ARCHITECTURAL WORLD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 21, 18 October 1937, Page 7

ARCHITECTURAL WORLD

Notabli Contributiqns By New Zeaianders

REMARKABLE SUCCESSES

In architecture New Zeaianders have established a niche for themselvoi abroad that is liighly creditable lor the soUs of a young country, who are denied in their native land familiarity with architectural examples and tradi. tidns. A medal awarded by the Royal Ihstitute of British Architects last_ year for the most meritorious building witllin a defined radius of Charing Cross, London, 1'ell to a young New Zealand architect, Mr. R. H. Uren, formerly of Petone. Just 30 years of age age, Mr. Uren is the youngest architect who 'has ever achieved ihis distinction. Former winners oi the medal are counted among the most distinguished architects of the Empire s metropolis, says a writer in the Christchurch Press. The article enumerates vafious qth&i' distlnctions in architecture that havC been won by New Zeaianders, and con* tinues : — One of the prized possessions among architects in the United Ejngdom is the Rome Scholarship. The value oi the scholarship is £250 yearly, and tenable for tliree years at the British 8cliool iti Rome, a centre for adVanted fetudy and research with ftee aecess t.j tlie studios and library of the Arcliaeological Faeulty. In 1916 two ybung New Zealaiiders, who had Worked their passages to London as stokers, with the avowed object of pursuing their architectural studies and annexing the Rome scholarship were successfuh Amyss Douglas Connell, Eltham, woii first place, and llis chum, Basil Robert Ward, Napier, aud Wellington, wds second— truly a reinarkable achiovement. The second man is awarded tho Jarvis scholarship, which also entitles the holder tu admittarice to the Rdman instltution. Both young architects deeided to see their native land before entering the school irL Rome, and obtained passages as stewards on out-ward-bound vessels for New Zealand — Mr. Ward on the Port Dunedin and Mr. Connell in the emigrant quarters of the Idnid. While they Were ill New Zealand the Government of the day saw that such ambitien Bhould. be rewarded, and made a grant so that the two young men might return to the Old Country in gie&ter comfort, wbich they did in the third class. This is the spirit that Wins, Several New Zeaianders have figured in these scholarships. Iii 1921 E. W. Armstrong (Gisborne) won the Jarvis Scholarship Georgje Checkley (Akaroa) anueXed it in 1922 and in 1928 Sidney Chaplin, anotlier New Zealaiider, was oue of seven candidates selected in the final for the ltome Scholarship.