The Wanganui Chronicle, AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1894.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11518, 19 January 1894, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle, AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1894.

"The way in which New Zealanders forget or ignore the services of their public men strikes one as flagrantly ungrateful," So says the Lyttelton Times. Tho remarks of our Canterbury contemporary are called forth by a consideration of the comparative failure which has attended the " Ballance Memoiial " project. " The history of the movement," observes the Times, " to erect a statue or other permanent memorial of the 1 late Mr John Ballance promises to hnve the same ending ap many other similar movement in this colony. The Central Committee of the Ballance Memorial Fund at Wellington have collected only about £-150, and though there are other sums to the credit of one or two district committees the total amount is altogether inadequate to erect a monument worthy cf tho man and of the people whom he served so well." Our contemporary, however, finds some little consolation in the reflection that " the failure to show marked honour to departed statesmen is not a characteristic peculiar to any particular political party," for, as it observes "the Atkins Jn Memorial movement was & complete failure." " Yet in their lifetime," it adds, " both Mr Ballance and Sir Harry Atkinson were popular, able, and esteemed leaders of men, and no one denies that though dead they yet live in many ideas, utterances and acts for the geod of the community." Ho iv, then, is the " flagrant ineratitude," which strikes the LytteJton Times' writer so f orcibly,to be explained ? "It is neither poverty nor niggardliness," he Bays, " that causes the people to withhold their offerings, for their spontaneous gift of £10,000 in cash, besides much value in goods, to relieve the distress caused by the Queensland floods, along with like generosity in many another good cause, proves the New Zealand public to have both the power and the will to give f 1 eely on occasion. It connot be altogether an aversion to statues, for in the case of the Ballance Memorial it was always an open question whether the money collectod should be devoted to a statue or to scholarships. Can it be that feelings of indifference or ingratitude hold sway over the people with reference to their political guides and leaders ? " And bo on through a long axUcln, caualvulta\r mth. ttve following tribute to the "mighty dead," coupled with a wail of regret that nothing Bhould havo beei done <o koep them in remembrance. — "The world would bo largely the losor if it had not continually held up in its view tho high idtals, the noble aspirations, and tho grand achievements of the mighty dead. The Democracy pays its servants, it is true, and we hope it will never grudge the highest remuneration for tho best servics. But there are services for which money cannot pay; there are high aims and heroic efforts that the more love of gain cannot awaken or stimulate, but which can be aroused by the contemplation of an inspiring example and can be kept alive by the hope of living in thy grateful remembrance of futuro geuerations. These aims and efforts are juat those which the people should value most, and for this reason it is regrettable that a short-sighted utilitarianism, or a too violont royolt afn'nst the horo-worßhip-ping instinct, should discourage tho ero'tion of permanent tokens of popular admiration of the departed groat, which might act as apeip.tuil stimulus to ethers imbued with tho altruistic spirit, though not unassociated with tho human hunger for approbation or fame. We have no intention in these remarks to lecturo or to censure. We simply deplore a state of thines which is undoubted ; but tho hopo may be indulged that it springs from a passing phase of development; and is not based upon a permanent tendency of modern civilisation." Our contemporary says very truly that it is neithor poverty nor niggardliness that indisposes our people to contribute lo memorials of die illustrious dead. Why, then, do they not respond more fieely ? Becau3-a they aro a practical people, who do not foel that thoy nood any stono or statuo to keep them in romombranco of thoso who, whon alive, they held iu esteom and honour. Tho memory of distinguished men of tho presont ajjo is kept alive by the printing press, and blocks ot stono or coppor aro no longei required for tourist guides to dilate upin. " Their works do follow them," and the printing press keeps the world fairly alive to the fact; The Lyttelton Times' writer says that it cannot Jje njera monumental stones or statues to which colonists have an especial aversion, seeing that they evince as little disposition to contribute to memorial projects even when they take a purely utilitarian or humnuitarian shape. The fact is they cannot see what the founding of 11 scholarship, the building of a hospital, or nny similar project has to do with tho perpetuation of the memory of a departed slatosman or friend. If the uuholarsliip or hospital project hao prociiing claims upon fchom thoy will consider

them upon their merit? and if thoy apapprove will not be slow in responding. The Wanganui Museum pioject is a case in point. Tho people in this town and dktrict thought it was a ?ood thing, and they met it with a warm <vnd generous response. Supposing it hud bpen called the Ballance Museum, or tho Atkinson Museum, in order to do honour to tho memory of ono or tho other of tho departed statesmen, and with the further view of stimulating tho inflow of subsc iptions it would havo had littlo if any effect. If it could bo shown to the people of Now Zealand that they could do any good to Sir Harry Atkinson or Mr Ballance— or if any suddon calamity had stricken either of them during their latter days, such as it was in the power of the people to relieve, thote would have been a ready and acknowledgment to any appoal on that behalf. It was because their memories wero held in high regard that the parliamentary votes to their widows were passud with so much unanimity in a Eadical House. The people of New Zealand aro too much concornod about the living to be willing to waste monoy over the doad. Whether they are entirely wiso in so far ignoring thesontimental aspect of the question is, however, worth considering.