THE JUBILEE MEMORIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7029, 20 February 1901, Page 1

THE JUBILEE MEMORIAL.

* ■- . A MEETING OF SUBSCRIBERS AND THE GENERAL COMMITTEE. THE PROPOSED SITES. ■ ■ . — NO DECISION. A meeting <# the Jubilee Celebrations General Comnmttee, and subscribers of the Jubilee Memorial Fujad was held in the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon at four o'clock. Mr Wy Reece (chairman) presided, and there was an. attendance of between thirty and forty^ including several ladies. The Chairman said it was a considerable time since the committee had 1 met. The Jubilee had been celebrated, and it would, he thought, be the opinion of- the General Cbm.--mittes that the sub-committees had carried out iKeir duties jreU*-,, Withr- reffltrd, ,to . a >i3*&«s*¥s£ s 'S'S'^SiW *^*V*^*^irMliLi»»^ w SSJa-' ; t-' , i-'' i -'i lßdinm^ x W^^b^, r an r «H»r tad beta sent Home, and it would be their duty at that meeting to discuss the question of selecting a ate for it. Since the form of thei memorial had been decided on, the position" had been altered by the death of Queen Victoria. The Chairman then called on thej chairmen of the -various Annmittees to re- j port on the work done. :j Mr H. F. Wigram (Chairman of the Memorial Committee) stated that the sum of £1264 4s 7d had been subscribed, and the committee had decided that, in view of the special .significance which the memorial wonld now have, it was advisable to push on the matter with energy. The Chairman stated that the statue ordered by the committee was the one which both the Queen and the member? of her family had considered the best likeness of her Majesty. It was the most sizable that could be obtained. Ab G. Harper (Chairman oj: the Ceremonial Committee) reported that his committee had been successful. The general expenses had amounted to £42 14s, and the receipts to £38 10s, leaving a debit balance of £4 4s. The visit of tihe Maoris had brought in £705 69 lOd, but the expenses had also been heavy, amounting to £657 7s 4d, leaving a credit balance of £47 19s 6d. The railway fares of the Maoris in the North Mand amounted to £130, and the committee anticipated that the Government wouldc grant a refund. If that were done, the committee would be able to hand over to the General Committee a sum of about £177. The Chairman stated that the chairmen of the other committees were not present, bit they all had favourable reports' to make. The meeting would have to consider the important matter of raising funds to carry, out the scheme for- a memorial.- The total, cost .would be £2000, a«nd a sum of about £800 was ;%yail-. •dale. " Consequently, they would have to display considerable energy in collecting the balance. So far, the only substSriptiona had oome f romi the city, he regretted to say, and there had. not been much support froin the country, though it was hoped that a considerable sum would be obtained outside of Ohristchurch. He had made out a list of those who would be likely to subscribe, -and they could be communicated with. Mr H. B. Sorensen suggested that volunteers should be called for collecting. Mr J. Connal thought those whose names were on the list should be communicated with. by circular. Dr Levinge said the general body of workers should be reached, ,so that the memorial should be truly representative. Tne country people had escaped to a grea* extent, and they should be communicated with. He was sure that the lack of subscriptions was not from want of patriotism, but want of organisation on the part of the committeee. Mr Connal moved — "That a circular should be sent to all those likely to subscribe, asking them to send dm their subscriptions as soon as possible." He also thought tihat on advertisement should be inserted in the newspapers inviting subscriptions. . • . . ' Mr 0. Archer seconded the motion pro forma. Mr R- J-' S. Harman. suggested that circulars, should be sent to the, public Schools in the province, so that the children would be able to subscribe in small sums. A good sum, he thought, oould be collected in the schools. Mr W. OhrystaM said he thought that sub-committees should be appointed to canvas both the town and the country. Archdeacon Cholmondeley thought a pei>- / sonal canvass should be made, as the sending of circulars would not be successful. The Chairman stated that every Mayor and eveiy Chairman of a Road Board had already been, communicated with, and everything had been done except personal canvassing. As to setting-up aj sub-com-mittee, they already had committees which cculd undertake the work. - The appeal by circular had not been successful.. Mr Harman said circulars had been sent out before the death of the. Queen, and tbere waa tome feeling on the subjeot war.

