NIXON MEMORIAL FUND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 320, 21 November 1864, Page 5

NIXON MEMORIAL FUND.

A. mketi.no of the .subscribers to this Fund was convened to bo held oil Saturday afternoon, at - o'clock, ;it tho rooms of the Chamber of Commerce, l'ortatroot. Business —To reconsider a now site for tho pro posed niofiuniont to tho late lamontod Colonel Nixon, and to elect a fresh committeo. A largo number of subscribers wore present, and tlio room was filled. Aveiy M'Lean, 3v*p, occupied the chair. Tlio Chairman .said that a committco had waited upon the Domain Board, in accordance with the wishes of tho geneial body of subscribers, to request an eligible sito for the monument. A great deal oi cnrre>poudenco had also taken placo between the committee and the commissioners of tho Hoard on tho subject, and tho site reipn\sted for tho monument had boon refused, on tho ground that tho design selected by the committee was not sufficiently ornamental, lie would therefore suggest that 11 now site should bo obtained, and, if possible, a private propo ty, m which case tho subscribers would bo under no favor to any public body, and could make their own choice. Tile Skckktauy said that, as one of tho doputation who had waited on tho Domain Board, ho thought he should bo only doing his duty to lay before tho meeting a rough sketch of the work. Ho had submitted tho report to Colonel do Qucnev and Mr. M'Loim. 14 IiEPOItT. " Auckland, lt>th November, ISGI. " Tour Committee having had several interviews with the Chairman of the Domain Board, were at first led tu believe that tho Hoard would readily grant them a tile, as recommended by tho Chairman, overlooking Barnell. " That, subsequently, objections were raised regarding the rite in question, and that the designs submitted for the : ppruval of the Board were not ol a sufficiently ornamental character. "'.l he Committee regivl, therefore, that much valuable time has been irretrievably lost in communicating with the Board dii the subject. " J hat, under existing circumstances, your Committee do not think it advi?able to reopen the question with the Board ; hut suggest the desirability of considering other sites for the erection of the memorial." The accounts as furnished by Mr. lim kland were then read by the t>U'UKTAi»Y, which showed a sum actually in hand oi tis. Br. \Ykkki-s suggested that an account of what money would likely to be forthcoming lrom subscribers who have not yet paid up would be desirable. r Jhe CiiAiUMAN said the Treasurer was not present. Mr. MaMin replied that the gross amount would be about .IXOO. -A* one ol the old tommiltce he would say a few wotvis of what that connnittre have done, he was sorry th»t it was not Mncessful in gait ing the site desired by the subscribers. It. was not, however, their iauit. ] t was formerly vndcrttood that the Domain .Board would gant the site. It now turned out that although a position for the monument was offered, the one desired was absolutely refused, and on the gioumls that the design ol the Wailace tower was not sufficiently ornamental. 3?or his own part, he thought the Board were not at all anxious to have any further correspondence with them on the subject, and therefore the present meeting was calltd to choose a new Bite, a new design, and probably a new committee. Mr. W. Bi'CKl,ani> t-aid that a remark had emanated from Mr. Mar in, " thai ho thought the Domain Board were not anxious to eroct a design for the subscribers to the .Nixon Bund, or to have any further correspondence on the subject," for his own part he commend* d the wisdom of the Board in refusing the monument now felected. It was without exception one of the most inappropriate Oengn that could have bien chosen. Ami lie thought thegemial body of subsc ibera ought to be thankful to the Board for oitadowing it. He considered the design a perfect monstrosity. 'J he eul-sci ibcrs must renumber that it was their dut} not to disgrace the city «»f Auckland I v erect ing an unsuiiabh- dt sign, but rut her that it was their double object to show l.ow far Auckland had advanced in a state of art, as well as to exemplify the J mute vir.ues and public worth of their late lamented friend, Coicnei iMxon. Ihe mot stvous, for he could (all it by l o other name, oesign, selected would disgrace the liilh ccnlury. He beggtd to suggest that a bronze statue should be erected in the I luce of the reject*, d design. Purely some \ holograph of Colonel £*ix- n could be obtained, and he thin felt cure, could such a thing be managed, 14 a consunmn:lion devoutly to be wished," the Board would not refuse an eligible site. He should only be tco glad to see the monument placed in front of the is'ew Govemnunt Buildings: certainly live years might eh»pse before that lime came, but time was not in this case so important an object. Mr. Maktin said, in icply to Mr. Bu< kland's comparison on the stale of arts in the Hjth and 13th ci utlilies, tl at the latter period was well know n to be the per;od of the highest point of art known in tho civilised wcrld. Mr. Hvcki-AND said he referred to Scotch art. Mr. said he w,\a not a member of the committee, but as a mbsdiber and a well-w ishcr to the