WAR MEMORIALS.

Northern Advocate, 7 May 1920, Page 4

WAR MEMORIALS.

TREE-PLANTING SCHEMES

PHOTOGRAPHS OF FALLEN MEW

Uetail* of over a score of local

war memorial schemes have come in

,a > espouse to "The. Dominion's cucuiur. me proposals are varied. Several districts have planted, or are planting, trees in memory of fallen soldiers. This idea has been extensively carried out in Oamaru. Stonu monuments are again favoured in a considerable number of cases. Stratford, while undecided, as io the form of its permanent memorial, has collected photographs of the fallen men in the town and district, and placed them in panels in its municipal buildings Willi the record of each man. Marlborough has two rival schemes for its provincial memorial, and ?s considering a proposal for a plebiscite should be taken on the matter. Ihe details of the schemes are as foliow: — Dargaville.—Memorial park and sports ground of about 35 acres is being established. The transfer of the property will take place within a week or two. Birkenhead. —A committee set up by the borough council ha s been appointed to report on suitable proposals. Whangarei.—Form of memorial not y e t decided on. Auckland. —Matter still under consideration, but a decision will probably be arrived at at an early date. To Kuiti. —Proposals considered by borough council and Waitomo County Council. Prospects of raising money poor owing to need for a public hospital at Te Kuiti. The returned soldiers have £500 in hand subscribed locally for a returned soldiers' club. They do not consider this is needed and suggest handing it over, towards the cost of a public cottage hospital (estimated at from £3500 to £4000) one ward of whicii will be built as a memorial.

Waitara. —Memorial gates with suitable tablets have been erected at the main entrance to the Domain, at a cost of £150. The money was collected by the Clifton Football club. Stratford. —Nothing yet decided, but -a "Roll of Honour, of Stratford district men who fell in the war has been established in the municipal buildings. This takes the form of photographs of the men with their records, placed in panels containing twelve photographs each. Over eighty photographs have been received up to the present. Patea. —An -obelisk will probably bo erected in some prominent position in the town. Several schemes are in the air, but nothing yet definitely decided. A special citizen's committee has been set up. No definite amount has been decided upon, but it is believed that £1000 will be the maximum. Collection of funds has not yet been started. Dannevirke. —Heroic size figure of a New Zealand soldier in Italian marble mounted on a base of Nelson marble. Cost estimated at £2000. About £300 in hand, money being collected by committee of citizens appointed at public meeting.

Marlborough.—Mr A. M. Thompson, secretary of the Marlborough War Memorial Association writes: — Various localities in the district have decided to erect local memorials. The question of erecting a provincial war memorial was considered at a conference of local bodies in Blenheim in October last, The meeting affirmed the desirability of erecting a provincial memorial of Marlborough's part in the Great "War, and it was decided that the money should be raised by public subscription, and not by any particular levy on local bodies. The conference indicated its desire that the memorial should be of artistic design, and not of a utilitarian character. Subsequently it was decided to form a Provincial War Memorial Association to carry the project through, this association to consist of one representative of each of the statutory local bodies, the Returned Soldiers' Association, Patriotic Association, and Sounds Farmers' Union. By this means all parts of the district will be represented. The question of site has been a controversial one. A strong claim has been made by Picton in support of Mabel Island as the memorial site —"at the gateway of Marlborough's patriotism" Waterlea Park, which was presented by Mr William Pollard. "The Delta" to the Borough of Blenheim, and which adjoins the new racecourse, is the rival site, and those citizens who are keen on its development as a municipal rendezvous are as.soci-ating-the memorial scheme with their plan of campaign. It has been recommended that a plebiscite of the residents of Marlborough over 18 years of age be taken to decide the question of site, and this recommendation will be considered al' next meeting of the association. The advocates of the Mabel Island cause suggest the erection of a tall column, to be illuminated by electricity at night. The scheme for the development of Waterlea Park propose a granite monument, with an environment of gardens, rockeries, and a lakelet; the entrance gate s to be specially | designed to indicate boldly the years 0 f war —1914-1919 —and to open into a memorial drive. It is further proposed to Pla nl a beI t of English trees each tree t 0 perpetuate the memory of each Marlborough soldier who fell in the Great War, and to bear a plate indicating his number and name.

Carterion.--An unused section in the centre of the town is to be made a beauty spot with flowers beds, running water, etc. A simple memoria. stone is to be placed in the centre but the whole will be the memorial not merely the si one. To cost £6000 about £3500 being now in hand. Special canvassing committees have been set up by -a public meeting. Richmond, —A V.M.C.A hutment with class rooms, hall, ladies' rest room, billiard room, social hall, etc, was practically decided on by the. newly-formed branch of the V.M.C.A. in Richmond, and the public decided to adopt it as their war memorial and have subscribed liberally . It ; s intended to erect a marble tablet with the names of hose who fell inscribed thereon. The total cost is £2800, and £2300 has now been subscribed. Kaiapoi.—A marble statue of a New Zealand soldier in full kit, seven feet high, mounted on a 10ft base js to be erected, with the names of Kaiapoi soldiers (about 200> engraved on panels on the base. The cost is estimated at £1250, and a sum of £100 is in hand, the canvass not having yet been started. The movement is being organised by the Patriotic Committee in conjunction with the ! Borough Council.

Akaroa.—Peninsula War Memorial Committee had collected about £1200 before Easter, and hopes to obtain between £3000 and £4000. A carnival in aid of the fund was held on Easter Monday, and it was hoped to have the bulk of the money in by then. The form of the memorial is to be decided at a meeting of subscribers. Geraldine.—A Celtic cross 20 feel high is to be erected in the centre of the borough with the names of all men from the district cut in the base. Between £400 and £500 is required and £300 is in hand. Oamaru.—Some 300 oaks have bee n planted in the borough, each tree commemorating a soldier from the district who lost his life in the war, and one—a red oak —in memory of Nurse Clark, who was lost in the Marquette. Each tree will bear the name' inscribed on a brass-plate of the soldier it commemorates. In the country the trees are being planted at mile intervals along Hie roads. The town portion was completed in November, 1919. The trees were dedicated •by Lord Jellicoe on h's visit, and a boulder of local bluestone with a marble slab and inscription was placed beside the tree in memory of Sergeant Forrester Brown, V.C., as a record of the ceremony. The idea of the tree-planting was suggested by Dr. Douglas, of the Oamaru Beautifying Society, and at once appealed to public sentiment. The expense of the town memorial was borne conjointly by ihe Oamaru Borough Council and the Beautifying Society. The country portion is being undertaken by the Waiiaki County Council. Some further memorial is also being considered.

Hampden.—Memorial trees have been planted with inscriptions and certificates issued to all returned soldiers and next-of-kin of those who lost their lives. The municipality ha s decided also to erect either a memorial hall or a monument the money to be raised by public subscription. Alexandra.—A monument is to be placed at the corner of the recreation grounds and the main street, and the names of all fallen soldiers belonging to the town and district ar:* to be on it. The cost is estimated at from £500 to £600 and £400 has already been raised by public subscription through the Patriotic Association.