MEETING OF COMMITTEE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16849, 1 June 1920, Page 6

MEETING OF COMMITTEE.

A meeting of tho War Memorial Column • Committee was held yesterday in Mr G. Gould's offipe. Mr G. Gould presided, and thero were also present Mpsdair.es G. Hanmcr and A. Brittain, Arcthdcacxti Haggitt, Messrs 11. M. Macdonald, G. F. Way, and J. Jamieson.

Mr Gould proposed that a canvassing campaign should bo started at once, I and the help of the newspapers should bo obtained by having subscription lists opened. With that-' object ho had prepared a letter to the editors, asking the public to support the proposal to ereot a memorial column in Cathedral square. No definite decision would be made until a plebiscite of the subscribers was taken. After reading the letter the chairman explained that he had left the' question of site* open, but to his mjnd the best site would bo in the iSquare, which was thy most commanding position. The blot of tho tram shelter would have to be put up with, but the Columu would stand long after the need for tho tram shelter there was romoved. If sufficient funds could not be raised for a memorial fitting the purpose being erected in the Square a sito in front of the City Hotel could perhaps be secured. Some people wished to have tho Column on that site.

A member remarked that there was not enough room there, and Mr Macdonald said there was room there for a small- monument, but not for a large one.

Tho ohairmafri said there was no real objection to placing the Column west of the Godley statue site. The voting on the question at tho City Council was just what might have been expected, and four or five members who really took the matter to heart voted with the committee—others voted iu about the same spirit as they would for a drainage scheme. There was no sentiment about them whatever. While one or two were actively against the comfnittee, no real reason was givon against the Column proposal, and no member of the Council said tee Column would interfere with tr.-ilfis or inconvenience the public, or do anything at all in that direct-ion. Mr Gould added that he was anxious to draw in peoplo outside of the city to he actively interested in the- memorial. Christichurch was the market town of many of these people, and while they did not live in the city they retained an interest in it, and he wished to give them an opportunity to show their interest. The estimate of £3COO to £10, COO for the Column was more or less guess work. He had no doubt that the committee could get on with £'5000. and if more were forthcoming it could be well used. Wherever he had discussed the Column prooosal with _ residents they had expressed views in its favour.

Archdeacon Haggitt asked if the names of returned soldiers could be place'd on the monument, and Sir Gould replied that some -arrangements could he made in that direction, nnd so meei; the wishes of returned soldiers. He would net like to see names cut all over the face of the base of the column, but there might he a small chamber made wherein a'hook or a piece of vellum could be containing the names of those who nad served, and also all kinds of records of the war. Ho

thought that something of that charac-j ter would secure the support of return-1 e:l soldiers. This chamber could be! locked, and the Mayor of the city, or : whoever was appointed, could held the J key. I Mrs Hanmer remarked that a small! chamber was provided for in one of the j schemes suggested by the Mayor. | Mr Gould said that the idea could certainly be carried out. He beiieved that a "larjie body of returned soldiers' were fully in favour of the column pro-j posai, and as evidence of that he had a j resolution which was sent to him fro"i a meeting of some (10 returned men, held at \Yaiau about Easter time. This resolution was: "Thaf this meeting strongly supports Mr G. Gonld's scheme for tho erection of a column in Cathedral square as a memorial to fallen soldiers." : The motion was signed by the chairman, ' Mr H. D. B?nven. He had been told that tho meeting was practically unani- j mous in that opinion, which was sup-1 ported by about 80 friends of soldiers at the mooting. In concluding, Mr Gould said that if action were not soon I tnken, subscriptions which now wore i available for the memorial column be to the Bridge of Re- I memb"ance scheme, for whi n h a canvass had already been instituted. He was. not hostile to the Bridge of Remembrance proposal, and it might be pos- j s : blo to erect both memorials. He had I received very encouraging financial ! sunnort that morning. I The meeting approved of the letter, I as drafted by Mr Gould, being publish-' ed in ihe papers. Mr Mncdonald tvns appointed treasurer, and it was agreed that subscriptions sent to him would be acknowledged through the news-j papers.