The Hokitika Guardian WEDNESDAY, SEPT, 7th. 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1921, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian WEDNESDAY, SEPT, 7th. 1921.

A ISKIDGK OK KKMKM Hit ANC'K. C'liltiKTCiluxcu contemplates rearing a v.ai memorial of exceptional merit. It if being styled a “Bridge of Bemembrnnee." and is to In- elected across the Avon on the route whence nil the t loops iiiid reinforcements for tile (; rent War passed to the railway station. As many of the \\ estlandors neat hy that route in the early stares of the reinforcements, the memorial will not. he without interest to this side of tli? range. A design Inis just been neeepleid for the bridge, and as it appears to he a design of exceptional merit, the public interest in the structnde for all time will he very great. The author in explaining his design went on to say that he felt the proidem of designing the memorial bridge called for the fullest knowledge and most delicate handling in order to meet adequately the utilitarian requirements of a thoroughfare bridging a stream, and to express the, highest emotional nehitectnie qualities necessary in such a permanent record of the Great. War His endeavour had been , , ~,,ik,' lines of nnneinle in architectural and engineering design the guv-

(,ruing factors rather than to nroduco a design bast-d upon traditional arebiloctural features. His endcavom lias been in the first place to bridge tile stream adequately, in the second place to provide a memorial to tile Great, War. and in the third place to wed tlm whole, not only to its immediate

surroundings, but to tile town at large. The river bad been spanned with one nieli lift 6in. from water level to crown and of forty-nine feet span : a dimension which was the average width of the river at this point. The problem was not to provide a bridge on the main thoroughfare from the town to the park or a tramway route, but rather to provide a bridge leading to the more quiet residential quarters bet ween the river and the Public Gardens. He bad made bis roadway on tha bridge 23ft. wide with footways lllft mule on either side. The overbead archway was 23ft wide and the side arches 6ft. fiin. wide. The design was elastic enough to allow of the modification of dimensions ns more particular knowledge of requirements demanded. Endue elaboration of the parapets or spnndrils of the bridge arch would have mitigated the emphasis which should lm found in the overhead arch as the climax of the com-

position. As a consequence, the enrichment of the bridge centred mainly in the central panel with the inscription; “lllint- Locum Inumbrnnt Nomina Magna." and under, a decorative treatment of the rosemary plant (for rroioiiibrancel over l 1m- coat of arms of the city. This quotation had a spec-

ial siuniliance through its position over 1 1 1 , large ..hadow ol Hie arch of the hridge, t| suggested that the spirit id great men was memorialised therein.

The pylons i n either side of the main areb carried uplifting torches typifying the everlasting remembrance of all that the names of tin- chief battle fronts on the panels above stood for. Above these panels tho pylons carried up as main abutments ot the arch antill tlmv terminated in a bronze band nearly tile width of the monument in which the words “Bridge of Remcnibrnnee" were worked. The band mated with the symbol of the Cross, lilt* emblem of sacrifice ill the centre. The downward stem of the Cross formed the keystone of the arch. Ihe arch typified life -the idea to he conveyed that the spirit of sacrifice was after all the basis of human character. The minor arches spanning the footways bad above each a panel ill which the British coat of arms was inscribed. Terminating tin- buttresses in which the minor arches occurred were further symbols of the Empire; namely. Hie British lion depicted fresh from conquest. but with the rest of the body in full readiness for further action. Tieside elevations bad the lions ill full view. Save for the modelling ot tho various parts those elevations were devoid in the main of sculpture until near tin- top. where the uplifted torch and the Cross, as tin- symbol of sai-ri-lieo. appeared in slight relict. In the main the effective lighting of tinbridge and its approaches might, considering the limited sums allowed for the scheme, be a matter for the City Council to undertake. The length of the bridge is such that if the approaches were properly lighted nothing more would be required. For purposes of emphasis by night, however, the nesign allowed lor a bronze ek-etric kiting fixed almost llusli in the crown of the sollite of the overheard arch. This fitting would flood the roadway through the arch with light. The design also allowed for one bronze wall light on each side of the minor archway at the north-east end of the bridge. The design while not Gothic is Gothic in feeling, and great simplicity marked the design. The proposed material is Tasmanian sand-stone which aas considered a proved stoii".