NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27377, 16 June 1954, Page 9

NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL

PROVISION HOPED FOR IN BUDGET “The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, June 15. “Possibly some progress” had been made on the completion of the National War Memorial—it was hoped that provision would be made in the forthcoming Budget for starting work on the years-old plans for the combined memorial, said Sir Howard Kippenberger, president of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, at the annual meeting of the association’s council in Wellington today. “As we have pointed out year after year, the national memorial to our 17,000 dead of World War I remains partly completed and there is no national memorial to the 12,000 dead of World War 11.

“We can be fairly reproached that the living have been looked after and themselves, but that the nation has forgotten our friends, its sons, who died in its service. The petition which the 1953 council authorised was duly prepared, lodged and considered, and your representatives were heard.

“The Petitions Committee recommended that our prayers should have favourable consideration. As the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) has affirmed, the Government’s and the country’s finances are in a buoyant condition; there can be no objection on the ground that the cost cannot be afforded.”