a very good one, and if a personal canvass was undertaken, the money -would be obtained. Mr J. B. Fisher moved — " That in view of the altered circumstances occasioned by the -death of her late Majesty, a fresh appeal should be made to the public by th© committee." Mr Harman seconded t'he motion. : ■ .The Rev W. Baumber did not think that circulars -would be successful, but a house- '< to-house canvass would. The motion was carried unanimously.Mr O. F. Bourne said it should be clearly remembered that the position had changed entirely since the death of the Queen. There shduld be no entertainment now, to raise the funds. The people should recognise that .ihe memorial would be to the Queen, and <no one should be pressed to subscribe. The working classes should be approached, andi their shillings and sixpences should be solicited. Mr Sorensen said that Mr E. W. Seager was willing to go round the schools and give lectures on the Queen's reign, the proceeds to go to the memorial. Several of those present thanked Mr Seager for his offer. Mr J. B. Fdsher movedr— " That the matter of entertainments should be left to the discretion of the committee." Mr Bourne moved, as an amendment — ■ "That the committee should be requested not to allow, any entertainment to be advertised as under its auspices." Mr Archer seconded the amendment. Mr Conrial said he saw no objection to advertising the entertainments. Archdeacon Gholmondeley said the matter should" be left to the committee. He did not think the committee should raise funds by means of entertainments, but there could be no objection to its receiving funds which had been obtained by individual people by means of entertainments. The amendment was lost, and the motion was carried. The Chairman then stated that several sites had been suggested for the memorial, and the matter should be decided at that meeting. He detailed seveVal schemes and suggestions for sites, already published, and " read a letter fromi Mr S. Hurst-Seager, suggesting the lawn in the Public Gardens formerly used as an archery ground. The Chairman also read a letter from, Messrs Shand and Pratt, suggesting that the present Godley statue should be removed, and the Queen's statue put in its place, with the Godley statue on one side, and that of the late Mr Sefton Moorhouse on the other. In their opinion, the present position of the tram-lines in Cathedral Square caused danger and inconvenience, and if any other statue were placed in, that locality, the tram-lines could be removed further west, and the street widened. Mr F. "Waymouth said that the removal of the Godley statue "from its present position in Cathedral .Square, to make room for the Queen's statue, would' be an act of vandalism. Certainly such a thing would not have been desired by her late ■ Majesty. He moved that the first site proposed, which included the remgval of the Godley statue, should not be considered. The Hon C. C. Bowen seconded the motion. The Godley statue, he said, had been placed there by the Provincial Council, and no statue which had been set up by the will M^h!e^pedple'ißfewiti v - Mr Murray- Aynsley said he had the-same -feelings with regard' to the Sefton Moorhouse i statue, which it was proposed- should be placed in the Square en one side of the Queen's stajftie. The motion was carried. Mr Waymouth suggested that a good site would, be tthe triangle in front of Messrs Joynt and Andrew's offices in Gloucester Street, and Mr Fisher suggested the open space in front of the Registrar's office, in the Supreme Court Buildings. Mr E. G. Staveley moved that the site should 1 be between tbe Godlley statue and Morten's Buildings, at the point where the lamp-post stands at present. Mr Harman seconded the motion. The statue, he said, should be placed in such a position that the inscription on it could be read easily, and should not be stood within an enclosure. Mr A. Carrick moved as an amendment, that the question of a sate should be held over for the present. Mr F. Graham seconded the amendment. Mr Waymouth thought that course should be adopted, and that the Memorial Committee should be asked to report on the subject before next meeting of the General Committee. Whichever site was selected, some local body's permission would have to be obtained, and ether circumstances would be sure to arise. It was decided that the matter should be held over for three weeks, to enable the Memorial Committee to prepare a report. It was decided, on the miotion cf Mr Fisher, seconded by the Hon J. T. Peacock, that votes of thanks should be passed to the Ceremonial, Old Colonists' and Entertainment Committees for their work during the Jubilee celebrations. .