EMPIRE DAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIX, Issue 13127, 15 May 1903, Page 2

EMPIRE DAY.

TO THE EDITOTt. Sir,—lii <-iboufc another wetfc we shall havo upon. us the birthday anniversary of our late- Queen. The outburst of sorrow at her death, shown; by all classes of the community, seemed to point, in a measure, that her beneficent reign, had been appreciated, and her death would be keenly felt for some considerable time. In Christchurch we occasioned the then. Duke of Cornwall some little inconvenience to lay the founda-' tion of a, memorial statu© in memory of her Majesty. On May 25 that memorial will be unveiled. Will the consummation v of our loyalty to our late Queen be allowed to manifest itself on that occasion? It seems, from the present indifferent attitude of the majority of the residents of Christchurch, only those who have the time to spare will witness the ceremony. Will the shops and ware-houses not close ono half-day to do honour to the noble-dead? Surely, at least we can- spare so little as this in memory of such a national loss. Are our merchants and storskeepers so sunk in the littleness of cash-making that'they are unable to give one little moment of thought to the sentiments of our great mat-ion,'? .For one, I cannot believo but that on tlsis occasion, at least, Christchurch will -do its duty.—l am, etc., ONE OF THE PLEBS.