THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

NZ Truth, Issue 98, 4 May 1907, Page 4

THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

"Scoot ; Spruit" writes :— As a contributor ' and • a subscriber to "Truth" I claim a little apace m its columns to make known my views oh the above sub.ie6t. To my mind "A Natiphil Memorial" is a tribute -or a s if t by the people of' some magnificent tangible object for the use of mankind m fco"or of the 'namje of. some great man who has .taken an active part during his life-time m shaping the destinies of the country which fostered and kept him, a'h-1 such Mem:ol ?al -should, of 'Coiurse, be -erected by the spontaneity and at the simultaneous sfoout of 'desire by the populace. ■ - In the case of "The National Memorial" for the late Mr Seddori, one talcing a cursory glanoe at the etforts of the few loyal on«s, who have, remained faithful to Seddon in- ; death 'Cannot help thinking that an attempt is being made to |fO3c<?e,' the growth of funds to supply the; memorial—even as the Ohow forces, by ways and means of his own, the growth of the youajg . oalbjhages. Look at the concerts given by the 1 Besses 6' th' Barn BandY There were people who .would not ! otherwise have given a farthing, to the Fund present at those concerts. They had not had prior op-* portunity of hearing the famous band play a,hd therefore paid their shillings not for the sake of subscribiiig to any memorial, but simply to h«ar the music of th' Besses. This then is an example of "forcing" the growth of the ■meiiiori'al fimds. Again ; we read m the 1-ocal papers that the loyal ones collecting are about to ask colonials at iOme/ to subscribe to the Fund.' This' course may *be legitimate enough, but then it too savours of the forcing tactics, and will probably con- j vey the idea 'to the oftes. fet 'Omo learrMng to $%y "Haw, Haw. !". that we rough cowspankers, flaxdressefs, bushwhackers and clerks are lacking m that characteristic of spontaneity and that they are being called upon to supplement, our very meagre ef-, forts, - ■ I will not trespass more upon your space blut would like to say that I gave my bob to the Besses o' th* Barn as payment for the music I heard. Of course, I realise that ;•■ the bob goes into the funds for erecting a Memorial to the memory of Seddon. I cannot help that, but I confess that I bad\ no . sucJd intention mmy heart when I, paid the bc<b.