I MEMORIAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 3200, 16 August 1892, Page 2

I MEMORIAL.

•«<■ It will be recollected that when the Premier »aye reply to Mr. E. M. Smith that the Government would find a place within the Parliament Buildings tor a memorial tablet to the late Sir H. A.. Atkinson, though they could not provide the money, but wonld accept the gift of any suitable memorial which might be privately presented, there were very mixed feelings in this electorate anent that reply. It did not seem a becoming way of doiog honor to one whom the whole colony ! mourned, and who was in no sense a mere local politican, but who from his earliest recorded colonial effort was conspicuous for disinterested self-sacrifice. " All shades of politicians will remember the kindly deeds and words of the dead knight. As the 'Fighting Major ,' the heroic pioneer, the staunch member, the faithful leader, he was liked, loved, and honored for his honest intentions." This expresses colonial sentiment in a nutshell. The quotation is from a journal of quite the opposite political color to which either the Major or his party belonged.

Yet it is a true estimate of the deep regard entertained throughout the oolony for the deceased statesman by whomsoever he was politically or privately known. There can be no wonder, then, that Premier's reply struok ardent admirers within this electorate as but lukewarm treatment of the representative with whom many had worKed in hearty accord during tbe whole eighteen jeara be bad been their political spokesman. It would never do to allow the Government to accept a memorial gift from any one political admirer, no matter what his wealth or position might be. If the memorial could not be done and paid for as a Government work, then it certainly ought not to le a merely personal private gift. It ought rather to be a colonially contributed memorial, but, above all, it ehoulil be largely subscribed to within his own — the Egmont electorate. That is how the matter revolved in the minds of wanner- ! hearted admirers. They felt that a memorial fund ought to be initiated here, within tbe circle of his own political and personal friends, but altogether and entirely apart from any feeling of politics awd patttza-nsuip whatever. Just as oatside the Taranaki district he bad gained the esteem of all shades of political parties, bo it was lelfc to be within the district, but in an mtenser degree, that within the more personal sphere of hiß influence he bad secured a yet warmer regard from many who were strongly opposed to him on policioal grounds. This was soon made manifest in tbe ordinary course of social or business intercourse. A merely political offering wonld not qjeet the case. Any memorial to the late Sir H. A. Atkinson should, be not merely! open to bis political friends or conßti! tuente, but to tbe p\ blip at large. Tb\s, ' we believe, is fcbe ruling idea now actuating tbe promoters of this memorial fund. It will be open to all to testify to their appreciation, irrespective of pohtioal considerations. "With this idea we thoroughly approve. It naturally falls to Mr. James Davidson, as one of tbe lat6 deceased statesman's earliest and latest personal as well as political friends, to take the initiative. Also, in his capacity of Mayor of the Borough, this public function further falls in line with hiß duties. He has the further advantage of having just returned from a abort ttip to Wellington, where he will most probably have made himself acquainted with the feelings of leading members of Parliament, as to what form tbe memorial would prove best or most acceptable. As convener of the meeting, Mr. Davidson then should be able to afford useful information, and indicate to a moderate extent tbe lines on which a strong committee could work in order to secure a suitable resuU. We should like to see a fairly representative gathering. It will be noted that it is an afternoon meeting. The time has doubtless been fixed at four o'clock to suit the convenience of country settlers. As it is a day, too, when there will be other business to bring country settlers to town, we trust tbis memorial fund meeting will be remembered and attended.