MALONE MEMORIAL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 38, 3 October 1922, Page 5

MALONE MEMORIAL

ARCH IN FENTON STREET. STRATFORD DOMAIN BOAR! Mr S. Macalistor and Mr R. Wc j waited on the Board as a deputati ! i rl connection with the movement brcct a memorial to the Lite Lieutt ant-Colonei Malone. Mr Macalistor stated that aft the war a meeting of officers of t Wellington Regiment was held Palm'erston North t 0 deal with t disposrl of funds arising from t canteen and other monies from t officers’ nies s fund, and it wa s d cided to erect tw 0 memorials, wbi ;,r 0 al/eady in position in the for of marble slabs in St. Mary’s Ohurc Palmerston North, where the Colo of the Regiment are deposited, B it was felt that something mor e tin that should he done to honor tl memory of Colonel Malone, and £R was voted for a memorial to b© terec ed in Taranaki. The question wlier© the site should be was discus cd, and four places w'er© mentione namely, at Palmerston North, tl headquarters of th e Regiment; * New Plymouth, the capital of tl province where the Colonel had spei many years; at Haw ora, the hea< quarters of the military authorities Tdranaki; and a , Stratford, whe ho had spent the greater part of h life. The latter site was evehtuall chosen for the memorial. Th'e- off cers decided in the .first instance provide a memorial in bronze, hi later the cost of this was found i be prohibitive. Invitations were n sued for further contributions, and fair response was thoug it' Was not quite sufficient, and it wa decided to accept voluntary contr butions from friends of Col. Malon and admirers of hi s military wor at the' same tim© reserving the chai acter of the memorial as a militar memorial by the Wellington Reg ment. Mr Macalister said he wished t make it clear that this was a me

morial to the first battalion com in under of the Wellington Regimen who fell at Gallipoli, one whose worl had laid th e foundation of th esprit d© corps and efficiency whicl characterised the work of the thre battalions throughout the war. Th oth'er senior officers of th 0 Regimen agreed that th e greatest credit wa due to Colonel Malone for what h had done in the earlier stages of th war. Also, they did not overlook th fact that for many years prior to th war he had been responsible for th training of the Taranaki Terri torials, and that when war hrok out h'o was in charge of them. Th sum of £l7B was now available, am with promises of further sums then would be £2OO ' avaliable. It hat been decided t 0 erect the memoria in Stratford. The deputation ho* wished to obtain the Board’s forma consent for the site, while they desir ed to enlist th e sympathy of th Borough Council, not only to ©nabl the officers of the Regiment to per petuate the memory of a gallan soldier in a suitable manner, but als to ensure the burgesses of th© towi having a memorial that might b regarded with pride by all. The; hoped it would be an example and ai inspiration to futurb generations i over the Call to Amis cam© again. Mr Mricalister submitted plans fo a memorial t 0 tak© the form of j memorial arch at th© Fenton Stree entrance gates of King Edwan Park.

The Mayor said the Council hai already considered the question o ill© erection of a memorial arch, an( they greatly appreciated the fac that the officers of th© Wellingtoi Regiment had done so much toward it, and that Stratford had been deci ded upon for th'o site. H© suggeste* to Mr Macalister that the matter b left to the Works Committee, in cor saltation with the committee of reg mental officers, and that th'eir cor elusions should be finalised ag soo as possible. Thig was seconded by Mr Jackao and carried.