THE QUEEN VICTORIA MEMORIAL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11753, 30 November 1903, Page 9

THE QUEEN VICTORIA MEMORIAL.

NEW ZEALAND'S £16,000 GRANT.

Tlie Right Hon. the Premier sends us the following memorandum: — "So that the public may have the full facts before them, and thus be in a position to fairly judge, I have the honour to submit the correspondence and action taken which ultimately led to a vote of £15,000 being placed on the Estimates for a memorial to her late Majesty Queen Victoria. In the face of Cape Colony offering £20,000 the submission of £515,000 to our Parliament was nob out of place. To have refused, after tbe other colonies had made their offers, to place before the New Zealand Parliament a vote for tbe purpose would not have been justifiable on my part, and to ask fourpenee per head of our population for tlw purposes of » memorial to our bite good Qu«n Victoria, who wus the greatest of living monarclis, was no!.. 1 hope, a strain too great to bear. If so, then I shall feel that the adulation of the pax* was not mncere. Circular despatch from tho Secretory of Statv for the Colonies to 'lite Offiwr Administering the Oovernmciit of New Zealand* (circular), No. 47. Downing street. 10th June, 1901. ,Siv,—You are doubtless aware that a committee wan, in February last, appointed by his 'Majesty the King to consider the best means of giving effect to the desire which is oo universally felt that a memorial of her late Majesty Queen Victoria, Imperial, and not 'local in ita character, should be erected in London as tlie metropolis and centre of the Empire, over which she ruled for more than sirty years. The recommendation of tlio committee was in favour of a memorial of a strictly personal and monumental kind, in which a statue of her late Majesty should form tho mostprominent feature, and tlie King expressed hia approval of the proposal, and xf tbe .ite in front of Buckingliam Palace, which has beon selected. Tlie general idea of the scheme is to place in front of the Palace a group or groups of statuary, of which the statue of Queen V'.ctoria will form the centre figure, and, if funds admit, to form an imposing architectural and procesaional approach to the main group of statuary, and to the Palace, with statues at intervals representative of the colonies and dependencies of the Empire. (2) To carry the echeme into effect in a manner worthy of ita object ample funds are required, and a largely attended meeting was held at tbe Mansion House on the 26th March last, for the "purpose of calling public attention to the subject, and of inviting subscriptions. lam convinced that the colonies til the Empire, which always occupied a most prominent position in her late Majesty's interest, and sympathise, will desire to contribute to a memorial which appeals so strongly to every class and every race of those who were her subjects. I desire, therefore, that you will take such utepa aa you may think beat calculated to promote this object, either by bringing the matter to the notice of your Minioters or in such other way aa you may think beet, and I trust that I may ho aide to announce a response from the colonies which will be an evidence to the world at large of the feelings of devotion with which they regard tlie memory of Queen Victoria. (31 In making this request I do not forget that many colonies will desire to have their local memorial, but I am led to believe that they will also wiah to be distinctly and separately represented in the commemorative monument which is intended to perpetuate in the heart of the Empire the glories of her late Majesty's reign, and the loving esteem in which she was held throughout her dominions; I have, etc. (signed) J. Chamberlain.'

"Memorandum from the Bfc. Hon. the Premier to, his Excellency the Governor. • Premier's office, Wellington, 14th Septeav ber, 1901. Memorandum for his Excel* lracy ths Governor, No. 101.-—Replying to the Secretary of State's despatch of the 10th Juno on the subject of a mttmoria] to her late Majesty Queen Victoria, the Premisr begs respectively to submit to Ida Excellency that the people of New Zealand were not wanting in the loving esteem in whioh her late Majesty was regarded throughout her dominions, and a* a proof of tits devotion in which they regard her memory memorials are about to be erected in three of the principal centre* of the colony. Under the oircttmstances, therefore, Ministers consider an appeal to the people for the purpose indicated in Mr Chamberlain's despatch would not probably be adequately responded to. (Signed), B. 3. Seddort.' ,f His Excellency the Governor to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 'No. 95, Government House, Wellington, 14th September, 1901. Sir,—With reference to your despatch circular dated 10th June, 1901, relative to a memorial to hef lute Majesty Queop Victoria, 1 have the honour to inform y<»tt .that »y do not see their way to make on appeal to tlie. tx-ople tot funds.for the memorial in London, oa lit three of, the principal-cen-tres of th# ooloni .tbey are* erecting memorials them*elv«» as a proof of their loving esteem and ths devotion with which [they rsgard her taemory. Ido not consider that art appeal made by mc to the people would, under theae circumstance*, bring forth a fitting' raponse. (Signed), -teifurly.* "Extract from the proceedings of the Colonial Conference, 1902. 'The Secretary of Bt*te.--I hand in the following msmor-ndUM: The Prime Ministers undertake to submit to their respective Parliament* Votes according to tbe subjoined list as a contribution toward* the Imperial memorial to bo erected in honour of her late Majesty Queen Victoria! It ia understood that the earn contributed will be. applied in each due to the erection of some special feature in accordance with tlie general scheme, but aamciated with the contributing colony the design for such special feature will be submitted to the Governmeots of tlie contributing colonies before it is carried out. Dominioti of Canada, . £——; C3omWoftwealth of Australia, fi~—-j New Zealand, iH--} the Cape Colony, £---- •• • the colony of Natal, £-—-; the colony of Newfoundland, £2000. The memorial of tbe late; Queen Victoria. Tlie Secretary of State--'X should like jut to read out to the Conference whafthe remit* is of the contributions which the Prime Miniotera of the various colonies will submit to their respective Parliaments towarda the Imperial memorial to the late Queen. The'dominion of Canada, £30,000; the Commonwealth of Australia, reply not yet received; New Zealand, not km than £15,000; the Colony of Natal, not exceeding £10,000; the colony of Newfoundland, £.000. "Despatch from tha Secretary of State for Colonies to his £_celleney the Gover_or of New Zealand. 'Dawning street, (6th September, 1902. My; Lord.—With reference to your 96 of the 14th September, 1901. arid life third paragraph of your confidential despatch of 26th September, 1901, oo the subject of » con- ■ tri-utian from the colony of New Zealand, towards the memorial to her late Majesty Queen Victoria, which, it is proposed to erect in London, I have the honour to transmit to you an extract . from the minutes of the proceedings of the Conference of Colonial Premiers, stating the nnn whioh have been mentioned as tbe probable oontribntion* from the self-govern-ing colonisr. X hare, eta. (rigned), J. Chamberlain.'

"In Cabinet, 7th August, vote of not less than £18,000 to be placed on tbe Supplementary Estimates. (Signed), J. F. Andrews, Acting-Secre-tary.' R. J. Bed* don."