DUKE AND A PEER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18192, 11 September 1922, Page 3

DUKE AND A PEER.

WAR MEMORIAL SQUABBLE, DIGNITY OF A CASTLE. A piquant dispute between Lord Rosebery and tho Duke of Atholl is in progress over the proposed Scottish war memorial at Edinburgh Castle, ,> Writing in opposition to the scheme Lord Roscbery says :— - I have lately wen a circular card with a large thistle stamped on the outside, urging citizens to buy cotton, thistles in order to increase the funds. Inside there ; is a magnificent row of figures/showing the contributions. But on examination these turn out to be shillings, whereas it is pounds that are wanted. j " I hear that tho mania- for, adapting j ancient buildings to modern requirements I is spreading, and that the mausoleum in i which the Dukes of Hamilton were buried L (before they were carted into a hole in ; the churchyard) is likely to become the'; war memorial of a neighbouring town. But I shall not believe that the contagion fj really prevails until the Tower of London \{yf\ is converted into a war memorial. would be an exact parallel to what/ts: proposed in Euinburgh. £ 1 believe the great majority ojflocal i -;r/. opinion is entirely hostile ito the Jprojeet, : and the same may be said / t&r Scottish j opinion at large. J xXv*" Many years ago; Jb.9ee6*waa another attempt to tamoser with Edinburgh. Castle. Uut Sir Walfter Scott then stepped'forth cs its defender, and defeated the plan. We have/ now a similar menace, but, alas * nof Sir Walter Scott. ThejTOukeof Atholl has replied:— Loira Roeebery animadverts on the fact - thafr the majority of the subscriptions are olhly of Is. To me this is a matter of /Congratulation, as showing; how widespread is the movement. Personally I would rather hare a memorial erected by fche people themselves, . no matter how small their contributions, than one erected by merely a few people of the wealth of Lord .Rosebery, whose fortunes; have been safeguarded by-those who fell, but who, one might almost think, have forgotten the sacrifices thatwere made. The duke adds: "There is no proposal - to convert Edinburgh Castle' into a war memorial—we only propose to erect one within its precincts." -