Australian Memorial.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1922, Page 4

Australian Memorial.

ON FRENCH BATTLEFIELD. SYDNEY, March 16. Plans have been formulated by the Prime Minister (Mr Hughes) for the erection at Villers-Brettoneux, of a £250,000 memorial to the Australian soldiers, who were engaged in the Great War on the French battlefields. A oommitee will shortly be appointed, consisting of an Australian architect, and an English architect, with a Frenchman as chairman. The prime Minister is anxious that France should take part in the scheme, bis opinion being that the superb imagination of tlie Latin race, which has found expression in the Arc do Triomphe, the Pantheon, and other famous memorials, will ensure that the monument J erected to commemorate Australia’s , part in the war is a. fitting one. As soon as the committee is appointed designs will be called for. Preference will be given to Australian architects, other things being equal, but should nothing suitable be submitted in the Commonwealth there will be no stipulation against the acceptance of a design from elsewhere. Flic memorial will he situated on the ridge about two miles from VillersBretonneux itself. All that is required in the way of marble or other material for its construction will be sent from Australia. As the work of building the memoral will lie spread over a period of about ten years, only a small annual outlay will be involved. ft is not expected that the Government will he called upon to pay the total cost of the memorial. Already the Prime Minister has received promises. of substantial private support.