WORK FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS AND A PEACE MEMORIAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 30 May 1919, Page 4

WORK FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS AND A PEACE MEMORIAL.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—May I claim a little space in your columns to place before your read- •- ers wliat seems to mg to be a very real i •grievance, which is just beginning^ to' make iteelf felt, 'and which, if not! checked, will ultimately be a serious r matter for tile country. I refer to the i alarmingly short memories of-the community towards the grave crisis through i which we have just passed, and their re- ' sponsibiUty to adequately repay their s debt to the living and the dead who, by reason .of their sacrifices in the way or life and service, have enabled those in x this part °f the world to live in peace and quietness this last four years. 1 At the recent functions wnich have i been held in different parts of the Doinion to welcome back ■to tb-€S3 shores GeneraK Russell and Richardson, hoth [these popular leaders have indulged in some plain speaking in this" Connection, and tried to awaken the community to a sense of duty. "It is not charity, but consideration, the boys ' need," said General Russell, and in that phrase he summed up th 0 situation. I recently' observed in jour columns an advertisement calling applications for the posi- j tion of toll-gatekeeper at^ the Elthara' road gate of the Eltham CJounty Council. | Sir, I contend that if public bodies don't lead the way,,how can private individuals bo expected to? All that was necessary in this connection was. for the Returned Soldiers/ Employment Bureau to be communicated with at Wellington, and they could and would gladly place a ' disabled and unfit soldier in the job-. I Surely jobs of kind are fairly belonging to disabled soldiers. This is just one instance that has been under notice ia our district lately. j Over the Dominion- generally, the same1 spirit unfortunately seems to prei- _ vail, and banks and large institutions, who have been employing female labor > are failing to make room for^returned men, aud the female clerk .seems here for good, at the expense or the boys , who went .ayay to protect tkem from , the ignominies and shame which the 1 women of France and- Belgium suffered. i They, sir, just a word about tihe peace memorial for Hawera. I am informed > that the option over theJßarton estate property expires this week, and so far what- has been done towards raising .the funds? A few generous citizens have subscribed something under £1000 towards the £7000 required. Is it going !to be said that th c citizens of Hawera t value their safety and the services ot . the boys that have fought for them at under £1000? _ ' Perhaps if we wer& to have an air raid, with a few bombs dropped in and I about Hawera we might get a more generous response,.; But looking at the ■ question from purely a business point ' of view it seems a great pity that Hai wera" is refusing to grasp the only opportunity it has of having a "breathing space" in its borough. It is an ideal site and will be'of the 'greatest benefit alike to town and counj try people. The King Edward Park i is too far out for the purpose that^this would be used for. It is a very pretty spot, but the other is heeded too. Any--1 one who has seen thel lov-ely little spots in London round New Zealand headquarters, such as Russell! square, ' Bloonisbury square, Red Lion square, etc., will appreciate what it means to ! have such a spot in the city, and no one I for a moment doubts that Hawera is destined to be a large city in the iu<tore. ' In conclusion, sir, may I asis all'your j readers jusfc to give this matter one moment's serious thought T and I am quite sure : they will—*hey must-r-realise that it will be but a s>nall repayment to the boys-—but a small thanksgiving offering for ])eace —to give returned nen preference wherever possible, and to erect some fitting and permanent monument that will at th e same- time be an asset to the town of Hawera.— l am, etc., ' RETURNED SOLDIER. I