THE PITT MEMORIAL.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 1315, 11 July 1911, Page 2

THE PITT MEMORIAL.

MND ROTUNDA DECIDED Ui'Urv

SITE AT MILTON'S ACHE,

The Mayor/Mr. T. A. H. Field, presided over a fair; attendance or subscribers to the Pitt Memorial. in tiie Jbuncil Chambers last evening. The chairman Riioiogised for the ab-, sence>of the Rev, <*• H. MacKenzie. tie said that a new phase of tho Memorial movement had now been entered upon, fo.lo\ving the offer of Mr. Cawthron to erect the Church Steps. He then explained what took place at the interview with the Hon. K. McKenzie last week. The business before the meeting was to decide what form the memorial should take. Following the invitation of the chairman, Mr. C. Y. Fell reviewed the movement as it had progressed during the past few months. Several new suggestions had been made, as to what form the naw memorial should take, at the last meeting attended by the Hon. R. McKenzie; The proposal to ereCt ft fehildr&i'S ward was apparently what tho family of the lafo Col- Pitt desired, but another idea was to provide necessary funds for a" nurses' home. A liberal contribution had been offered for the steps by the City Council as the work waS a public one, but the Council would not give this foim to the nurses' home or children's ward. It would not be willing to give money to an object which benefited the country as well as the town. Another suggestion was for marine baths, and nothing would please the Speaker more than to see these instituted. He, htfwo'ver, thought there was not enough money for baths. A rotunda on Mi.ton s Aero would look well for the city., especially for people coming from the Port. ' Yet a further suggestion was for the reclamation of about five or six acres of mud-flat near Milton's Aero for a park, to be called the Pitt Park. The Hon. McKenzie favoured this suggestion as a good one. No doubt when the Cabinet discussed the Churen Steps proposal it thought it was something in connection with thei Anglican Church. The proposal for a statue was unfitting; the nurses' home and cln.dren's ward impossible; the rotunda was the cheapest; the Baths the best; and if they 6ould ntit get these they should take the park. A letter was then read from Mr. Colin Campbell as follows :— "Sir.—ln re form of Pitt Memorial to be debated, to-night, I have the honour, us the initiator of the movement to erect a statue to the late Colonel Albert Pitt, to enclose a.liSt. or signatures of subscribers, both large and small, of various occupations and positions, to the above fund and object throughout Ne'.son city alone, collected in a few hours, two of them being new subscribers, signing for tho one purpose common to all of not devoting the money (collected for the specific purpose of a statue and duly advertised for a year unaltered) to any other purpose. After perusal kindly leave at the office of the City Council addressed to me^ that I may got it to send to the Minister representing the Government grant, with other signatures- thero has breii.nd time1 to get meanwhile. As I shall not be present, I would esteem it a favour if it was road aloud (at least the heading) by yourself, and the photograph of the sculpture of .tho lato. Mr. Seddon by Mr Nelson iilingworth should also be shown, as proof of his talent and ability. As my letter on the subject revolves the question in all lights, I.enc"ose a copy for reference or reading. In conclusion I can but lament that now issues have been raised, and pi'oiects mooted to benefit the town, ratli?r than honour the dead, or perpetuate the memory of one, whom so many more outside of Nelson liavo hplnod to contribute to ( the fund for, md which should remind us of not alone seeking to benefit the town materially. I am, etc., Colin Campbell. N.B. It should be borne in mind how no needless divergence of opinion existed over the Trask Memorialj yet it was not advertised (as has this from tho start) to take any specific form. C.C."

Appended was a petition, signed by sixteen names, advocating the purchase of a statue costing about £620. Mr. Fell said that Mr. Campbell's movement was a failure till Capt. Stiles took it in.hand.

