CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 10

CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL

MEETING AT RAETIHI MANY SUGGESTIONS FORWARDED (Own Correspondent) RAETIHI, March 5. A meeting, held to elect a committee to select a suitable centennial memorial, was held on Thursday at the Raetihi Borough Council Chambers. The Mayor (Dr. W. J. Feltham) explained that the committee, to be elected from various district bodies, would have three duties: To select the memorial, raise the requisite funds, and provide the necessary maintenance. The council had already elected a committee but had later been advised that such a centennial committee must have • delegates of all district bodies such as sports clubs, churches, schools, Farmers’ Union, Institutes, and the Maori race. Thirty-five delegates ' were present, the representative of the native race being the only absentee. Some argument followed in which it was claimed that the country was not represented fairly and that some local organisations had been omitted. Dr. Feltham then amended a previous motion to resolve that those present, together with the delegates of any recognised district organisations not represented, be the committee. This was carried. Mr. W. H. Sandford was elected chairman. Invitations are to be sent to nineteen other bodies to send delegates. A decision was made to exclude delegates not representing 12 or more members. Borough’s Scheme Explained At this stage. Dr. Feltham set out the steps that had been taken by the Raetihi Borough Council. He explained the position of the Raetihi Swimming Club twelve months previously when it had. no financial resources and the Wkths were condemned by the health inspector. The borough came to the rescue, took over the baths, spent £lOO in essential repairs, and left the Swimming Club their identity as a club. The £lOO was spent with the ultimate aim of bringing the baths completely up to date and making them a worthy centennial memorial. The speaker said that, the advantages of good swimming baths were obvious. Furthermore every person taught to swim in the Raetihi baths was a potential life-saver. He mentioned the large number of school children taught in Raetihi, where the baths were used daily by the Raetihi School for instruction. At present there were obvious defects at the baths and the Borough Council had prepared a plan to improve the baths at a total cost of £7oo—as a centennial memorial.

Of this sum, £lOO had already been paid and £2OO had been obtained by the council as a grant from the Education Department. If the scheme was approved as a memorial by the Government, a further £125 would be forthcoming from the Government’s £1 for £3 subsidy. The balance to raise was £375 and £lOO had already been paid by the council. Dr. Feltham emphasised that the Government had set aside £150,000 to be divided for centennial memorial subsidies on a population basis. On this basis, Raetihi’s maximum subsidy would be £261. Under the borough’s original scheme there was now only £275 to raise and the original cost to the district was most definitely a point to consider. Dr. Feltham added that the contemplated improvements to the baths comprised extension from 25 yards to 33 1-3 yards in length, deepening to make safe for diving (the present depth varied from only 6ft. to 3ft. 6in.), the provision of coloured concrete terraces at the sides of the baths to prevent mud and dirt from entering the water as at present, and the erection of suitable buildings at the entrance. These would comprise dressing rooms, shower rooms, etc., a common room, and attendant’s office. A pump would also be installed to fill the baths more often. His Worship concluded by stating that the Government strongly favoured swimming baths as memorials. Mr. J. Harris: Will the council proceed with the baths project if another memorial is selected by this committee? The question was ruled out of order. Rest Room Project. The chairman called for further suggestions, and Mrs. H. E. Frederick intimated that the W.D.F.U. favoured a rest room and Plunket room. Mr. Frederick said that the Bank of New Zealand had already offered, free of cost, the section diagonally opposite the Post Office as a rest room site. The speaker agreed that up to date swimming baths were desirable, but renovation of an existing bath was not a suitable memorial. No better memorial than a rest room and Plunket room could be suggested and no section in Raetihi was too valuable as a site. Mr. Laing suggested that though the scheme might be pretentious—there was definite need for a good Town Hall in Raetihi. Mr. Cunningham suggested a suitable pavilion at the Recreation Ground as a worthy memorial. Mr. Heine suggested a gate or other suitable entrance to the Recreation Ground, together with a decent fence. Nil’s. Sandford said that a proper motor ambulance service was greatly needed in the district. It would serve both town and country interests and would have the added benefit that the Wanganui Hospital Board would undertake the maintenance. Rev. Underhill mentioned the desirability of a chapel or other covering at the cemetery, and also the planting of trees down the main streets as a memorial. Mr. Ritchie, in enlarging the treeplanting scheme, said it could be arranged that each tree could oe named after a local settler and tended by relatives as was done in other places. Mr. T. S. Fagg mentioned the lack of healthy facilities for the youth of Raetihi in the evenings. He suggested that a suitable memorial

would be a Y.M.C.A. or gymnasium. Mr. D. J. Berry said that an effort to preserve and develop the native bush areas around Raetihi was urgently needed. This would be an eminently suitable memorial. Mr. Heise suggested the institution of a library to serve town and country. The Chairman: All these suggestions are excellent. It is a pity we haven’t got enough money to do the lot! Upon Mr. Berry's suggestion, it was agreed that the secretary should receive written suggestions as to a suitable memorial from persons outside the committee prior to the next meeting of the committee. After considerable discussion • oncerning the vexed question ol the maintenance and upkeep of the memorial when finally chosen, the chairman arranged to obtain the ruling of the Government on the point. A resolution was also passed that no proxy rates be allowed at meetings of the committee. The next meeting for the purpose of actually choosing the memorial was fixed for Thursday, March 23, at 8 p.m., at the Borough Council Chambers.