THOSE TROOPERS' NAMES.

AND THEIR REMOVAL

The rectification of the Cook Memorial. by -. the removal of the troopers' names which occupy the balk, of the space on the obelisk was discussed by the Borough Council List evening. : Mr W. Miller, sec. Cook Memorial Rectification Committee, applied for the Council's permission to remove the officers' and troopers' names from the memorial. Provided the Council granted the request his committee was prepared to erect a stone in honor of those who left Gisborne to serve in the South African : war, and engrave the names off those who died on active service. Enclosed was a letter from Lieut. Poynter, hon. sec. South African Veterans' Association* j urging that the names should be removed at once'. Mr J.; G. Cox, who was in attendance, ■was invited to address the Council. He. explained that other members of the Committee were unable to be present. He said thijt the Committee would like td have done the work more elaborately, but the scheme proposed would leave them with a deficit of from £13 to. £15. The. secretary had £50 in the bank and a further £10 promised, making £60. The work proposed would cost £73 or. £75.' The removal of the names would cost £21; that was the- estimate. With the Council's permission they proposed to place the troopers' names on ft marble Blab standing on a pedastal on the roclamatipn between the Trafalgar memorial and Kaiti bridge. The chipping off of the names would cost £21, whilst the placing of slabs over the names would cost/ over £30. — Cr Darton said that the Trafalgar rotunda had been built with provision for the names to be inserted on marble slabs. — Mr Cox replied that the opinion was that this would cause the names to be obscured. — The Peputy-Mayor submitted that the Council should not agree to lh,e work until the Rectification Committee had the money .in hand to see the work done well. He ttibught the matter should be referred back to the Committee to have further subscriptions raised When the names were eliminated thev should all be replaced elsewhere.— Gr Darton said he wduld have preferred to have , seen a polished slab placed over the names on the- Cook memorial. He thought it would be a pity to have such a cheap memorhl to the troopers as that proposed. It •would be more satisfactorv to have the names en the rotunda.-— Cr Jackson c6nsidercd that the memori-il would be better in the sh-'ipeof a drinVintr fountain on* the beach. — Ci* Darton urced the !>npointment of a committee to work with 'the Rectificjition Committee.— Cr Harris pointed out that a vote was m^de bv the Patriotic Commit+oe towards the ; Obok memorial, and there -would be trouble unless the whole ; of the names were reinstated. — Cr Sheridan thought the names might well remain where they •were.— lt was decided to appoint the Deputy-Mayor and Crs Darton arid Jackson, to confer with the Rectification Committee to> bring the matter to some finality. n