SUITABLE FORM OF MEMORIAL

Southland Times, Issue 23497, 2 May 1938, Page 6

SUITABLE FORM OF MEMORIAL

HEAVY EXPENDITURE NOT FAVOURABLE RECREATION GROUNDS RECOMMENDED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 30. “The Government does not regard with favour for subsidy purposes any proposal for the erection or establishment of expensive centennial memorials of which the cost cannot be raised by the people of the district directly concerned,” the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) stated in an interview today. He said the Government’s decision was based on the opinion that it was undesirable to ask posterity to meet the initial cost of centennial memorials, and therefore the Government did not propose to grant any subsidy for those memorials to be erected with loan moneys. The total amount to be made available by the Government for centennial celebrations and permanent memorials was £150,000. As this amount would require to be allocated on a definite basis to several provincial districts it was obvious that memorials involving heavy expenditure would have to be excluded from participation in the subsidy. . , “I have been asked to state in definite terms,” the Minister continued, “the type of memorials which, in the opinion of the Government, would be suitable for consideration by provincial centennial organizations. Although the matter has not yet been finally considered by the National Centennial Council I would suggest such memorials should be of a comparatively inexpensive nature, and have general community interest and value. A type of memorial strongly appealing to the Government is that of a recreation ground or play-park with community buildings and, where practicable, a swimmi-pool and children’s playground. Without heavy cost suitable areas could be made places of public resort and en-'-ment for successive generations. Another form of inexpensive memorial;.and one that could be used for the embellishment of existing recreation areas and public reserves, was a definite scheme of centennial tree planting.”