The Star. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1919. THE PEACE MEMORIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12718, 13 August 1919, Page 4

The Star. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1919. THE PEACE MEMORIAL.

Some months ago, in urging that steps should be taken to initiate a peace memorial movement, we pointed nut that delay would seriously prejudice the prospects of the success of a provincial effort. We were strongly in favour of North Canterbury uniting in providing the funds for one .memorial which would be worthy of the occasion, and which would have a provincial rather than a local character. Even at that time there were signs that small country townships intended to use the occasion as an opportune one on which to raise funds for local improvements which, by a stretch of the imagination, could be described as “ peace memorials.’ ’ It is impossible not to sympathise with the desire of every community, however small, to pay a tribute to the brave ones who had gone from their midst, some of whom would never return. Wc hoped, however, that whatever was done in the provision of local or parochial memorials would not he on such a scale as to give any colour to an idea that the Country would be absolved from the moral claim which the provincial memorial would have on its sympathies and pursesTime has shown that the danger we anticipated was a very real one. The Rartgiora Borough Council has decided to concentrate all its energy and available resources on the erection of the borough and county soldiers’ memorial in Rangiora, and will not participate in the movement to erect a peace memorial in Christchurch. The Heath* cote County Council, which also discussed tne subject, will send a delegate to the committee meetings, hut if the tone of the discussion at the council meeting interprets the intention of that body the central memorial will receive no support from Heathcote. The county council’s vision is apparently limited to avenues of trees, and perhaps the members cannot take a wider view and look over the tree-tops of their own little territory. Mr G. M. Hall mentioned an avenue of honour planted in Ballarat, but surely he muat recognise that there is a wide difference in such a memorial in a city like B-illarat and a rural district like Heathcote. The duty of the memorial committee is not less plain than it is responsible- If the provincial idea is to be expressed then the memorial must take a form which null appeal to the sympathies and win the support of the country as well as the city. The country will not consent to find money to assist in the erection of a memorial which country people regard as a purely city affair which ought to he paid for by the city. If this point can be met —and we believe that it can—the country public may reasonably be expected to subscribe, and to help the memorial movement along. The arguments in favour of a worthy central memorial are Overwhelming. It is an occasion on which the people should take a broad view and map out a course which will lead to a fine expression of their gratitude for peace and admiration of. the valour of the men who won it for them.