MOUNT COOK SITE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 128, 28 February 1928, Page 10

MOUNT COOK SITE

REASON FOR GRATITUDE A WIDER BUCKLE STREET In connection with the Government’s decision to allow the Mt. Cook site in Buckle Street to be used for the purposes of a national war memorial (which will embody the Dominion Museum, a national art gallery, and carillon), Mr. 11. D. Bennett, who acted as chairman of the citizens’ committee, stated yesterday that apart from local effort to bring that about Wellington owed a debt of gratitude to Mr. S.' 11. Seager for his enthusiasm and untiring work for the consummation of a scheme they all had so closely at heart. As to what had yet to be done Mr. Bennett said that no doubt the Mayor (Mr. O. A. Troup) would take up the matter with the _ council and the citizens of Wellington, in order to do their part in bringing the scheme to fruition. There were a few citizens anxious to assist financially, and he was sure the response would be generous. Following upon the gift of 70,000 acres at Akatarawa as a watershed area, the allocation of the Mt. Cook site gave ample reason why Wellington citizens should feel grateful to the Prime Minister and the Government. It was pointed out that tne City Council is already considering the matter of widening Buckle Street, but will probablv await the findings of the Suburban Access Commission before proceeding with ativ work in that direction. The original proposal for the widening of Buckle Street was based on the scheme of the late Mr. W. 11. Morton, to have a dignified highway from the proposed tramway and traffic tunnel entrance in lower Ellice Street, through to Wordsworth Street by way of Buckle Street and Arthur Streets and Tonks Avenue; but that scheme was put forward at a time when it was proposed to extend the tramway system to Southern Kerburn via Raroa Road— connecting the two new means of access to the eastern and western suburbs. The decision of the Government will also probablv involve the demolition or partial demolition of the premises now occupied as Defence Headquarters (originally erected by prison labour as a gaol). THE MEMORIAL SITE MR. W. S. WILSON REPLIES TO MR. HURST SEAGER. Mr. W. Stuart Wilsou, a member of the Wellington Memorial Committee, writes as follows from Hawera in rep»y to Mr. Hurst Seager:— Sir.—-Mr. Hurst Seager s letter, published in Saturday’s Dominion, w a surprising document. Ills accusations that the Memorial Committee have not read his report, and that wo have experienced deep disappointment that the site chosen has so many defects, are incorrect and impudent —statements that will not benefit his cause very much. Wo were well aware that the Hon. W. D. Stewart was an opponent of ourselves, and asked Air. Hurst Seager to report, rather than the architects who have advised us for some considerable time past, viz., Messrs Gunnner, Grierson, Airth, and Droffin, the first-mentioned as assessor, and the latter owing to the fact that they were successful in submitting tlie winning design. The Hon. W. D. Stewart should have asked these architects to report, as they are recognised leaders in their profession throughout New Zealand.

Air. Hurst Songer’s report, and his letter to the Wellington Memorial Committee, both of which were handed to Ilio Press before (ho committee could discuss same, illustrate tho want of courtesy shown the committee. Mr. Songer’s statement that he is not surprised that we did not accept his proposal regarding Mount Cook is very illuminating. His remark that, we pleaded ’with the late Mr. Massey is also incorrect. After the Manners Street site had been selected, and Anzac Day ceremony was being held there, when a member of our committee took the opportunity of pointing out to the late Air. Afassey how unsuitable this site was for the purpose of having a memorial there (mark you, it was considered superior by our advisers and ourselves to the Kent and Cambridge Terrace site, now advocated by Air. Hurst Seager), and how very suitable the Parliamentary site was for the purpose. Air. Massey immediately recognised its superiority, and gave this site to I he citizens of Wellington. although it had been previously definitely refused by the Government. The .statement that the Parliamentary site is universally condemned, and the Basin Reserve enthusiastically approved, is only in keeping with other .statements which are extremely inaccurate. “I felt that the conditions had so altered since the publication of my report,” is another striking remark. It shows clearly that members of the Memorial Committee had more vision and more sense of the fitness of things architecturally than Air. Seager, and were not blinded by a few cabbage trees, and tho bedraggled appearance of the Kent and Cambridge Terrace area, to ignore its possibilities for a memorial site. These wore fully discussed, one member of the committee pointing out that the memorial on this site would lead to the improvement of the whole area, and it was almost unanimously rejected. In conclusion, I point om that Mr. Seeger’s latest proposal is more ridiculous than his first proposal, that our memorial should be on Mount Cook, owing to the fact that tho area where he proposes to erect the memorial, Mount Cook, Te Aro Flat, is all, figuratively speaking, in the melting-pot, as all this territory will be redesigned in the near future. 'lhe suggested site will be particularly affected, as the proposed new roads which will have to bo made to give better access to the eastern and western suburbs will come in this vicinity, to fay nothing about improvements which must be made at the Basin Reserve, and cannot be held up for a much longer period of time.