luud he should ofl'ei a Jew runatks. In putting down his name in the list ol sul scnbeis, lie had understood that the statue to Colonel Nixon was to be a monument to futuie ages to be elected in the peoples* paik in tho capital of Kew Zealand, and raised l-M voluntary o ntiii.ntions by fcoh.ieis who had served under him, ai.d settb rs who were ble.vted with li:s friendship, and that the Inline rather than the piesent woidd he e( iis.dered in the selection of the site, in older to point- out and to some extent imnioitali/.o one ol the great men of this <ur day. It was therefoie eleaily the duty of the subsciibeis to take into consideiation the best site, and to choose the nm.st appropriate design, to the best of their ability. He quite agrcid with Mr. Bucklund m one respect, and thought the Domain Boaid were worthy of praise tor rolusmg the proposed monument-. Many of the s.ettlera ol this p.ovmcc, together with the military, had shed their blood with Colonel Nixoii. He would like to see a general monument creeled, say in f'lontol tliH new Isovernment Buddings, as suggested by Mr. Buekland, to tie; ntemoiy ol the brave men who had died during the war in delence of their adopted country. The idea had been brought before his mind by a sketch he hud lately seen in Mr. Varty's wiudow. Colonel Anon h tl not succeeded in any remarkable way in tho licld, though his private worth had been most distinguished. if a general monument was approved of by the committee, Colonel Nixon's statue couid be particularly marked by an appropriate emblem. He would therefore propose, "That a monument to Colonel Nixon, an well as to the brave men who had died with him during the Maori war bo erected together in some suitable place to be selected by the committee." Mr. Buck land would second Mr. Grcig'a motion pro forma, but intended to vote against it. Mr. Ckehjiiton said ho quite agreed with Mr. Buckland's view of the case, 'ihe design selected had been fully decided at a previous meeting, at which Mr. Grcigg had not been present, and it had tlu-n been decided that the monument should take its present form. At that meeting it was determined that, while deeply recognis.ng Colonel .Nixon's military services, the monument was more especially intended as u mark of love and esteem to a settler of Auckland from his fellow settlers. He, however, now maintained thatthe services rendered by Col. JSixonduring the late rebellion entitled him to the best site in the colon lie ie:nenibcrcd well the time when Sir George Groy. and Colonel .Nixon went to organise the DefenceUoi ps, and what a master of drill lie showed himself at thai time. Shortly alterwards the war came upon lis. iSc local forces were organised to meet the crisis, and at this juncture Colonel .Nixon worked hard and sueceislully to organise the settlers of Onehunga and (Jtahuhu, who, to their credit be it said, were to fai perfect in tho " art of war " as to bo enabled in lest than a month to take their plaoa in the lield. 'Ihese were tlie beginnings of his good work, and every stej: ho made on behalf of his adopted country was a; pi-aisewoithy. lie (Mr. Creighton) had lrequenlh heard General Cameron coui[ilimtul Colonel isixoi upon the services he had rendered to .New Zeala tl : lor-liis (ALr. Creighton's) part, ho considered that nc sito was too good 10 erect a monument to il.ustrati iho deeds ol so good a man. lie was glad tlial tin i.iouiam Hoard would not allow such u specimon oi architectural moil.-tros.tv as the Wallace Towel - U encompass the grounds of tlio l>omain. Ke.-pccung tin geneiui monument suggested by Mr. Ureigg, he wouii ! strongly oppose it. 'lliat asuitablc monument wouU be oiecied iu tlio noble men who hud uieu in the mi; J ihtjru ttoo lttvlu UonUt rnducd, liu oonsidtfniil it wiJalv

become the duty of the Parliament of N«vr Zealand to a t?iini for that purpose, but tlie hite war was a colonial ami not an Auckland war, anil tho private wortli of Col. Nixon would be lost by earn ing out the plan suggested by Mr. Greigg. Air. Martin objected altogether to mixing Col. Nixon 8 numu with tho military heroes, he lookoil upon Col. as a fellow settbr, but at the same tunc Col Nixon's conduct 111 coining forward at the call o 1 duty, leaving much against his will his quiet liirni for a hazardous life, wuuid he hoped never be forgotten in Auckland. .lho Chairman said the question of tho site, and de ign forthe (-laluewasofeoursethere.il objeetof holding the meeting, and should strongly oppose the connection of Col. .Nixon's monuniont with any other. Ho was ready at any time to put. his hand in his pocket and subscribe for a monument to tho military heroes who hail lost their lives during tho war, but Col Nixon's monument must be kept apart. He thought it- was probable that the site which the Domain lioard had thought, lit to refuse tho eoinmittoe, would be set apart lor some political tinker (hiughtor.) Mr. Osmond Dkwik wiib much surpiisixl at the eondin t ol several gentlemen in disc.nssing the character ol Colonel Nixon, it had been previously determined what form tho monument should take, and and ho thought tho present meoting was call -d in order to discuss tho sito whoro that monument should be placed. Tho wisest plan to adopt under existing' circumstance* would bo to appoint a fresh committee, and let iheni bring t'orwaid their report upon tins noxt meeting. '1 his ho thought would greatly facilitate tho object. 