Court of Honour Scheme Approved

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 731, 2 August 1929, Page 6

Court of Honour Scheme Approved

WAR MEMORIAL PLAN COUNCIL AGREEABLE Important proposals regarding a portion of the lay-out work fronting the War Memorial Museum received the approval of the City Council last evening. r JpHK chairman o£ tlie War Memorial Committe wrote stating tnat the committee proposed, with the council- consent, to carry out work com--li:i - the erection of a cenotaph in the Court of Honour, the paving of the court, and the construction of approach steps to the court from the upper and the lower roadways. Since the work would be almost wholly on tlie council’s property, formal conlirmation was desired. On the motion of the Mayor. Mr. G. Baildon, the committee's arrangements were agreed to. Under the arrangements a suitable water supply would have to be made available tor the contractor, and between 2,000 and 3,000 yards of earth would have to be excavated to reach the correct levels for the court. AS UNEMPLOYMENT WORK Report ing in this connection, the acting city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, said in regard to the lowering of the level of the area north of the road on the northern side of the Court of Honour urea, he had had levels taken and the area of approximately 2k acres would be required to be lowered an average depth of two feet in order to obtain a vision of the base of the columns of the museum buildings from the path in the Domain Drive. The work to bo undertaken would consist of the removal of 2,230 cubic yards of top soil, -t.IOO cubic yards of volcanic tuft and the replacing of 2,600 yards of top soil, and it would thus be seen that 3SO yards of top soil would have to be found. His estimate for the work was £2,240, and he estimated that a subsidy of £962 should be obtainable from the Government if the work were carried out as an unemployment relief scheme. Therefore the amount to be found by the council was £1,278. Mr. Baildon gave it as his view that the work was a good one and could well be added to others in view. lie moved that the work be added to the council’s schedule of works for unemployment relief. This was carried and application will be made for sanction to raise a loan. Delay in beginning the features has been due to the absorption of the Hinds raised by public subscription, about £200,000, in building the Museum proper. Providing the Court of Honour and the cenotaph will mean an extra cost of about £6,000. The demand for funds to relieve sufferers in the June earthquake prevented the public appeal which has been in view. The War Memorial Committe - intends to raise the required sum shortly by means of an appeal. A sufficient sum is already on hand, it is believed, to warrant the early letting of a contract.