AUCKLAND'S WAR MEMORIAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 300, 13 September 1920, Page 5

AUCKLAND'S WAR MEMORIAL

DEMAND FOR AN OPEN COMPETITION. The action of the Auckland War Memorial Committee in placing! the preliminary work connected with) tho memorial in the hands of tho City Engineer is being strongly criticised, it being contended that competitive designs should be called for. It is proposed toraised ,£125,000 and to erect a building which will house the collection of curios at present in the Auckland Museum. An expert opinion has been expressed to n "Star" reporter by a visitor Auckland, Professor T. Wilkinson, Professor of Architecture at Sydney University. Professor Wilkinson said it would be very unfortunate to give the preparation of the plans of one of the most important architectural works in the city to any but a trained and fully-qualified architect. The professor was emphatic on the advisability of obtaining designs by nieano of an open competition in order to get the very best design possible. Another reason why competitive designs should bo invited was that there many returned soldier architects, and it was only fair that they should be given on-oppor-tunity of showing their skill. In spending a big sum like .£IOO,OOO it would be false economy to. try and save a thousand pounds or so when so much depended upon getting the product of the very best skill available. While agreeing that a very fine buildin- could be erected on the site proposed on tho Domain Hill, Professor Wilkinson said there was really a wider question to be considered in a war memorial. Personally he did not favour the utilitarian idea. If a war memorial was to be anything it should be ideal. It should express the idea to be commemorated, otherwise the essence of the thing was lost. It should be a sort of plaeo of pilgrimage. A memorial expressing an ideal on a commanding site would bo a wonderful heritage. There would lie the outward and visible sign of a great sacrifice that had been maile, and the citizens would have spread out before him a panorama which would bring home to him the meaning of the prize which had been retained as the result of thai sacrifice.