111 view. Dr. \Vkicked said that (ho subscriptions have been principally giv.en by settlers, and 110 strongly opposed the idea of Mr. Groigg of mixing Colonel A ixon's iiamo up with those ot tho military heroes. With regard to tho bronze statuo proposed by Mr. Buckland, ho imagined that such a design properly executed would co.st ij'2ooo ; and, moreover, he doubted very lunch it a good likeness could bo obtained, iio thought tho Domain Board, by their conduct, showed they wished to have nothing to do with the niattev. The ' iiaikmax remarked th.it,since tho application from tho Hoard requesting that tho money tor tho statne slu uld he handed over to them for tho purpose of erection had been refused, they had appeared not to any interest in the momnm nt. Mr. Gni(«o said he was sorry to liavo been tho cause of so much discussion. lie assured the meeting that he should be deeply grieved if he had said anything derogatory to the character of Colonel iisrai. who was a man for whom lie bad tile utmost respect. JI <■ felt sure, however, that there were many persons outside who lelt with him as regards the general monument lit- had suggested. Mr. Klin 11 asked Mr. Grigg to withdraw liis resolution. lie felt grieved to hear the remarks t: at had emanated fi'in Mr. Grigg. Everybody agreed in acknowledging the prowi ss of the military during the late war, but ibis wsis a distinct and sepaiate atl'uir. At this time, when llie 11 omc Government were com mentnig upon the unsuccessful and unsatisfactoij' slate ol New / ealand, and the public punts at home were stigmatizing the coli nisls as being " all talk," he thought it was highly disirablo that we should show to the world that the colonists as well as the inhabitants of the mother country could find means to honor a good man. JJere was a man who had given up his life in a good cause. and could anybody do more V Jle considered the diveision of tl.o funds to any oilier purpose I ban to the one originally intended would be a great 11 istake, and would, in fact, be obtaining money from the subscribers under false pretences. Mr. Gkuioo : No. Mr. KiiiTii remarked he was pained to hear Mr. Greigg make use of such taunting expiesMons towards Colonei Nixon. Mr. Bi 1 ki.aNii said that jVIr. Greigg by his remarks this day had placed himsell in the tamo category as the Bishop of New Zealand, and begged Mr. Greigg to withdiawhis resolution. Mr. Cuku'.uton would strongly sup] oit Mr. Buckland and Mr. J-erth in asking Mi. Greigg to withdraw his resolution. Mr. Gukioo said that Mr. Martin hadborno him out thai the Committee had departed from their original intention. Mr. Martin denied having done anything of the sort. Mr, Greioo doclir ed to withdraw his motion. The I'cki Intit 11 was then put to the meeting, and lest, tin; mover only voting in its lavor. ill'. Hauuoi' explained the designs to the meeting, and said that one ot them might bo made reproducti\ e Mr. Frith thought that would condemn the design at once. 'J he !• KCUETAiiv Faid that probably tho design teinicd lhe "Wallace Town - " was not sullieieiitly ornamental in the ej es of the iiiieiing. lie tli- light it was uiincci ss-arv to discuss the 11111 its of Colonel Nixon, and imagined that the woik of selection must be begun over again. Mr. Bicki.am> thought tho front of tho new Government House would be an admiiablo tile. Of ci uise, however, it would bo tho duty of the Domain LVaid to previ nt any elections being built, upon the sjiaee thai would in any way spoil tlie aspect, and to pievent that, uniloimiiy ot st\le must be preserved. Mr. Martin said that the Domain hoard had nothing whatever to do with the situ mentioned, which was in the hands id lhe Building Ci mniiss oner. Mr. Jji iKi.ANK then piop"tcd " 'i hat this meeting is el opinion that the onjeit ot the subsciibeii, .0 tl.o Nixon Memorial 1' liiid will be best accomplished by allowii g tho la main Board in connection with tho BniU.mg Commissioners to expind the sum they have Mil si ribed 111 the election ot a suitable monument, the design ot w hicli to be approved ot by a committee appointed at this meeting. J he resolution lound no seconder. Dr. W'j l.Ks wiili alew prclatory remarks, proposed and Air. Cicighlon seconocd, "'J hat a new ioinmittee be ap| ointcd with power to choose the site and design lor the momimi nt ol Colonel ISii011." Jll. J I.K'lll pre posed as an ai'.nandmi nt, and Mr. Osmund J.ewis seconded," '1 hat the old committee be reappointed, with power to add to llieirnumber." Dr. U i.i:ki.s withurew his motion, andtheadniciidmeiit "as cairud unanimously. Air. ( l;i H.tlJuN 11 qui sled Mr. JJ arrop and Air. A. Jmckland to continue their ollices as Secretary and Ti easlirer. Air. W iLi.iAii BfCKLANij 011 behalf of his brother said he. felt sure the Treasurer would continue his oilier, ai d Air. iiarrop mid he sin uld only be to happy lo do iniylhing to further the wishes of tho suhsi ribcis. After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting siparaled.