TARADALE SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 308, 14 December 1923, Page 3

TARADALE SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL.

FOR UNVEILING ON SUNDAY. RECORD OF WORK ACHIEVED, The Taradale Soldiers’ Memorial which is to be unveiled by His Excellency, the Governor-General, Viscount Jellicoe, on Sunday afternoon next is a most imposing structure, and is said to be one of the finest of its kind in the Dominion. Great credit is due to those who have worked continuously since the structure was out of the contractor’s hands in filling iu the grounds by several feet and laying them out, i , -hich has been done in a manner that would

reflect credit upon any landscpae gardener. < They have also put down in concrete the foundation of the stone wall, which is seven chains in length. The installing of the clock was carried out by Mr J. Ellis and helpers, and is chiming and striking perfectly. AU this work has been done voluntary and painstakingly. For a long time past this band of workers has spent its Saturday afternoons and every evening, until it has been too dark to see, working to complete this undertaking. Below is a short history of what has led to the erection of what stands so nobly in Taradale to-day: — On 26th February, 1917, a public meeting was held for the purpose of considering tho advisability of erecting a Soldiers’ Memorial. A committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs W. G. Jarvis, J. Williamson, J. Martin, P. Bishop, J. Baker, J. 11. Harris, B. Larsen, J. Kibblewhite, D. Anderson, L. Mclvor, W. W. Brooks, Lowry, Northe, 0. H. Williams, P. Parsons, J. Ellis, T. F. Maidens, H. McDonald, L. S. McDonald, W. Howard and P. P. Neagle. Mr W. G. Jarvis was elected chairman and Mr Larsen was the first secretary. A fund was opened to receive biibscriptions. Various entertainments were organised, and held in the various surrounding districts, quite a large amount being raised. Owing to Mr Larsen’s departure from the district, Mr Englebretson was appointed in his place On 24th July a further public meeting was held to discuss what form the proposed memorial should take, a clock tower and shelter costing not less than £lOOO being decided on. A Queen Carnival in conjunction with the Napier Mardi Gras at Christmas, 1919, was held, when Miss Airini Perry was elected queen. This proved a most successful venture, realising well over £3OO. Early in the following year Messrs P. Bishop and Tu Tareha organised a most successful Maori Carnival, which brought in £127. On 24th February, 1922, the committee decided io call tenders as soon as the necessary permission to erect a memorial was obtained. On 22nd May, Mr J. Williamson was appointed secretary owing to Mr Englo bretsen leaving the district. On Aug. 28th tenders were considered, Mr A. B. Davis being successful with £9BO. Early this year the committee organised a must successful Juvenile Queen Carnival, when Miss Pearle Skittrupp was elected queen, the effort raised tho funds by £430 10s. At a further public meeting it was resolved to purchase a Westminster quarter chiming clock, and to leave the putting into order of the grounds for a later date. Tho clock arrived from the makers in England early last month, being installed straight away. After considering their fund*, the committtee decided to carry on and complete the work, that being to erect a stone wall costing about £270 and to fill in and lay out the grounds, the funds for which will have to be discussed in the near future. Great assistance has been rendered by the ladies’ committee, consisting of Mesdames Hector Smith (Pres.), J. Williamson (sec.), O. Anderson, W. Brown, J. Ellis, R. J. Campbell, W. Willis. P. Bishop, A. Simpkins, R. M. Glenny, C. Brown, A. Norrie, Misses Shugar and Smith. They organised many entertainments and made several successful canvasses of the district. At all the various functions held to raise funds for this worthy object, those ladies have laboured indefatigably to assist. Their unconspicuous working has always materially assisted towards the success of any organised function for the memorial fund. Along with them tho labours of these gentlemen, who being inelegible for service with the colours abroad have with strong feelings of devotion laboured towards the completion of the district ’s tribute to its Glorious Dead, shall be long remembered. The creditable sum of £1665 has been collected from tho various sources having been expended in the following manner Construction of tho memorial, £980; clock, £450; tablets and architect, £l5O. The proposed expenditure for the stone wall and filling in of the grounds, etc., is approximately £450. This amount the committee hope to defray with a monster carnival to be held early next year, when it is to be hoped that the public who have been so generous in the past will do their part to enable the committee to hand over the memorial to the Taradale Town Board free of debt.