THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14600, 26 February 1913, Page 9

THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

COMMANDER EVANS'S VIEWS. Interviewed ' last evening by a "Press" reporter regarding question of a national memorial to Captain Scott and his companions, Commander Evans was very much disinclined to say anything on the matter. He said he" was afraid it might be thought presumption on his part to express any opinion, which might perhaps be taken as a criticism of a really great and good work. In reply to persistent questions, however, Commander Evans said that his ideas in regard to tho memorial

fund wero that it should be sent to tha honor.r'iy treasurer of tho expedition in London, Sir Edgar Speyor, Bart., and in the event of tho funds subscribed being sufficient to really handsomely provide for thoso dependent on Captain Scott and l.iis lost comrades, the treasurer should hand back tho New Zealand fund to the New Zealand treasurer, to provide for tho erection of a suitablo memorial. Commander Evans said that it might possibly bo that the £30,000 mentioned in tho' London Press cable messages, as having boon subscribed, included Expeditionary Funds, out of which wages had to be'pnid, coal bought, and many othor liabilities met. Ir this was so, the funds available for the dependents of the lost men would be very considerably less than. £30.000. "Mind you," said Commander Evans, "I do not wish to express any opinion, but you pressed me for it, and my idea is that every penny should be available first for the dependents, and once their welfare has been satisiactorily established, then the other moneys could be expended in tho erection of a fitting memorial. But the finest memorial will bo the preservation of Captain Scott's wishes aud plans in their entirety." Seen shortly before tho steamer sailed. Commander Evans said that if a memorial wero erected locally, he thought that it should tako the* form of a large cairn, possibly surmounted by a cross, erocied on tho summit of tiie Port hills at a spot where it would bo plainly visible, not only irom Christchurch and the surrounding districts, but also m full view of Lyttelton nnd of all tho shipping entering tho Port. Mrs Wilson and Dr. Atkinson, who went North last night, will return to Lvttelton about the end of this week. IJiov havo booked their passages for England by the Kenuiora, which will sail from Wellington on 6th March. Mr J. Hugh Mather, late of tho Terra Nova, kit for Wellington last night, and will go to England as private secretary to Commander Evans. The .Mayor has received os from an anonymous donor as a contribution to the Scott Memorial Fund, also £4, por Mr 11. W. Arnold, being tho sum collected at the cricket match, Dalgety and Co. v Loan and Mercantile and Pyne and Co., played on Monday. Another collection taken up at the Opera. Houso last night for the Scott Memorial Fund produced a total of £7 7s. Reference to the Antarctic tragedy was mado by Dr. Louisson, president of the Canterbury Automobile Association, at the meeting of the committ-*o o? tho Association last night, and on Dr. Louisson's motion a vote of sympathy was passed with the relatives of those who had perished in tho Antarctic.