Work began this week on the restoration of the historic World War I monument at Pakaitore/Moutoa Gardens.
The chairman of the Pakaitore Historic Reserve Board, Hamish McDouall, said a brief blessing ceremony was held on Monday morning before the scaffolding was erected and work began.
Mr McDouall said the board has set aside $50,000 for the work, which at this stage will focus on making the monument stable.
"The marble statue on top of the monument will be removed and the column will be strapped," Mr McDouall said.
There will also be the opportunity to have a close-up look at the inside of the column and base, to discover exactly what work needs to be done to fully restore the monument.
"There have been a lot of assumptions made about this monument, and we need to have them confirmed," Mr McDouall said.
The work is being done by Christchurch-based stone specialists Goldfield Stone, led by former Wanganui man Mark Whyte. It is estimated the project will take around two weeks.
Mr McDouall said it had been common knowledge for some time that the monument was in poor condition.
"It was getting to the point where a really strong wind or a moderate earthquake might have brought the statue down."
Mr McDouall said the board had applied to the Lotteries Commission's war memorial grant for funding to have the monument restored in time for the Gallipoli centenary in 2015.
The monument, commissioned by the Native Memorial Committee and built in 1925, is dedicated to all Maori casualties of the First World War. The life-sized marble statue atop the monument depicts local soldier Herewini Wakarua.