THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1515, 24 March 1887, Page 2

THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE.

TO THE BDITOB.

Bib,— lt |g to be regretted that tht movement reoently started In Ohrlst* ohnroh for ereotlng some provincial memorial of tbe Q aeon's Jubilee •hoald have degenerated loto a Ohrlatohareh »ff*tr. A memorial railed by tht: nnlted effort! of the whole of the people . of Canterbury would have possessed fat more ■Ignifioanoe and value than a number of looal memeutoß. However, tht project has fallen flat, and the Aah« burton Borough Council has only don* Ita duty m taking steps to bring ataut t local celebration ; but I venture to think that the mode of oelebratlng the Jabllet* proposed by one of the OounolHon and whloh teemed to find favor with othen, is not exactly the way m which we ■hould commemorate an important national event and testify our loyalty to the Qaeen. If ft should unfortunately happen that any considerable number of men are out „ of work next winter It will become tht duty of the proper authorities to conjslder how their distresses can best bt re« lleved; but I fall to see what partioula* significance would attaoh to the setting of men at work upon the geceral Improvement of the Domain; and I fanoy * r snbsoriptlon list for suoh a pur*, pose would not kindle much enthusiasm- What is wanted to mark ! a national evant like the Jubilee of oar Sovereign's reign Is the erection of some permanent and artistic monument whloh will perpetuate the memory of tht event m years to come. This might be aohleved by ereotlng a handsome itont Memorial Cross or a fountain (I don't mean a mere drinking fountain) m tht Domain. Baring Square would furnish • fine ftite for such v orois or fountain, bat the Square belongs to the town, while tht Domain is county property, and, therefore, preferable as a site for a county memorial. . Five hundred pounds ouglt to covet tht : ooet of the work, and that would not bt a very large sum for 10,000 paoplt to raise.

I observe that the Boiough Council intends to ask the County Oounoll to join with it In getting up a celebration ; bob it seems to me that the fittt and fore* most thing to be dine Is to oallapablia meeting, when public feeling ontheiub* ject would be elicited, and we ihould ascertain what kind of memorial would be most likely to meet with general support.— l am, etc, 0. W. PUBKILL.