIERS IDEAL KING'S HIGHWAY ARCHITECT'S ELABORATE SUGGESTION In his pap t er on townrplanning read to the members of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, yesterday, Mr. S. Hurst Seager referred as follows to tho construction of an arterial main road as a memorial to New Zealand soldiers who had fallen in the war:—

In England architects have been and are in the foremost rank of modern reformers, but have we, as an institute in New Zealand, taken the share we should have taken in advancing the cause of town-planning? It is a subject worthy of our greatest efforts and personal sacrifice. The conscious ordering by cities of their social, economic, and civic growth, expressed in architectural form, and by artistic appeal through the best men to the best qualities in mankind. Such artistic appeal should be made by means of the memorials which we are all anxious to erect to the honour' of our fallen soldiers. We as architects have a very great responsibility in this, and we shall fail in our duty if we do not give careful consideration to the subject and bo prepared to give the Government arid the people of the Dominion the lead they have a right to expect from us. The errors of the past must not be repeated; it must hot be left for local untrained committees to erect memorials which do nothing more thaii make us deeply regret the wasted opportunity. ■ Our memorials must bo worthy of those who have fought j s>" died even as they were worthy of the great cause in which they fell. Our men earned tor themselves a highly distinguished place in the world's roll of honour. Our memorials must show our warm appreciation of that fact.

Many suggestions have been made, but among them all there stands out in bold 'relief the suggestion put forward by a contributor to the columns of tho Qhristchurch "Sun" for a main arterial road, adorned, as were the processional roads-of old, by monuments of all kinds. A suggestion by a writer m the Christdiurch "Press" is that the memorial should take the form of a garden-suburb, and from Dr. Douglas, of Oamaru, we get the suggestion that, along the present roads memorial avenues of trees. should be planted. If we'substitute garden city for garden suburb what a glorious vision is opened out by the combination of these three schemes; it must appeal strongly to the imagination of 'us all. It enables the State, the county councils, roads boards, municipalities, townships and individuals to join in forming a grand memorial in all parts of the Dominion. It would be the duty of the State to lay a first-class concrete road which snail in fact be a "King's Highway," from Auckland to the Bluff. The .idea of a memorial roadway is not new; a grand memorial road (of which particulars will be given at tho Townplanning Conference) has beeii formed in Victoria. Whatever amount is spenv on this proposed road will be amply repaid by the facilities afforded for traffic and the enormous saving effected in the cost of haulage. , Thus, and thus only, \s it a work of utility. But the utilitarian aspect of tho scheme is overshadowed by reason of the monuments to be erected along the route. The road would pass' through some of tho niost beautiful scenery of the Dominion.

Here nothing more would be required than perhaps on some prominont bluff a single memorial such as has oeen erected to the Hon. J. MacKenzie, of Oamaru, hut at the level parts of the road and at the entrance to the towns and cities art must be combined with ';iture; for . instance, commemorative mile-stones along the roads, and columns and arches forming the entrances to the cities and towns. On these might be inscribed a roll of honour to those citizens who have fallen. Throughout the length of ttio road, at a distance of some miles apart, should be formed self-contained garden cities on town-planning lines, formed for tho purpose not only as a. repatriation scheme, but also as a means of increasing the productivity of the country. Here small farms, agricultural holdings, together with all 'village industries, should' be formed, with electric power, good water supply, and all the amenities which are usually looked for and only to he obtained in city life.

This scheme would not only enable all the organisations along the route to take their part, but each individual and all the school children. should be encouraged to do what they can to adorn the route with shrubs, ' trees, and flowers. I can think of no better way of expressing onr thankfulness for tho successful termination of the great fight in the cause of freedom. To tho Town-planning Conference and Exhibition, which will bo held in Wellington in May, I trust all architects will gather, and that they will help' forward this most urgent movement in reconstruction and repatriation by the ■careful study of the exhibits which will be brought together, and by attending and taking part in the conferenc.e to be held. '

Mr. Seager then moved: "That conference of members of the N.Z.I/A. from all iiarts of the Dominion must warmly anprcve the suggestion to form a national memorial road from Auckland to the Bluff, 'as by no other moans can the effects of local .authorities and individuals bo so well coordinated into one grand Dominion scheme: That tho Town-planning Association in every centre be invited to co-operate in placing the scheme before t'.n Government and the local bodies." . '

Mr. Seager's lhotion was ruled out of order, as no notice of his intention to move the same had been given.

■The matter was again discussed by the council of the institute, in the evening, when it was decided to forward the motion to. the various branches with a request that it receive their favourable consideration.