HALL PROPOSED AS HOKITIKA’S WAR MEMORIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1950, Page 4

HALL PROPOSED AS HOKITIKA’S WAR MEMORIAL

HOKITIKA, This Day (0.C.).— The proposal that the Hokitika district war memorial should take the form of a rebuilt hall and community centre, with gardens, was placed before the Borough Council last night by a deputation of nine members, representing the Hokitika-Westland Returned Services Association.

The secretary of the association, Mr G. Gilchrist, who put forward the suggestion, said that the building would be designed in permanent materials and would be a credit to the district, as well as being most useful.

Mr R. Paterson said that the present hall was used much more by the public than by the R.S.A. itself. The proposed building would not be only a club-room but with its provision for a stage and waiting rooms, would serve many useful purposes. The R.S.A. was prepared to supply its building and land and some £l5OO now in its building fund. In answer to Cr Thompson, Mr Gilchrist said the present hall would have to be almost rebuilt.

Mr A. R. Elcock said the days of monuments as memorials were past and he thought the proposal was a splendid one, but one which should concern the county as well. He thought the whole community in Westland would be behind the scheme.

: • The Mayor, Mr A. E. Perry, pointed out that the vesting of the property in the local bodies would take control away from the R.S.A., but . he agreed with Mr Gilchrist that control could be in the hands of trustees, to which the R.S.A. could be appointed. It was decided to call a conference of the Borough Council, County Council, Sports Council and Returned Services Association to discuss the proposal further. Another deputation, representing the Sports Council (Messrs H. V. Algar and G. Staple ton) also waited on the council, with a proposal for a war memorial. This was the development of the proposed new sports area on Stafford street east. The adoption of this idea (which would mean a larger subsidy) would be a permanent and useful memorial, the deputation stated.