MEMORIAL COMMITTEE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1106, 12 May 1893, Page 50 (Supplement)

MEMORIAL COMMITTEE.

A meeting of this committee ffas held last Saturday evening, Mr D. P. Fisher (president of the Trades Council) in the ohair. The Hon the Premier (Mr Seddon) and Messrs E. T. Gillon and R. A. Loughnan (treasurers) were present by invitation. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A list was read by the seoretary which showed that 410 lists had been distributed to all trades councils in the Colony, trade societies, political organisations and public bodies in Wellington, and all the county councils and borough councils throughout New Zealand. A letter was read from Mr Barleyman, solicitor, Stratford, suggesting that a biography of the late Premier should be printed, and a copy supplied to all subscribers. Consideration of the letter was adjourned till next meeting. Tho Premier spoke at some length, and referred in feeling terms to the death of his late chief. He highly approved of the aotion taken by the Trades Council, and commended the energy it had shown, and thought the movement would bo furthered by a publio meeting to be held immediately, After the Chairman, the Hon Mr Rigg and others had spoken, the following resolution was adopted :—* That a public meet, ing be held next Friday night.' It was also resolved that a subcommittee, consisting' of Mr D. P. Fisher (ohairman>, Mr H, C. Jones (seoretary), the Hon J. Rigg and Mr D. Haggott should he set up to draft resolutions to submit to the public meeting. It was decided that all publio bodies and trade and political organisations should be written to for their co-operation in the publio masting. It was resolved to ask His Worship the Mayor to take the chair, also to invite the members of tin Ministry, the members of the General Assembly resident in Wellington, the members of tho City and Borough Councils, the members of tho Harbour Board and the representatives of organised public, trade and political bodies to attend. It was further agreed that the Hon the Premier, city members and others should be asked to address the meeting.

A vote of thanks was aocorded tho Hon? the Premier and Messrs E. T. Gillon aad R.j A. Loughnan for attending the meeting. i The committee then adjourned.

The N.Z. Times Chapel, at its quarterly meeting on Saturday, voted two guineas towards the Ballance Memorial Fund.

The Trades Council of Wellington has I begun the great work it has undertaken) in a most worthy manner. If, like other/ mortals, they cannot command success,! they can truthfully say that they havedone all in their power to deserve it. 0£ their five hundied subscription lists over.' four hundred are already out. Before? many days all will be in the hands of every county council from the North Cape to\ the Bluff, of every municipal body, of every organisation, and of many individuals of influence, position and good 1 will. We presume we may include friendly societies and all kindred associationo. Such prompt advantage as ihey have taken of a great national sentiment) is vastly to their credit as practical men; moved by a sense of patriotic gratitude to the illustrious dead. They are entitled to the credit of having moved practically first in this matter. We admit so much cheerfully, for though our own suggestion was in print when their resolve was arrived at, their publication was simultaneous, and their project had at the' same time the advantage of an organised! and sustained effort definitely directed' towards our common object. Their] promptitude entitles them to more than) credit. It gives them the right to insist upon the continuance of the machinery they have established and set in motion. They have, however, determined not to] confine the effort to themselves. They; have very properly resolved to ask the co-operation of the Colony in the work.| and they are appealing to all their fellow men to meet them on the public plat-i forms in New Zealand and take part irf the work they have set going. It is; fair recognition on their part of the right of all to be considered and consulted ii the substantial expression of the nationa sentiment. The spirit in which thej have acted will, we feel sure, meet witl so hearty a response that the meeting they have asked His Worship the Mayoi to call for Friday will not only be at; overflowing and enthusiastic meeting but that it will be the forerunner of man] full meetings of citizens having theii minds made up to help in the movemen so well begun on the lines or; which it has been so creditably started! Those of the public who are in sympathy: with the cause with which the Trades Council is identified will find no difficult] in meeting them and co-operating witl them. They know the men of tin council as well as they understand thei general aims. Those, on the other hand who go no further with the council that in their admiration of the statesman wh< worked so hard for his adopted coun try, will make a point of attending, w< have no doubt, for that reason. They kno\ the council as men of great earnestness They will find them, also, men of pru dence, justice, common sense. Fo which reason they should be gla< to co-operate with them. They will in that case, be glad, too, after hav ing co-operated with them, to mee them in future when questions upoi which they look from a different point o view come up for settlement by tin general good sense of the community In that way the co-operation now invife< by the Trades Council will do infiniti good. If tha outcome of the movemen for a national memorial to John Ballanc should be, as it ought to be, the estab lishment of mutual respect between al classes of tha community, and the cultiva tion of a common understanding, that ii itself would be a monument to hi memory mora gratifying to the departed statesman, were he amongst us one more, than anything that could be de vised by his fellow men.