GOVERNMENT FAVOURS COMMUNITY CENTRES AS WAR MEMORIALS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22666, 17 June 1948, Page 6

GOVERNMENT FAVOURS COMMUNITY CENTRES AS WAR MEMORIALS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Juno 17. Community centres ns war memorials in both urban and rural districts were advocated by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. W. E. Parry, opening the New Zealand Counties’ Association conference yesterday. J ' La t* n nvtlPlllufp tvti icf L n

The basic Government policy, in regard to war memorials was outlined by Mr. Parry. The first point was that the nature of the form of a memorial was to be entirely decided by the people of the district; secondly, a community centre was the type of memorial that could be most justifiably subsidised from the national funds; thirdly, a pound for pound subsidy would be paid in contributions for a memorial; fourthly, to attract the subsidy, sketch plans and

other particulars must be submitted and, finally, it must be a condition of approval that the completed memorial be vested in local authority and pro-vision-made for its upkeep and maintenance. The Government, he said, was prepared to give liberal interpretation as to the type of facility which would constitute a community centre. The work of approving county schemes would be speeded up with the appointment of a special committee of the Cabinet to act as the final approving authority. -