SEDDON MEMORIAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1831, 10 April 1907, Page 20

SEDDON MEMORIAL.

A meeting of Lancastiians, convened by Mr J. Lewis, to consider the Seddout memorial scheme, was held at Godber’s rooms on Thursday night. Including the chairman, ther 3 Avere only six Lancastrians present. Mr W. E. Page (secretary) and Mr E. J. Le Gro\a (assistant secretary) of the Section Memorial Committee, attended, a-lso Mr John Bait and Mr lies, manager of the Besses o’ the Barn Band. Referring to the meagre attendance, the chairman remarked that they were not going to let that damp them. He thought their efforts A\ 7 ouid turn out successful, and hoped they Avould prove that Lancastrians were not quite asleep yet. They could always look upon Lancaster as one of the shining lights of the Avorld, if only because of the deeds of that great Lancastrian, the late Premier. (Hear, hear.) They Avanted to do something towards procuring a memorial that Avould be an object-lesson to their children and their children’s children. If it Avas decided to grte a concert or other function, tlie mayor had promised him the free use of the Toivn Hall.

the six Lancastrians present formed themselves into a committee, Mr Page accepting the secretaryship. It Avas agreed that all funds collected as a result of the movement should he dev-otpd to the general memorial fund.

Mr lies abjured the meeting not to be discouraged by the small attendance. He relate.d how, Avhen in Lancashire, he the room in Avhich the late Mr Seddon had made his debut. It Avas a smaller room than that one, and there were only a feAV people in it. If from such a small beginning the late Premier could make such a mark, and take so large a share in the destiny of a young nation, they might surely be encouraged to hope for big results, eA'en though their efforts only started in a small way. Mr lies mentioned what the Besses o’ the Barn Band intended to do for the movement, and trusted that Lancastrians Avould take a prominent part in making tlie three concerts a success. Mr Le Grove, referring to the general memorial fund movement, said that considerable difficulty had been experienced from the first. Those A\ 7 ho first took the matter in hand had larger ideas than could reasonably be expected t-o be fulfilled. They forgot the spirit of proAuncialism which made even the small towns want local memorials. He Avas convinced that they were going to have the finest memorial south of the line erected, one that wiuld be Avorthy of the city, and certainly commemorative of the man Avhose memory they so respected. Nothing could be done without work. A number of them Avere enthusiastic, and meant to work. Although nothing A 7 ery much had been done in Wellington so far, they must not rush to the conclusion, as some people did, that there was no enthusiasm. He could assure them that that enthusiasm Avas latent, and only wanted a little energy on the part of some of them to bring it forth. (Hear, hear.) Up to the present hardly any subscriptionlists had been sent out; there had been no effort of a practically enthusiastic nature made. He might be sanguine, but he thought they Avere going to raise from £SOOO to £6OOO, which might include subscriptions from outside smaller districts. He urged Lancastrians to Avork for the success of the Besses o’ th’ Barn Band concerts. The chairman remarked that this assistance could be relied upon. The meeting was adjourned for a \\ 7 eek, it being understood that the new society would concentrate its first efforts upon assisting the band concerts movement, and arrange some special function of their oavu tc follow.

A meeting of ladies was held in the Mayor’s room at the Municipal Buildings on Thursday, Mrs T. W. Hislop presiding, to consider proposals for forming a committee to assist the Sadden Memorial Fund. Amongst those present were Mesdames Donne, Coltman, Winder, Gill, Young, Lennox, Sclioch, Quinn, Wilson, Benge, Miller, Johnson. These ladies formed themselves into a committee, and took over subscription lists. It was decided to make a systematic canvass of the outlying portions of the city for subscriptions, the lists to be completed by the end of the ' month. At a meeting of the Seddon Memorial Committee held later in the afternoon (Mr J. H. Coates presiding), Mr lies, manager of the Besses o’th’ Barn Band, attended. He offered on behalf of the Messrs Tait and the band, to give, in aid of the memorial fund, three openair concerts in Wellington on ' and Sunday, April 27th and 28th next. Mr lies pointed out that - these would be absolutely the final appearances in the colony of the famous band. The offer was accepted with thanks. It was agreed to have tickets printed at once, admitting to any one of the three concerts, and to organise canvassing committees te dispose of them.