CITIZENS’ WAR MEMORIAL

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 130, 1 March 1928, Page 3

CITIZENS’ WAR MEMORIAL

SITE QUESTION REOPENED COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS APPOINTED MERIT OF THREE SITES TO BE GONE INTO Following the controversy upon the site of the Citizens’ War Memorial, a meeting of the Wellington War Memorial Committee yesterday appointed a committee of experts to report upon the sites at the northern and southern ends of Kent and Cambridge Terraces and upon the cite adjoining the Parliamentary grounds. Notice of motion to rescind the resolution to adhere to the Parliamentary grounds site was given, but procedure on this, it was stated, would depend upon the report of the advisory committee appointed. The meeting had beeu called for the purpose of considering the question of the site. Those present were: Mr. J. P. Firth (in the chair), Colonel J. R. Hall, Messrs. C. A. L. Treadwell, A. Fair, F. W. Downs, Sir John Luke, Mrs. Murphy, M.8.H)., Mrs. A. W. Parton, Mrs. Firth, and the lion, secretary, Major Watson. Chairman Approves Change. Mr. Firth said he was emphatically in favour of the site at the southern end of Kent Terrace. Some time ago, when this site was suggested to one of tlie committee, it was not thought a good one because the street was most unattractive. To-day all this was changed, and Kent Terrace was made beautiful, so that the site suited the memorial and tbe memorial suited the site. lie hoped all the members of tbe committee would. agree to their consulting on the question of tbe site with their adviser, Mr. Glimmer, and the architects, Messrs. Grierson, Aimer, and Draffin. Mr. T. Forsvth, M.P., who could not attend, wrote stating that lie could not understand the action of a member of the committee endeavouring to reopen tbe site question, and resenting the attempts of Mr. Hurst Seager to do so. lie protested against anv alteration of the site already agreed upon unless done in the constitutional way. by giving notice to rescind the decision alreadv arrived at.

“Allav Public Feeling.” Mr. J. Myers wrote that in view of tbe controversy he thought tbe executive should invite the Mayor, the Prime Minister, the. committee’s architect, Mr. Hurst Seager, and the town planner (Mr. Butcher) to attend a meeting and express their views to the executive. This would allav the feeling prevalent that the committee was determined to erect the memorial on the site near Government Buildings, and their action would then be approved by the general public. Air. G. E. Dustin's letter expressed the opinion that the committee should not agree to any change of sitc. A resolution fiom the New Zealand Institute of Architects expressed the opinion that the site at the Basin Reserve was eminently suitable for the design, and that the executive should approve of the site. Cosmopolitans' Opinion. A petition extensively signed was accompanied bv a letter stating that a small meeting of ex-servicemen deeply interested in the matter, asked the committee to reconsider tbe site at the end of Kent Terrace. They were not attached to anv public body or committee, and "the signatories are a, small cosmopolitan collection of citizens chosen at random, and without exception condemn the present site as unsuitable for a permanent and lasting memorial of such magnificence as the one chosen bv the committee.’.’ Air. Fair moved that an advisory committee of experts be appointed to go into tlie comparative merits of the three sites two at the northern and southern ends’of Kent and Cambridge Terraces and the site near the Parliamentary grounds. One thing, he said, was beyond dispute, and that was that the committee had not had a detailed examination of the different sites from tbe experts’ point of view. Air. Gummer’s lettef indicated that be considered the site at the end of Kent and Cambridge Terraces preferable to the present one. Thev bad not obtained their architects opinion. The public wanted the committee to select the best site and not to adhere to the present one simply because it was the one selected in the past That was perfectly sound ground and the committee would be failing in its dutv unless it carefully examined the sites available and came to a decision after the fullest expert advice. It was suggested that Cambridge Terrace would soon go through tbe Basin Reserve into Adelaide Road, which, would add to rather than detract from the site. The Citv Council might not grant it, but they should not assume that, and if the reports were unanimous that it was the best site they should take steps to obtain it. Airs. Firth seconded the motion. Air. Treadwell said it had been their

unanimous wish to have the foundation stone laid on Anzac Day, but it looked as if that would not be possible if tbe work was delayed. He criticised the manner in which the matter bad again beeu brought before the committee, and the eleventh hour action of those who had signed the petition, and of others who had macle new proposals. At the same time he felt that the committee must give consideration to some of the requests which had been made, belated though they were. He would, be very sorry if 'the Parliamentary grounds site was not adhered to. Sir John Luke regretted that the matter had been reopened, and did not think they would get any further. He could have understood the committee going into the matter to reconsider tbe Ivpe of memorial, but the site chosen liad all the essentials for their purpose, and he thought it would be suicidal to place the memorial at the end of Kent Terrace. He was sorry tbe committee had weakened in that respect, for the Parliamentary grounds site had a suitable background, and it would not interfere with visibility or traffic. Mr. Downs raised the. question ot whether the motion was in order without rescinding the previous resolution of the committee. .Motion to Rescind. Mr. Fair said be would give notice of motion to rescind that resolution, but his future course, would depend upon the report of the committee >f appointed. The resolution referred to for recession is as follows : — "That Mr. Hurst Seager be thanked for the interest be has shown in the Wellington Citizens War Memorial, but that lie be informed that the Executive Committee having fully discussed his report with 'reference to the site suggested at the Basin Reserve, have finally decided that the - site adjoining the Parliamentary grounds is the best for the memorial.” Colonel J. R. Hall said when the reports were brought down it would still be for the committee to finally decide upon the site. He believed they had selected the finest site for the purpose. In regard to the petition it would iia\e been possible to have secured equally influential petitions to the coutran, and thev must not regard tbe petition as the widespread opinion of the people. He also criticised the perspective of the design as published, which distorted the memorial as shown on the Parliamentary grounds site, while, the illustration at the Basin Reserve showed the memorial occupying a smaller area than its actual measurements. Returned soldiers regarded the Parliamentarv grounds site as a sacred spot, as did the parents of the men who had "gone west,” tbe background was all that could be desired, and the time was not far distant when Bunny Street would be widened, and the Cecil Hotel corner would be rounded off. He agreed that thev should, however, get the opinion of experts who had not yet committed themselves. After further discussion the notice to rescind was received, and it was agreed that an advisorv committee, consisting of Mr. Moody, 'president of the Architectural Institute of New Zealand, Mr. G. A. Troup, Mayor, and two members of the committee’s from the architects (Messrs. Grierson, Aimer, and Draffin) be appointed to report upon the three sites. The chairman expressed his desire to resign, but the meeting unanimously declined to accept it, expressing appreciation of the services rendered by Mr. Firth, and the hope that lie would be associated with the committee until the completion of its work.