PEACE CELEBRATIONS AND MEMORIALS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 8 April 1919, Page 4

PEACE CELEBRATIONS AND MEMORIALS

_ —. PATEA HARBOR BOARD'S ATTITUDE.

The Mayor of Patea (Mr Lareomb) and Or. A. Davieg waited on the Patea Harbor Board yesterday at the instigation of a committee interested in a war memorial. The Mayor said that the idea was to make a shorter route to the beach, to form a road, lightly metal it, and plant it with shelter trees. Portion of this road would run through the existing borough domain, and ten euains would go through, the Harbor Board reservo. A triangular piece of land, about 7 acres, belonging to the Board would be cut off from the adjoining property, and the committee asked that this area should also ba vested in the borough or the borough and Domain Board, so that seaside cottages would b e built. An inclined siding would be made down to the beach and so enable the public to reach a good and safe bathing place by a very much shorter route than travelling to the Heads and returning to the beach, as they had to do at present. The chairman pointed out that he was sure the Board would offer no objection to the suggestion, but he could not asfc *he present meeting, with three members away, to come to any finality. It would be necessary) also, to ascertain what powers the Board had, and this I would be done before next meeting. A large plan, prepared by Mr Thorn- ; son, indicated that the proposed road would junction up with Surrey street and run In a southerly direction to the cliffs. The length would be 70 chains, measured from the Post Office, as against 120 chains to the beach via the existing Heads road. A further deputation, consisting of Messrs Gienuy, btrouts and Hare, wait, ed on the Board and mentioned that, t'iiey were appointed a Finance Committee in connection with peace celebrations. The lowest estimate that they could get through with was £250, plus the Government subsidy, and it was proposed that the celebrations should be m the form of a day for soldiers' entertainment on Monday and for children on Tuesday. Mr Dickie remarked that if the Harbor Board gave to one centre they must also be prepared to subsidise Waverley and Hawera, both of which places are within their boundary. The chairman thought that it was fortunate that they were in a position to be able to celebrate peace. The Board had been very careful in the past not to waste much money on this sort of thing, and he thought they might now join with those who were endeavoring to make these celebrations worthy of the great occasion and agree to a grant to Patea, Waverley and Hawera. Crs. Pearce and Dickie were of opinion that moneys for such purposes should be subscribed spontaneously by the general public. They did nob approve of local bodies granting money for such, functions. Cr. Pearce added that every pound the Board could spend on the breakwater meant that the Board was being assisted in doing tluf greatest possible good to the; district. After some further discussion the chairman moved that the Board donate £20 each to Patea, Waverley and Hawera. •; Seconded by Mr Grrainger. Upon being put to the meeting the chairman declared that the "ayes" had it, although none of the members appeared to very distinctly declare a vote one. way or the other.