WAR MEMORIAL.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17286, 26 October 1921, Page 7

WAR MEMORIAL.

PUBLIC MEETING AT SUMNER. A public meeting una hold m tha Town Hall, Sumner, last night, for purpose of considering the question erecting a war memorial. There was an attendance of about forty, and UuMayor, the Hon. John Burr, presided. . In opening the meeting, the chairman said that the War Memorial Gommitte" had received very little encouragement, and so had decided to put the whol« matter before the public of humnci The committee thought tlmt if anything was dono it should be done well. Nothing definite liad been decided upon, ami the whole question was quite open. 1 ' had been suggested thnt an obelusabout 30 feet high should be erected. This would cost about £9OO. However, he left the whole question open tor aisThrown Cleric (Mr W. V. Siddall) road correspondence from the Sumner Life Saving Club, tho Sumner School! Committee, and Mr G. I*. Allen, (headmaster of tho Sutnner School/ sugges - ing that Memorial Salt-water Swimming Baths be erected. , , . , The Mavor said ho regretted that out of a population of 3000 there was onl> an attendance of about. 40. Tho meeting had been well advertised, and every effort had been made to moko tiio meeting well known. A previous Council had promised a £ for £ subsidy, but this had como in for adverso criticism, and therefore would have to be considered by the present Council. Ho then invited suggestions. Mrs E. T. Menlove moved that the war memorial talco the form of an minated cross, placed on the top or Cave Rock. This was seconded by Jliffl Jones. Upon being asked the cost of maintaining the cross, the chairman sold it would be about £SO per annum. Tho initial cost would not be very heavy. If this memorial was to be put up by the public, a sum of money should bo collected, the interest of which would provide lor maintenance. If the Council undertook to maintain the cross, ho thought a vote should bo taken iui to Whether the ratepayers would sanction it. Mr H. "VV. Healop stated that a memorial light would not bo effective in the day time, and lie suggested that a cross be erected whioh would be soon during the day and could also bo illuminated at night. Mr M. 6. Brettell moved as an amendment that the memorial take the form of an obelisk. This was seconded by Mr C. Benjamin. Mr F. H. R. Neville said the Government should have decided_ the matter years ago. and the memorial' should bu a national one. The most lasting memorials were thoso which wero built for utility purposes. On being put to the rote, the amendment and motion were both defeated. Air J. Browne then proposed that thu memorial should tako the form of a salt-water swimming bath. This was seconded by Mr G. A. Alexander. Mr H. G. Bailey* in supporting tho swimming baths proposal, said thev would to a certain extent be self-sup-porting. * This motion was carried by 25 votes to 11The chairman suggested that a committee be Bet up to go into tho question of finance. It was eventually decided to postpone the setting-up of a committee, owing to tho attendance not being a sufficiently representative one.