THE PROJECTED MEMORIAL.

A PUBLIC MEETING

A public meeting wag held in the City Council Chambers, last night to consider the question of erecting a per-' maiicnt- memorial in honour of the late Hon. Francis Trask, M.L.C. The Mayor (Mr Piper) occupied the chair, and the Mayor-elect, Mr T: Pettit, was also present. The attendance numbered about thirty gentlemen.

The Mayor read apologies for absence from Messrs A. T. Maginnity, H. V. Gully, C. J. Harloy, and W. Rout. Mr Piper said perhaps no one had known Mr Trask better than himself, for they had been connected in City Council matters for nine jears. He had known Mr Trask' s nature, and hewas sure that Mr Trask himself would have wished that any memorial to 'him should be something of value to the community. He would suggest that it take the form of stone or concrete steps at the Church Hill, in place of the present woodeii stops, and flanked by walls supporting pillars at suitable intervals, the pillars bearing brass tablets. He was uot in favour of a stone monument.

Mr C. Y. Fell said that when a few of Mr -Trask' s private friends mot the other day to discuss the question, none of them knew what Mr, Trash's own feeling might have been. Tlie Mayor's remarks, as an old friend of Mr Trask, were tliareforeof value. He was grateful to the Mayor for calling tlie meeting and for presiding over it, and it would be gratifying to Mr Piper tc know that one of his last actions as Mayor was to preside over that meeting for the purpose, of doing honour to his old friend. His Worshipls suggestion that .steps should be erected leading to the Cathedral woud have his personal sympathy, and iie would deprecate .a memorial taking similar lorni to , «imci to be soon elsewhere,, uffigies which fulfilled their function! very 'inadequately, it was not liis intention to exaggerate the virtues of tlie lato Mr Trask, or to place him on tlie level of great national heroes, j but lie was entitled to be regarded asj o:_o of- their heroes. Thoy had to look j to what he had done. He had been .Mayor lor nino years, and he had been connected with evei'y local body iv the place. ■ He had represented tlie district in the. Legislative Council, in :i w.-iy wii it'll he ventured to say won for him tlie -rcepcet and friendship of cv-

jry .member, of that chariiber. His po■2aL>)) brought ..him juto contact with ■i -i.vat-.inany people throughout Nov./_eni:uul, and no man numbered more •'rier.ds than the late Francis Trask. lie liad constantly entertained the '■great men 6iV the .land. These people itnew Jiim as a tradesman, -they knew iiini as Mayor of tiie city and as a m:in, and thoy wore proud to niiiriber him among tiieir. private, friends. There was none loft boliind who would say a htuA v,.n*.d about' him. "(Applause.) Ho illicit have had his weaknesses and his foibles, but he had also his greatnesses. He moved "That in recognition of the long and faithful sea-rices rendered publicly, and in private, by (lie late Hon. Francis Trask, M.L.C, it.is meet thafc-the citizens of Nelson and the residents of the .province should devise a permanent memorial in his honour, the form of such memorial te be decided later as the means available may permit."-. Mr Georgo .Rout seconded the resolution, l-'ow public men had served the town as creditably, to himself as Mr Trask had done. lie (the speaker;, hail hceu.connected with him for many years iv the City Council, and .could speak of his worth as a public man. The -resolution was carried. ; Mr W..'T. Bond, who said he had 'known Mr Trask for forty years, said he could endorse fully all' that had been said of him. He moved "That those present at this meeting fonii a ••omniittee, with power to add to th-.ii number, in order to carry out the foregoing resolution, by collecting cont'ributi.iiif* and other means that- may be •leoTi-ed 'desirable." lie hoped the" friends of the late Mr Trask, and lie. had a 'host of them, would do theii duty. He had not much coiilidenco '»■ the genorai public. When lie looked round the town aud saw the entire absence, of any memento or memorial o! men who liad done great service in tht early days of "the- settlement, .ho had little faith in anything that the. public would do: He regarded it as a stand-* ing disgrace to the. province that ur effort hed been made to perpetuate tlh. memory of. Mi*. John .Perry .Robinson, ot-.n of "che fiaporintendents of the province who had lost his life while. <**<•- gaged in the execution of his duty. Mi. Robinson was in many respects a sfoiilar Trail to" Mr Trask. He trusted thai Mr- Trask's friends would sen tq. it. thatY the present movement wav brought to a successful issuei.- --• The Hon. Mr Reeves seconded tlie resolution. He had known YMr Tra si. during tlie sewn years ho had. been b member of thn Legislative Council, an.! ho was. one 'of the most popular members of tlio chamber. ■■ Ite had kuowi him.'as an honest, straightforward", aii(3 kind-hearted mau, ahd. he. hoped f suitable memorial would be erected -inhis honour. (Applause.) 'Mr F. W. Fairey said he had known My Trask for many years. He (Mi" Fairey) had sat as a City. Councillor under tive Mayors, and he could nol have -wished tn sit under a hotter oi more kindly and courteous chairman ihan Mr Tpask. He hoj>ed the province would rise and suitably. 'honour h.F memory. He supported the resolution.' 'The .resolution. was- Carried*. '

Mr J. H. Cock said the thing that struck them on such an occasion was how much more kindness of heart and singlcvness of purpose told upon their minds than mere ability. In those qualities they certainly got two-thirds of the other, and in the late Mr Trask they had those qualities. He was not sure that it would not bo better, as indicated by the- Mayor, to decide that night the form the* memorial should take. Other schemes of improving the Church stops had been discussed, but as far as he know they had failcii to the ground. Mr Fell thought it might .bn advisable that the object aimed at should be decided npon at the outset. Mi* Grahaili, M.P., said liis experience was that 'it was not advisable to goto the public with a definite scheme. Ho favoured leaving the niatter open' til] they knew what funds would -be available.

This course was decided on by tho ii.eeting,.ai*d Mr Ccck then moved the resolution standing in his name, as follows: — "That it be an instruction to tbe committee to call a meeting *_of subscribers, as soon as they can ascertain the amount likely to be availjible, witii the object of finally deciding the form that the Trask Memorial shall take."

Mr Hanby seconded the resolution, explaining the steps taken by the preliminary meeting of sympathisers.'-.." .

Mr Graham expressed his entire sympathy with the movement. If! there ever was a man in Nelson who deserved that his. memory should be. kept green, after his death, it was tiieir late friend. 'Die matter should not be limited to a few private friends. Mr Trask was the friend of tlie. whole community, aud he hoped to sec a very large number of small- subscriptions. If ever there was a man who was kind to the poor it was Francis Trask. (Ap- j plauso.) His death would be mourned by hundreds who had ; benofited by his 1 kindness. Tliey could, not properly decide, upon the form of. the memorial until .■t-lioy knew how much money they J would have. -The people who subscribed had a right to consideration in. dry | eiding the matter. Ho hoped the mafc'i tor would not be allowed to lose" the public interest. *' Mr John King was appointed sccrc- f tary of the committed.

Tlie committee met subsequently and elected Mr Fell chairman. It was decided to take immediate steps to'fdrward tlie collection of subscriptions.