WAR MEMORIAL FOR GREEN ISLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 17324, 12 April 1920, Page 5

WAR MEMORIAL FOR GREEN ISLAND.

TO %BE EDiTOB. . '

Sir.—The following paragraph appeared in your issue of last Friday:—"Tho people of Green Island are unanimous • in the desire that a suitable war memorial should be erected. The matter was discussed at last night's meeting of the Borough Council,, when it was agreed that ix, would be desirable to have one : memorial for the whole district, and that the council would heartily support such a scheme." Nowf I believe that the people of Greon Island _ are unanimous that a public memorial to our soldiers should be. erected i in a prominent position, so that everyCM passing on the Main South road would be able to sea it. But the above paragraph is positively* misleading. The facts are:—The council are hot moving in the matter, "although they have had a'voar to thinh over it." It is-a school memorial, under the auspices of the School Committee, that they have decide to support, and neglected their duty in not giving a lead for a public memorial. I am not for a moment against a school memorial. I am in favor of it, and I understand that over" £6O is in hand for that purpose. That sum should be quite sufficient to erect an honors board, with all.the names of the scholars who enlisted clearly written, to be seen and honored by all the s coming generations. But the intention is to canvass the district for funds ;£!500" or £600) to erect a memorial in the schonl grounds, which will' talce the place of a public memorial; and I unhesitatingly assert, no matter what position .it is nlaced in, that it will not be seen from the Main road. As everyone travelling between Ban edin and the Bluff must necessarily pass through Gretm Island, I maintain that the memorial must be in a prominent pnsi Ition. to bo seen by all. If an obelisk pillar or cairn be chosen, surely there are prominent spots -where it can be placed and ?eefi by all whether on foot or in motor cars. If an arch, what better position than at the hrid.ee spanning the ICaikorai Stream, and t*akin<r the place •of. the toll bar. Either of these would be to comm'mo-nte. the memnrv of all who enlisted from Green Inland.'whether scholars of Green Island School or not. A good percentaic e.nlistincr from Green Island were not taught at the school. At a public meeting called last month (the chairman of the- School Committee being in the chair) the feeling of the meeting was almosfcjunanimons that, whilst not being against a school •nemorial, such _ memorial should not take the place of a * public memorial. I venture to sav thai that is practically the feel inn "of the' Given Island residents. After Iho Boer War where were public war memorials placed? Was there one in a school ground? Fcr •" instance, talce Oamaru. Timaru. and Dunedin—in fact, any city or town in the Dominion. Tlie main obiect is prominence. Although Port Chalmers. Mosgiel. and other councils held their neace celebrations in their own boroughs. Green Island Council " went to town. ' Now a war memorial is moved, the council are goinc to the School .Committee. I understand that the motion in the council to join with the School Committee's memorial was not nearlv" unanimous (all honor to the minority, who wished to do something on their own). In conclusion, the Mavor. hpinn- the - proner person to do so.' should call a public mee'tincr of the resident? of Green Island to discus.-? the matter and dpcid-= or. at least, have a sav—a-? to what should be done.—l am. etc., l, Ttve' To Move . Green Island, April 12.