THE WHEELER MEMORIAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9507, 6 May 1911, Page 5

THE WHEELER MEMORIAL.

DISCUSSED BY THE OROUA COUNTY COUNCIL

REMARKABLE OBJECTIONS.

"AN INSULT TO HIS MEMORY,"

Messrs E. Short and D, P. Buchanan waited on the Oroua County Council yes? terday with regard to the Wheeler memorial.

Mr Short, addressing the Council, said they recognised the valuable services of Mr Wheeler to the different agricultural societies and as a member of.local bodies, and it was hardly fair his name'should pass without some memorial.. It was proposed—and a committee had been set up' for that purpose—to try and raise £IOOO to erect a sheep pavilion on tho Manawatu showground. So far, the committee, had received splendid offers of support, and in'all probability they, would receive more than £IOOO. He presented to. the chairman a plan of the proposed, pavilion, and 6aid they would like to ask the Oroua County Council if they could see their way to make a donation towards the fund. i

Mr Buchanan said they all felt how deeply Mr Wheeler had the interests of the Oroua ratepayers at heart, and ho had 6pent unlimited time on their behalf. The least they could do was to show they appreciated the work of the late chairman. When Mr Wheeler came here'the roads wore in a terrible state, and now they were very good. All the societies would be,, memorialised because Mr Wheeler had interests in them all.

The Chairman (Cr. W. G. Pearce) asked, was _ the deputation asking for a contribution from tho Council or from the councillors as individuals? Mr Short: From tho County funds. The Chairman asked could they legally make such a contribution?

Mr Short thought the ratepayers would be only too pleased to make a donation. Or Vincent said there was no doubt about that, but he was doubtful if the Council could give a donation, They should make inquiries. They would be only too pleased, he thought, to make the donation. They all knew and appreciated the good work Mr Wheeler had done.

Cr. Bun-ell did not think the Government Auditor would pass the account. Cr. Rowling said personally he would be only too pleased to vote for the donation,

_ Cr. Burrell said ho should very, much like to sec a memorial erected to the memory of the late Mr Wheeler, but he would like to 6co it take some other form from that proposed. He considered that when they had borrowed Mr Wheeler's name to post up sheep pens on private property in Palmerston, they were adding an insult to his memory. They must remember that Mr Wheeler was a, humane man as well as a sheep-breeder, and'if it were proposed to add a wing to the hospital, for instance—a public institution—he would be in favour of it. But the way tho _ deputation and their committed were going about it they were making a business concern of it In those circumstances he would not give a penny to it. Mr Buchanan said that it was Mr Wheeler's urgent wish for many years to erect a, sheep pavilion at the Manawatu Show grounds. It was right at his heart to do something. Mr Wheeler would not look at it as a Palmerston Show Association—it was the Manawatu Association, and they were all in it. The idea was that all sheep men, when meeting at a show, will see the memorial to Mr Wheeler.

Mr Short said they were appealing to« the whole of tho East and West Coast—it was not a local matter. The Manawatu was going to be the Royal Show of the North Island in a few years, : Cr, Burrell said it was private pro-, perty all the same. j Cr. Rowling: They must allow each man to have his own opinion as to what form the memorial should take, and there was no doubt there will be differ-, ences of opinion. Cr. Roid said that ho would have much pleasure in supporting tho deputation's request. Mr Wheeler was the first to start sheep breeding in this district. The form of the memorial had been thoroughly thrashed out in Palmerston, and it was decide'd .it should take the form proposed. If the Council could legally vote a donation he would support it. Mr Wheeler was particularly interested in stock, and that was the reason why the testimonial should take that form. He was father afraid thoy could not vote a. sum, but if it could, he would support it. The Chairman said he quite agreed something should: he done with regard to recognising Mr Wheeler's work. No one knew more than ho (the speaker) how ' much work Mr Wheeler had done fori the coiinty. Ho and the late chairman had sat together for 22 years at the j Council table, and during all that'time Mr Wheeler had donated a. very great amount of time indeed to county affairs. Then Mr. Wheeler had a large connection with other institutions. Cr Pcarco would very much like to 6ce some memorial a 6 a testimony 'to his work. But whether they could legally vote money ho was in doubt about, though 1 he would be pleased to help the fund privately. If it could be legally done, he thought the ratepayers of the county would like to. do something as a testimony of their appreciation of the work the late chairman had done. The point raised by Cr, Burrell he was not quite sure of, but thero was something-in what Cr, Burrell had said, All they could do was to undertake to send a reply to the .deputation- when thev had looked into the matter. The deputation then withdrew,