WAR MEMORIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 521, 2 August 1932, Page 12

WAR MEMORIAL.

R.S.A. Want Portion to Aid Needy Members. REQUEST TO MR GEORGE GOULD. It is hoped to assist disabled returned soldiers from portion of the fund subscribed for the Christchurch War Memorial Column Fund and the R.S.A. last night decided to ask Mr George Gould, chairman of the Memorial Fund Committee, to call an early meeting of the subscribers to the fund and to give the association an opportunity of stating its views regarding the disposal of the money. The association wrote recently to Mr Gould requesting that a portion of the interest being earned by the fund should be disbursed for the alleviation of distress amongst returned soldiers, and Mr Gould’s reply was received at the meeting of the executive of the association last night. Mr Gould stated that he w’as sorry that he could not give his approval to such a suggestion. To do so it would be necessary to obtair. the approval of a very large proportion of the subscribers, and even with that obtained it would, he thought, be necessary to obtain legal sanction if any of the objecting minority should raise opposition. “Further,” the letter continued, “I might say that the fund is even now small enough to enable us to erect a memorial worthy of the occasion. If you compare the stim of £BOOO with the amount spent, for instance, in Auckland or Wellington, it is insignificant, and even if the erection of the memorial should be delayed until the capital sum amounts to say £IO,OOO, it can all be spent in quite a modest memorial. “For the present I must leave the matter where it is, for negotiations are in progress—although temporarily suspended—with the Cathedral Chapter to place a worthy memorial upon the site now occupied by the Godlev Statue. Before long, however, I shall be calling a meeting of the committee to consider this project and I will then take the opportunity of placing the matter of your request before it.” Wishes of Subscribers. “It appears from his letter that Mr Gould has definitely made up his mind that this association cannot get any of the interest on the fund, as the money in hand is not enough to build the memorial he has in mind,” said Mr G. A. Hayden. II ; considered that the association should go past Mr Gould and get in direct touch with the subscribers to the fund and ascertain their wishes regarding the disposal of the money. Mr W. E. Leadley said he understood that an arrangement had been made between the Memorial Fund Committee and the association under which the memorial was to cost a certain amount and the balance was to be used for the relief of distress. The secretary (Mr E.. F. Willcox) : The City Council washed that out by not agreeing to the site that was proposed. In view of the opposition of the newspapers I believe that Mr Gould withdrew his offer. Mr Hayden moved that all subscribers be written to, acquainted with the original 1928 arrangement made with Mr Gould for the establishment of a trust, and asked to bear this fact in mind when they voted at the next meeting of subscribers. “This may cost us a lot in correspondence but we could do it tactfully,” said Mr Hayden. Mr S. F. Marshall said that the association should acquaint Mr Gould with its intentions, if the motion were carried. “On Wrong Lines.” “Personally I think the motion is on wrong lines,” said Mr J. S. Chisholm. “I think it would be as well to make inquiries and inteiview Mr Gould before taking such action, as it would only cause a controversy and not help Mr Read moved as an amendment that Mr Gould be asked to call an early meeting of subscribers and that the association be given an opportunity of stating its views and the great need for assistance in relieving distress. He said that that was the correct way of dealing with the matter. The amendment was seconded by Mr Chisholm and carried.