THE WAR MEMORIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18352, 9 March 1920, Page 6

THE WAR MEMORIAL.

Throughout the whole of the discussion on the question of a War Memorial we have held the conviction that no form of memorial would be adequate or appropriate that did not involve the erection of a hall. We are glad that the largest meeting yet held on tho subject has confirmed this view by a substantial majority, the resolution passed last evening being in favour of a Hall of Memories. We have nothing but friendly criticism to offer concerning some of the other proposals that have been canvassed The idea of providing a cenotaph and the proposal foa bridge have both got points that are to be approved, in their way. But neither of these, nor both of them, fill the requisites of a War Memorial. As we have said on former occasions, a

cenotaph is a monument to the dead—

that and nothing more; excellent enough, so far as it goes, but not a structure symbolic or commemorative of the various important phases of the Great War. The bridge proposal is similarly disqualified, and there is m

addition the anomalous circumstance that it was proposed to destroy the

bridge over which the soldiers marched and erect one which they did not traverse- However, these two proposals

have been negatived at a citizens’ meeting, which has resolved that a Hall of

Membries should be "erected by voluntary subscription. This resolution has ilie essential and outstanding merit of meeting the views of the Returned Soldiers’ Association and of redeeming the pledge that was made by the newspapers, and impliedly accepted by the public, when the association deleted the Hall of Memories from its scheme in the building of a Soldiers’ Club. That this decision will be followed by generous subscriptions we do not care to doubt. Some thousands of pounds wiil be required, of course, so that well-to-do citizens will need to think in generous terms. Wo want to say once more that the scheme ought to include not only a sanctuary for the names of men who have paid the supreme sacrifice. There must, of course, be that sanctuary'—full honour must be done to those heroes who died that wa might be protected against the enemy. Honour

must also, however, be done to the living ex-soldiers. We should like to see the names inscribed of every man who went to tho war from Gre&fer Chrisfcvdhhroh, at least There should also bp records of distinctions won on the field of battle. There should be a war museum, a collection of trophies, a display of colours. There should he panels giving brief histories of the prinoipal engagements ip. which New Zealanders, Canterbury men in partipular, took prominence. Then there is the civilians’ side to be considered. Some of the work performed by those who stayed at home was of a magnitude and value that ought to he gratefully and permanently recorded—the Rod Cross work, the Belgian relief, the Lady Liverpool Fund, the Citizens’ Defence Corps, the Patriotic Fund all made enormous demands upon the purses and the personal service of hundreds of citizens. Panels should he given a place in the people’s War Memorial for appropriate references to these movements, and we should like to see the personnels of the original executives go down in history. All of this we regard as requisite to an adequate War Memorial and as being appropriate in.connection with a Hall of Memories specially sacred to soldiers who gave up their lives. A substantial fund will be needed to oarry out such a scheme, hut a substantial fund ought to he not at all difficult to obtain.

And now we have to say that the form of War Memorial approved by last night’s meeting could bo made to dovetail in every way, and very advantageously, in our opinion, with the City Hall which Christchurch will have to find for itself soon or late—and may it be soon. We do not wish to enlarge on this matter at the moment, hut we put it forward for serious consideration, as a practical proposition, that the War Memorial and the City Hall should be combined, the ratepayers finding the money for the City Hall and voluntary subscribers the money for the MemorialThe combination would make a splendid pile, each part of the scheme adding dignity and grandeur to the other. This is a proposal which we should like the City Council to make, before it is too late, to those who will be having charge of the movement for the erection of the War Memorial.