The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1887. THE JUBILEE MEMORIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1597, 30 June 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1887. THE JUBILEE MEMORIAL.

Writing on Tuesday on the subject ot the permanent memorial cf the Queen's Jubilee to be erected m Ashburton, we indicated that we had arrived at the conclusion that the fountain had become the " Hobson's choice" of the case. We did so because we had been led to understand tbat the total of the available funds reached only about and on the assumption that an ornamental fountain could be erected for something like that sum. We are now informed that our premises were incor cc v , and that it is believed that, when all the subscription lists are banded m, at least will be forthcoming, possibly more, and that owing to the costliness of obtaining a water supply, with sufficient pressure, the cost of erecting and supplying a fountain would not fall far short of Presuming that this latter information is correct, it seems to us that the fountain proposal must go by the board, and if so, then, we do not see any so likely to be successfully carried out as that of providing Ashburton with a public clock m a suitable clock-tower. A four-dial clock can, we believe, be obtained from the makers for wfth a bell which can be heard for a distance of three or four miles, and another should suffice to erect a clock-tower, more especially if the suggestion which we made some months ago could be carried out, viz., the obtainment from the Christchurch City Council, at a reasonable figure, of the ornamental iron dock-tower which has lain for several years unutilised among all sorts of stores m the City Council ya'ds. That tower was, we believe, the gift of Sir George Grey a good many years ago, but it has never been put to any use, and no doubt the consent of tbe donor to its being transferred to Ashburton could be obtained by the Christchurch Council if it were made a condition of the transfer that the price paid therefor should be applied to some public purpose approved of by the original doncr. If the public clock proposal should be reverted to, it would certainly be worth while to make ihe enquiry. In the event of an agreement for the transfer being the result,' the cost of erecting a suitable base for the iron structure referred to could not be very brge. Even if this iron tower cannot be obtained, should suffice, we fancy, to build a clock-tower m Mount Somers stone, and if so, with say -£200 m the shape ot subscriptions to start with, there should be no great financial difficulty m the way. The County and Borough Councils might fairly be expected to assist to the extent of at least each, and the balance could be got together without any very great effort, Anyhow, clock or fountain, or whatever it be that is to constitute Ashburton's Jubilee Memorial, now is the time to finally decide upon it and to carry out whatever may be determined upon ; for if the present public interest ia the project be suffered to cool any attempt m the future to renew it will certainly provoke the distaste proverbially extended to " cauld kail het again."