CENTENNIAL MEMORIALS

Grey River Argus, 2 May 1938, Page 10

CENTENNIAL MEMORIALS

The Government does not regard with favour for subsidy purposes any proposal for the erection or establishment of expensive Centennial memorials in respect of. which the cost cannot, be raised by the people of the district directly concerned. The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Perry, stated in an interview that the Government’s decision was based on the opinion that it was undesirable to ask posterity to meet the initial cost of Centennial memorials and therefore the Government did not propose to grant any subsidy for those memorials to be erected with loan moneys.

The total amount to be made available by the Government for Centennial celebrations and permament memorials is £15,000. As this amount will require to be allocated on a definite basis to the several provincial districts, it is obvious that memorials involving heavy expenditure will have to be excluded from participation In the subsidy. Some organisations, it is understood, are contemplating the erection of hospitals, museums, etc., and the Minister suggested that build- , ings of that type were hardly appro.I riate as Centennial memorials unless practically the whole of the cost could be met by the communities they would serve. “I have been asked to state in definite terms,”, the Minister continued, “the type of memorials which, in the opinion of the Government, would be suitable for consideration by the Provincial Centennial organisations. Although the matter has not yet been finally considered by the National Centennial Council, I would suggest that such memorials, should be of a comparatively inexpensive nature and have a general community interest and value. A type of memorial strongly appealing to the Government is that of a recreation ground, or playpark, with community buildings and, where practicable, a swimming pool and children’s playground. Without heavy cost, suitable areas could be made places of public resort and enjoyment for successive generations. By giving the name, “Centennial,” the parks would stand as a monument. not only to the first century of our national existence, but also to the foresight of the present generation.” Another form of inexpensive memorial, continued the Minister, and one that could be used for the embellishment of existing recreation areas and public reserves, was a definite scheme of Centennial tree planting. “Both these types of memorials,” the Minister said, “were advocated by the Coronation Planting Committee, constitut-1 ed in London in 1937 under the pat-| vonage of Her Majesty the Queen, to initiate, in commemoration of the Coronation, a nation-wide movement for the general improvement and beautification of the countryside. It ’is a movement appealing to the Government, and one which could be appropriately applied in connection with New Zealand’s Centennial. How I better could that great event be marked than by having in most parts' of the Dominion a Centennial Park, I acquired either by way of a new area, or by replanning an existing domain or recreative reserve, and planting it with long life trees to commemorate' individually the pioneers and others who have rendered signal service to 1 the district? Those parks and trees! would be enduring memorials, com-, bining natural beauty with utility, and' would carry a sentimental interest I and appeal to all succeeding gpmralions.”

The Minister pointed out that the mere acquisition and planting of an acre, small or large, would in itself be an acceptable - Centennial memorial. and its development could follow according to plan. The dedication of suitable areas to private individuals would serve the double purpose oi commemorating the Centennial and commending the memory of the donor to a grateful posterity. “In making these suggestions,” added Mr Parry, “I am not unmindful of the fact that in some cases a memorial of Qie aesthetic type would be most appropriate, but it is suggested memorials of the kind be erected at a focal point in the landscape or that they mark some spot of undoubted historical interest. I feel the public will appreciate the objection to a general policy of monumental memorials The result of its adoption would be probably, a host of objects of indifferent aesthetic merit and a standing reproach to the people of to-daj*.'*