CENTENNIAL PLANNING

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 36, 11 August 1936, Page 8

CENTENNIAL PLANNING

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Having read the article'on the centennial memorial and the need of modernising the Town Hall one began to wonder whether this is the best method of celebrating the founding of Wellington. Any additions to the Town Hall can only be patchwork to such a structure which was designed as a complete whole. Moreover, whatever is done merges into its general structure and does not stand out as an entity marking the raison d'etre of the centenary of Wellington. Any memorial should embody an element of further progress in the development of the city. The only redeeming feature of tampering with the facilities of the Town Hall'is that it will be inexpensive compared with any real worthy type of memorial. When we look around Wellington to

decide what worth-while memorial could be recommended we naturally try to keep it within the boundary of the city. The northern end is well developed and artistically laid out so lar i as the City Council is concerned The removal of the Government printing work to another area and laying out this area in an ornamental garden with an electric fountain (coloured lights') to set off the new railway' •station, the War Memorial, Parliament i Buildings, and the Government building is in the lap of the Cabinet, but it would be a splendid,memorial for the occasion. In the centre of the city we are getting a new library building. The present Town.Hall will suffice for the present, but new administration buildings are required, and these would give the necessary room in the Town Hall when vacated by I the officials. The only spot that does I need the hand of progress is Te Aro Flat. We have spent some hundred thousand or more on a fine building for the Museum and Art Gallery. We have laid out the grounds, but what of the approaches? There are two approaches, one the widening of Taranaki Street and the other is the east to west main highway. Which is it to be? The widening of Taranaki Street will certainly clean up a very dilapidated street. The widening of Buckle Street and carrying it through Arthur Street to Willis Street is vo complete the scheme of the lay-out of the Hataitai Tunnel, which has cost some £240,000. The Buckle Street route will permit the trams to turn from Cuba Street, into the new thoroughfare and pass the Museum or turn up Hopper Street and Taranaki Street to Wallace Street. The Taranaki Street will provide an improved thoroughfare, but it is doubtful if it would justify a special tramline with a dead end I at the Museum. So the solution lies in the development of the east to west thoroughfare as a centennial memorial worthy of the occasion.—l am, etc., L. G. AUSTIN.