HC Deb 04 February 1931 vol 247 cc1808-10
47. Mr. SMITHERS

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will consider the advisability of inviting another artist to carve the Haig statue?

The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Mr. Lansbury)

I have given the matter of the national memorial to Earl Haig careful consideration, and have decided to ask Mr. Hardiman, whose models on two occasions have been approved by the appointed assessors, to execute the memorial. I am satisfied that Mr. Hardiman will produce a statue which will be a credit both to the sculptor himself and to the subject of his work.

Mr. SMITHERS

May I ask the First Commissioner of Works whether, in view of the precedent of the duplication of the statues of Lord Roberts, the Prince Consort and General Gordon, he can now consider having a copy of the statue in Edinburgh, which was approved by Lord Haig himself, set up in London?

Mr. LANSBURY

I am very sorry not to be able to oblige the hon. Gentleman, but this matter has really received very considerable consideration from a number of quite prominent men in the arts, and their decision is as I have just stated.

Sir B. FALLE

Will the right hon. Gentleman allow a free vote of the House on this subject?

Mr. LANSBURY

I think that the Members of this House are not really aware of the facts of this case. The assessors, who were appointed before I took office reported somewhere about 18 months ago, approved of the model. There was some dissension raised as to that model, and the assessors were called together to discuss modifications with the artist. As a result, another model was submitted. [HON. MEMBERS: "Far worse!"] Whether it is worse or whether it is better, the fact remains that the assessors, who are Lord D'Abernon, Sir William Goscombe John, Mr. Daniel, Sir Herbert Baker, and Mr.

Reynolds-Stephens, all of whom were nominated by the Royal Academy, the National Gallery, the Royal Institute of British Artists and the Royal Society of Sculptors, have unanimously approved Mr. Hardiman's work with some slight modification. The military advisers—hon. Members seem so intensely interested that they do not want to hear the answer—and three personal friends of the late Lord Haig, Sir Noel Birch, Sir Walter Braithwaite and Sir Herbert Lawrence also agree with the assessors. That is the last word as far as I am concerned.

Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLE

In view of the general dissatisfaction with the statue, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will take into consideration the question of eliminating the horse altogether?

Mr. LANSBURY

I am sorry to say "no."