HISTORIC MEETING

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32069, 18 August 1969, Page 19

HISTORIC MEETING

Plaque Marks London Site A plaque set into the wall of a building in Whitehall, London, now marks the site where the first plans were Hid for the founding of the Canterbury Province; but it was not until two years ago, almost 120 years after the first historic meeting of the Canterbury Association, that the site was found and the plaque installed. The search for the site was started by a director of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, Ltd. Reading C. E. Carrington’s book, “John Robert Godley of Canterbury,” about three years ago, he came across the passage; “ The; business of the Canterbury I Association was carried on by i A small managing committee; which first met in the associa- i tion's rooms at 41 Charing Cross on March 27, 1848.” Because the Charing Cross of today is not far from the company’s London office, the director wrote to Mr R, D. Iles, then general manager of the firm in London, asking whether the site could be found and marked It was found that the 41 Ciharing Cross of 1848 is now a site in Whitehall, occupied by the banking firm of Glyn Sills and Company, and there as no outward indication of its history. r The Canterbury Pilgrims and Early Settlers’ Association and Sir Thomas Macdonald. at that time New Zealand High Commissioner in Lon-; don, were notified and approaches were made to the owners of the building and the London County Council for permission to place a plaque on the street wall. When permission was given, the association designed a plaque and the C.F.M. paid for its manufacture and mounting. The site if now marked by the crest of the province and the worth “Canterbury Province. Neu Zealand. In March, 1848, on this site, formerly 41 Charing Cross, the Canterbury Association met and planned the settlement of the province, founded on the 16th Decernb<f, 1850, by English settlers led by John Robert Godley." British Golfers.—The British tsams for the World Cup team rojf championship in Singapore. !t#«n October 2 to October 5 a»: England A. Jacklin. P Roller; Scotland. 8. Gallacher Gp.WiU; Waits. 8. Huggett and