THE CARGILL MONUMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18513, 25 March 1922, Page 14

THE CARGILL MONUMENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—As one of the deputalien to the City Council on the subject of the removal or renovation of Cargill's Monument, may I mention several points in which I differ from Mr B. H. Hooper, who writes in this morning’s issue? The Early Setiters’ Association was quite aware that the b'nciet.v of Architects, the Amenities Society, and the Town-planning Society had at different times endeavoured to get the council to improve the condition of the monument, and had failed. The Amenities Society Executive was notified of our intention to approach the council, but none of those who were spoken to found it convenient to attend. Mr Hooper says that our ohirf reason for removal of the monument is that it is an obstruction to the traffic. He puts up a stalking horse and proceeds to knock it down. Onr chief reason is ihe disgusting association of a public, convenience with a snored memorial to one whom we may call the chief pioneer cf our city. Tin's, our most important reason. Mr Hooper entirely ignores—docs not even mention. As for a traffic island, that conid easily bo made of a. triangle of trees. Not nearly enough was said as to the filth; condition of the stone basins. This has been going on for many months, but has not been of sufficient importance to lie noticed by Mr Hooper. Severe criticism on this point has resulted in something being done at last. Mr Hooper has no objection to the steps of the monument being used for “Weary Willies.” All we can say in reply is that, as lovers of the structure, which is modelled on the famous Scott memorial in Edinburgh, where “Weary Willies” are not allowed to loiter, we insist that it should he railed off or kept fr.ee from tired individuals for whom Mr Hooper mav dud resting places elsewhere. He has let the cat out of the hag when he jells us that had ij not been for the Amenities Society (he council would probably have moved the monument to make mom for a public convenience and tramways shelter. So the Amenities Society was aware that a public convenience was about, to tie placed on this spot, and made no public objection. On the contrary, ij objected to the moving of the. structure on architectural and (esthetic grounds, and because it might spoil the view from High street, forsooth, and it gave not one moment's thought to (he feelings of Ihe relatives of the old captain, who would infinitely prefer that a site he found in the Public Gardens or in one* cf the reserves. Anything to gel it away from its unsavoury neighbourhood! The only alternative is. Renovate the monument ((lie water is turned on now, but there are no cups), replace the fiuiai. remove the unsightly tramways notice, and pass a by-law to make it an offence to sit on the steps or loiter on that side of the street, just ns it is supposed to he an offence to loiter under the verandah on the side opposite. If (his ’s impracticable, rail off the monument from (he street, and do away with the fountain. To my mind Ihe sentimental objection is unanswerable, without worrying about any of the ol.liers. The convenience is there to stay. Shift the monument away from the convenience.—l am, etc., Robert Eci.ton, Vice-president of the O.E.S.A. Dunedin, March 23.

A LINK WITH THE EIGHTEENTH CENTUHV. TO THE EDITOR. sj lr>i —'Hie interesting biography of the Rev. Jas. W-alkin. which you published’ on Wednesday, and the statement that two of his sons arc still living at a great age prompts the question of establishing a link with the eighteenth century in two generations through child and parent. In the Wat kin case the record is a few years ehnrt as the father was borvi in 1805. It is very interesting to find, however, that the dovenne of our early settlers, Mrs J. R. .Tohnslon, with her father, Captain Cargill, goes right hack to the year 1784, which was the year of Captain Cargill's birth. There cannot be many living in this community who can establish the link with the eighteenth century, but there must h very few, indeed, in this or any other country ■mho can equal Mrs Johnston’s remarkable leoord.—l am, etc., B.