WAR MEMORIALS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12760, 2 October 1919, Page 3

WAR MEMORIALS.

MONUMENT PROPOSED FOR LEE&?uN. The delegates appointed by the different portions of the Eilesmere County to represent the views of the people in connection with a county war memorial held another meeting at Leeston on Monday night, when there was a good attend tho only part of the district not represented being liedgemere. Mr J. Cunningham, county chairman, was voted to the chair. The delegates reported the decisions: arrived at by the public meetings held iu their respective portions of the district since the previous meeting. In reply to tho chairman, the delegates stated that they had found no feeling in any part ol the district antagonistic to the idea of a couniy memorial. The chairman stated that there would be a proposal before.,the Couniy Council nt its next meeting that asum ot money should be raised by means oi a hr-.n for the erection cf new offices and to pay the council's one-third share of the cost of the proposed maternity hospital and casualty ward. The offices would probably cost £1.500, and the council's share towards the hospital would be about £I3OO. The district wouid have a maternity hospital, even though it would not ve erected as a memoriae The institution would increase the value of all property throughout the whole county, the chairman added that, when speaking tc the Mayor of i.kaioa tho other day, he hal heard that there was a likelihood of the Government getting an expert to visit the Dominion tor the purpose of conferring with the people in the different districts in regard to memorials The Government had not formulated any iiiir. ideas just yet m regard to war memoruls. The Peninsula was out to erect a memorial at Akaroa at a cost of about £3OOO. So far as Eilesmere was concerned, he thought it -would be bast to aim at a. certain sunt and raise the money forthwith. In that case there need not be any great burn' in regard lo the erection of the monument; in fact, j it might be to their advantage to wait I some time. Designs would have to to I obtained, and tho whole matter thought, out very carefully. The question of I the site -would have to be definitely settled later on- He was hopeful that Market Square might be cleared of debt and handed over for the purpose of the memorial. Mr R. M. Robertson said ho had been assured by the secretary of the Beautifying Association that, thero would be no difficulty in nusing the balance of the. debt on the square. The Leeston people were prepared to raise the balance, about £lO9. and hand tin* property over free of debt, if it was required as a site for the memorial. The chairman suggested that the meeting appoint a permanent cbair- ! man, vice-chairman, secretary and treaI surer, and that the delegates appointed by tha different districts be a committee, with, power to add to their number. It was agreed that tho chairman of Hie County Council be the chairman of the committee, the chairman of the Sontbbncige Town Board vice-chairman, air H. Neav© secretary, and Mr A\ex Webster treasurer. On the motion of Mr Kennic, it was decided that the County Council be requested to grant permission to erect a memorial on a ;,-rte in front, of t'te Council Chambers, on the side of the street considered it.ost suitable l;v the | committee; such rite not to interfere with road traffic or frontages. I JouC "" u 3 motion was carried:— | That thus meeting considers that a j Bum of not less than £2OOO should be nuscd for the proposed memorial." The chairman said that while hj«» thought that only the names of those who had "gone west" should bo inscribed upon the monument, the memorial should commemorate the part Played by all who had contributed to the winning of the war, incrusivo of the nurses. It would be impossible to put on the monument the names of all who served. It was agreed that the memorial Should be erected in honour of all men a l d W^ en frem tho eilesmere County wfco had served, and that onlv the names of those who had " gone wost » bo placed upon the memorial.