HOBSON MEMORIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 6

HOBSON MEMORIAL.

THE CENTENNIAL OPPORTUNITY (To the Editor.) The suggestion of Archbishop Averill in reference to a memorial to Captain Hobson is timely. The plans for the celebration of the Centennial, so far published, make no mention of such a memorial. Yet Aucklind owes its inception, ite position and its veryname to our first Governor. If the plan of the first Surveyor-General had been carried out the city may have languished on the bank*; of the muddy and tidal Tamaki, and had the wishes, vehemently expressed, of the settlers in Wellington been listened to the new capital had been placed there. But Hobson saw the advantages of placing his capital on the western shores of the Waatemata, and so our proud city grew where his foresight and sailorly judgment placed it. Yet. except for a few place names, a tablet in St. Paul's, and an obscure notice on the Svmonds Street end -of the Grafton Bridge, stating that his grave is in the cemetery there is no adequate memorial to the founder of the city. During the last fourteen years a pilgrimage has been made to his -rrave oil the anniversary of bis death, to some extent, has kept his memory green and revived an interest in his achievements. The Centennial of the city presents a golden opportunity to pay an adequate and tangible tribute to the man who founded it. The suggestion of Archbishop Averill that a statne or monument should be placed in the Civic Square is a good one, as the memorial should be where it can be constantly seen, and not in some obscure place that can be visited only by the curious. Unfortunately, the suggestion that a memorial park be made at the foot of Queen Street has had to be abandoned owing to the unsympathetic attitude of the Harbour Board, but* possibly something of this kind could be done with the okl dock site. But if anything in the nature of a memorial to Captain Hobson is tn be made a feature of our Centennial celebrations it 5* time that the Centennial Committee made some definite announcement so that the preliminary arrangements can be undertaken. SPEXCELEY WALKER.