MEMORIALS.

Northern Advocate, 9 December 1918, Page 3

MEMORIALS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — A letter in Saturday's "Advocate" proposes a "Peace Memor- | ial." Why for Peace? We hope j and trust that the memorial of the peace-makinji 1 still unfinished, will be permanence of peace itself. Surely what we want is a memorial of self- ! sacrifice. That is the one noble , thing which merits memorial. But ; what would this letter writer? He desires indulgence in increased luxury. Let us make ourselves more comfortable, and our town more attractive to visitors, and let us call it a Memorial of Peace. This is midVictorian utilitarianism, which we hoped the war had finally cremated with militarism. If Whangarei puts up a memorial of self-sacrifice, to the soldiers who died for us, let it either provide for those on whom the afflictions of life fall most heavily—there is sympathy between their sufferings and the sufferings of those who gave themselves for righteousness, justice, liberty—or let it acrifice its gold in bronze or hewn as something given, and follow the lead of so many English towns and villages by putting up a cross in the style of, say, the thirteenth or fourteenth century English market crosses. This is the sign which points to the highest, the most exemplary of all self-sacrifice; the sign which as way-side cross or calvary has so often in Flanders stood when all the village fell a shell-wreck-ed ruin, and it will give ample panel space for the names of all the heroes of this town and country. Further, for i this a suitable place is suggested at : the junction of the Kamo and Mill J Roads with Bank Street. Many peo- ! pie stop to water horses at that well j placed and designed water-trough; j many people pass there daily; the ' surroundings can never become crowded with builings; the ti-iangle of land lying there open could easily be got from the trustees holding it, for such a purpose; and to move the ; fire-bell and the obsolete lamp-post t! are mere trifles. But of all things do 'j not let us add to our luxuries and call lit a memorial.—l am, etc., | W. EDWARD LUSH, j' The Vicarage, Wolfe Street, 7/12/18.