THE BALLANCE MEMORIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9488, 18 April 1894, Page 5

THE BALLANCE MEMORIAL.

REMARKS BY MR. SEDDON, INGRATITUDE A COLONIAL TRAIT. l»Y *HMtaRAPH.-.p RBS ASSOCIATION.) Wklunoton, Tuesday. A deputation from the Ballance Memorial Committee, introduced by the Hon. J. Kiggr, M.L.0., waited m the Premier tonight and asked him to grant a site in the ItZt- rlla entar y grounds on which to erect the Ballance statue. The area of m° U £L roqu£rl 3 M twelve fefc square. Mr. Seddon said this was a matter of some importance, requiring: very careful consideration. He would consult his colleagues on the subject, and inform the deputation of their decision later on. Personally he was of opinion the question was one for the House of Representatives itself to deal with, and he even doubted whether the Recess Uoram.ttee, which had control of the Parliamentary grouuds when the House was notm session, would take the responsibility of granting the request. Speaking for himself, Mr. Seddon said ho would be only too pleased to assist the movement, for he recognised that in the colony those who had sacrificed themselves in the country's interests were not accorded the respect and veneration he considered they were entitled to. He was pained to see so little attention given to movements of this kind, and he regarded the tendency to treat these matters so lightly as detrimental to the nation. This trait in the colonial character was hard to account for, but it could not be denied that the colonies were behind the old country w-ith regard to the veneration and respect shown to those who had served too nation He considered the manner in which the proposal for a memorial to the late Sir Harry Atkinson had boon treated was a great blot on the colony. Sir Harry had done yeoman service, and he deserved better at the hands of the country than he had received. It was clearly the fault of the people that the movement for a national memorial had in this case fallen through, for the members of the Ministry and their late leader had nothing to reproach themselves with in the matter. It was a source of great regret to him that nothing had been done in Sir Harry Atkinson's case. In reply to a question by Mr. Seddon, Mr. Rigg said the monument to Mr. Ballance would cost about £500. There were very few incidental expenses, and almost the whole of the subscriptions would be spent on the memorial, which would be of very handsome design, and worthy both of the man and the cause.