Mr. C. J. Harle.y said he supported ATr. Campbell's suggestion and that the fund would never have boon in existence if it had not been for Mr Campbell. The object of the memorial had been lost sight of. The people present seemed to think that all that was to fee done was to get a tt«eful thing for the town. It would be hotter to erect a memorial which would keep Col. Pitt's memory green in the land. Why not have a Statue, a portrait, a monument at his gravo^ or a stained glass window in the church ■* Where would Col. Pitt's memory appear in a baths which decay, Or a park of mud flats where the sewerage ran? If the private people who subscribed £200 knew that it would be sunk in a mud hole, they would not have subsCf'iljed a peifriy. If the local solicitors had been asked to subscribe the money for a nurses' home they ivould not have given a copper, nor would members of Parliament. He liopcd that they would at any rate devote some money to a window or portrait, besides the great utility schemes put forward. Ne/er again in Nelson ivould lie give money to a subscription list until lie knew what it was to be devoted to.

Mr. Fell said lie wondered what better memorial the deceased Colonel could have than a mud hole being made into a lorely park .-Would this not be infinitely better than to have the statue perhaps defaced like that of John Ballance, in Wellington. This statue was a horrible one and now was ghastly to look upon. A picture of a dead man could not be painted unless he was well known to the artist before his death. Not one person in a hundred thousand would see a monument at a grave. At the park there would be stones, etc., as permanent tokens to the memory of Colonel Pitt. One could never tell what was going to be done with- money subscribed tor a matter like this, until it was seen how the public supported the movement, so oil that basis Air. Harlcy would nevei again subscribe to a tiling of this nature.

Mr. Harley: Is not a statue Unusual form of memorial ?

Mr. Fell: No! It is not. There are many in existence, but only about two of the many in London are worth looking at, the rest being miserable representations of the original.

Mr. F. Graham advocated a recreation ground, which, being used by all the children of the place, would preserve in their memory from childhood the recollection of the man in whose memory tho ground was constructed. Mr. J. P. Hayes supported Mr. Harley. He did not know if the statue of John Ballanco was a ghastly one, but a. statue was the generally recognised form of memorial. If expended in baths, recreation ground Or hospital institutions th<?y were spending the money subscribed all over New Zealand on that which should bo provided by the No.son people. Mr. W. Rogers said his idea was tho erection of a band rotunda of granite. He did not know a great deal about statues, but he did not approve of one. The rotunda was well within their means and he was afraid a statue would cost aboxit £2000.

The secretary sakl the statue of Mr Seddon cost'£3ooo.

Mr. H. L. Fowler advocated a medallion a rotunda.

Mr. T. Pettit wanted something useful. If the rotunda scheme was feas-

ible'lie* would support it, but he thought tho park would cost much more than £800. Ho wanted all and only-the money co'.lected to be devoted to the memorial.

Mr. C. J. Harley said that a rotunda, if it had something on it showing that it was in commemoration of Col. Pitt, would bo one of the most sensible courses that could be followed. He also thought tho City Council would give the money to this form of memorial.

Mr. Rogers moved: "That tho Pitt Memorial take the form of a band rotunda on Milton's Acre, it to contain a medallion or a bust."

Mr. Fell said this was a good way of settling the question. The motion proposed contained what Mr. Harley wanted, and was useful as the speaker wanted. If the resolution was carried it would mean that instead of carrying out the steps proposal the rotunda would to? proceeded with at onco. Mr. J. F. Haves said Col. Pitt a'ways took an interest iv such matters as band rotundas being a volunteer officer.

the secretary, Capt. Stiles, supported, the suggestion, pointing out how Cdl. Pitt had interested himself in the volunteer ttiov<?irtent, and how he appreciated the bands in connection therewith.

Mr. Fell suggested that tho Botanical Gardens would be a more suitable place for the structure, especially for a large mooting, such as that adrdessed by Mr. Seddon some years ago. Mr. H. L. Fowler said that probably land would before long be reclaimed at tho back of Mil'on's Aero, and this would improve its position. It was decided, on the motion of Mr Pettit, ;seconded by Mr, Fell, that the word "bust" be deleted from the motion.

The amended motion was carried unanimously.

Tho selection of tho designs for tho rotunda was left to the committee.