PROPOSED SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL

Southland Times, Issue 17865, 16 January 1918, Page 5

PROPOSED SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL

9 THE HOSPITAL SCHEME. MOVEMENT LAUNCHED. The adjourned meeting of delegates from all public bodies and recognised organisations of Southland, to consider the Bluff Borough Council’s proposal to erect a wing to the Southland Hospital as a provincial soldiers’ memorial, was held in Invercargill yesterday. There were in attendance, Miss Thomson (Red Cross Society), and Messrs J. S. A. McDougall; W. Hinchey and A. McQuarrie (Bluff Borough Counpil), J. Stead, J. T. Carswell and W. A. Ott (Invercargill Borough Council), T. Pryde (Southland H. and C.A. Board), G. T. Stevens (Southland Education Board), D. Scott (Engine-drivers’, Firemen’s and Cleaners’ Association), C. S. Longuet (Bluff Harbour Board and W. A. Cox (Farmers’ Union). There was a number of apologies. Mr John Stead (Mayor of Invercargill) was voted to the chair. The chairman, glancing over the poor attendance, that perhaps the meeting had been called too soon after the holidays, since a number of those who had taken an active part in the earlier meetings were still on holiday. The town clerk of Invercargill, who had acted as secretary at that meeting, was away - and the minutes were not available. 1 The Southland Times report of the previous meeting was read to refresh delegates’ memories. Summing up the business previously done, the chairman said that the earlier meeting had affirmed that it was desirable to have a memorial in the shape of a wing to the present hospital. Since then, there haul been newspaper correspondence asking if their space down there was not too limited. It was, of course, to a certain extent; but they might extend across the railway on to the ground at present owned by the Corporation. That, however, would be undesirable, as they would always have the division by the railway. Personally, he had a different idea for increasing the area of the hospital grounds. The present grounds were flanked on the south side by Gala street, which ran dead on to the Nurses' Home. That part of the street ran round into Leven street, but it was very little used. His plan was to buy the two corner sections on the south side of the street and then to attempt to get, by special Act of Parliament or whatever other means were necessary, permission to buy (he street and add it and the sections to fhe hospital grounds. That would increase the area by an acre. Mr Longuet said that while in the’meantime they did not need the increased area, if they did not get it now it might not be possible to get it in the future. Mr McDougall said that there was plenty of room for the erection of the proposed ward. Mr Pryde, secretary of the Hospital Board, said that the present site should be quite sufficient for 25 years to come, at any rate. When it became necessary to move further afield, the existing hospital would remain the institution for accidents and the like. Medical and convalescent cases would benefit more in a more open place. In the meantime, there was plenty of room where they were. The low-lying land to the west of the hospital was available and was yearly becoming more suitable for building as the reclamation work progressed. It had previously been agreed that the appeal for funds should not be made until after the Caledonian Society’s big effort next month. Yesterday, delegates mentioned several other special appeals—Y.M. C.A. and Salvation Army amongst them—which were impending, but it was agreed that the memorial appeal could not stand down in favour of all others. After the Caledonian demonstration, it was entitled to its share of support. Replying to Mr D. Scott, the chairman said that it was proposed to aim at collecting £IO,OOO. This, with the Government subsidy, should be sufficient for the purpose. Referring to the suggestion that a memorial hospital should be a separate institution, the chairman said that this would involve another staff and would not be a good idea. Now that they had set out on this thing, they must he prepared to see it through. Therefore, they must be prepared to work, for £IO,OOO could not be raised without effort. The meeting then resolved to form an association to be known as the ‘‘Southland Soldiers’ Memorial Association.” On the motion of Messrs J. S. A. McDougall and J. T. Carswell, Mr A. F. Hawke (who is holidaying at Queenstown) was, subject to his consent, appointed president of the association. The following were appointed patrons:— Sir Joseph Ward, Sir Wm. Fraser, Hon. T. McGibbon, Hon. J. A. Hanan, Messrs J. C. Thomson and G. J. Anderson, Ms.P., and the Mayor of Invercargill. The Mayors of outlying boroughs, the president of the Returned Soldiers’ Association and the chairmen of town boards and all public bodies were appointed vice-presi-dents. It was acknowledged that, with all the machinery at his hand, no better secretary than Mr Chas. Campbell could be found. It was therefore resolved to approach the Southland League and the War Funds Association with a request that Mr Campbell be allowed to act. Mr T. W. Walker, Town Clerk of Invercargill, was appointed treasurer. All present, with all those who had been present at the previous meeting, were appointed a general committee, with power to add. Messrs Hinchey, McDougall. Ott and Stevens were appointed a sub-committee to arrange with Mr Campbell’s employers, and to have power to call a general meeting. Mr Hinchey suggested that it might he better if they had something visible to put before the public. Although the memorial was to be a hospital wing, it was still to be a soldiers’ memorial and would have to be architecturally distinguished as such. He thought that a suggestion might be made to the Hospital Board that it ask its architect to prepare his idea of the front elevation —the entrance would need to bo a striking one —which could then be reproduced for the public.-—The chairman supported this view and added that the architect’s idea of the front might well be reproduced at the bead of all the association’s circulars. —The meeting resolved to make the suggestion to the Board. Miss Thomson said that it was a pity that the structure was to face a side street. A Dee street frontage would have been far better. —Mr Ott agreed that the idea was one worthy of consideration. The meeting then adjourned.