N.Z. ROOM

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 54, 1 September 1945, Page 9

N.Z. ROOM

TRIBUTE TO BRITAIN

NEW HOUSE OF COMMONS

The suggestion made by Mr. F. W. Doidge (National, Tauranga) that New Zealand should express its gratitude to "the greatest Englishman of all time," Mr. Winston Churchill, by erecting a monument in the grounds of Parliament Building, was referred to by Mr. H. E. Combs (Government, Welling'on Suburbs) in his Budget speech in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Mr. Combs said it was a fine proposal, but the war had not been won by one man. * The leadership of Mr. Churchill had been superior to that of any other man but the war had been won by all the people of all the Allied Nations banding together to see the fight through to the finish. Mr. Combs said that if there was to be a monument, it should be erected in Great Britain because of the way she faced the enemy for 15 months, standing alone except for the assistance given by her family of Dominions and colonies overseas. Such a memorial should be erected by the Dominions, all of which should contribute to the cost. It was proposed to build a new House of Commons, that great historic building from which New Zealand gained the freedom enjoyed by her. He would like to see New Zealand, as one of the Dominions, take upon itself the pleasant duty of building at least one room ir* the new structure according to New Zealand ideas. The room, or section of the building, should be constructed of New Zealand materials with the services of New Zealand workmen. If a room was decided upon New Zealand timber should "be used, the design should be drawn "by a New Zealand architect, and in addition, there should be something included in the design representative of the Maori race. The furniture should be made of New Zealand woods by New Zealand manufacturers, and pictures for the walls should be typical New Zealand scenes by New Zealand artists. Mr. Combs said, if the suggestion was carried out, New Zealanders who visited the House of Commons would have a room to go to which reminded them of their own country. It would be a real New Zealand room in the heart of the Empire. Such a memorial would be a fitting recognition of the time when England had stood alone against the Axis Powers and'it would also be a recognition of the magnificent leadership of Winston Churchill.