The Press. Wednesday, January 15, 1919. War Memorials.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16421, 15 January 1919, Page 6

The Press. Wednesday, January 15, 1919. War Memorials.

The question as to the most suitable form of war memorials is still under discussion, but wo fancy the public* is gradually getting a little clearer on the subject. The more thoughtful section of the community are coming to the same conclusion as Sir James Allen, namely, that the ideal to be arrived at is a great work of art, worthy of those whom it is sought to commemorate, and one which will Have its message of "uplift" and inspiration for future generations. In this manner it is especially essential to take long views. If we are to commemorate in any fitting fashion the greatest war which has ever occurred in the history of the world, we ought to do so in no cheese-paring spirit. For such an evont we want a memorial that will be extant five hundred years hence, and which will be of even more interest than it is now. do not presume to dogmatise on the precise form the memorial should take. That is a question which should be settled with the help of the best expert advice, when the general policy to be adopted has been agreed upon. There are two or three pitfalls, however, which we think ougnt to be avoided. In the first place \thero should be no overlapping, or dissipation of effort. For this reason we are inclined to regret the fact that the appeal for a soldiers' olubj which many people would, desire to support for the sake of the Eoldiers,

is linked up with what is called "A "Hall of Memories" to be erected in conjunction with the club. If the hall is to be merely: an adjunct of the club it can hardly be on a sufficiently impressive and dignified scalo to afford adequate recognition of the services of those-to whom we owe so much. On tho other hand, it may militate against the success of the larger memorial. After all, it is useless to disguise the fact that the bulk of the subscriptions will have to come from one source—from tho pockets of tho more warm-hearted and public-spirited section of the community, on whom we have to rely in every case of an appeal being made, and who, we may feel sure, will be sincerely desirous on this occasion of showing their gratitude as warmly as they can to trie men to whom we owe so much. Needless to say we are altogether opposed to the idea of collecting subscriptions towards a Town Hall and calling that a memorial of the war. It is tho duty of the citizens of Christchurch to provide a Town Hall, and tliey should do it in the usual way by borrowing the money and rating themselves. To attempt to extract subscriptions from outsiders and use their sympathy with the soldiers as a means of saving the ratepayers' pockets would be exploiting the war and the soldiers with a vengeance, and is a form of meanness of which we hope tho citizens of Christchurch will never bo guilty. We will go so far. however, as to concede that in an open, space in front of the Town Hall that is to he would ho a very appropriate placo on which to place the memorial, should it take tho form of a triumphal arch, or of a group of statuary, executed by one of the world's greatest artists, for which, as we have already remarked, thero is very much to bo said. Ono thing we hope will be done, cither here or in some other centre in Now Zealand. We should like to see as part of a memorial two statues, cast in bronze, and of heroic size—ono of a New Zealand' mounted soldier and another of a Zealand foot soldier, each in war equipment. Each would be a subject which would delight tho heart of any great) sculptor. It is admitted that for physique the New Zealand soldiers were unsurpassed in any theatre of the war. New Zealand horses are no ignoble specimens of their race. And how dignified and impressive an equestrian statue may he made in the hands of a great artist we have ample proof in the statue of Colleon! by Verocchio, in Venice—a work of art which once seen haunts the memory for ever.. Apart from their artistic value, such statues will be of great historic interest, say, a hundred years hence. And if anyone in connexion with this war deserves to be commemorated in lasting bronze, it is surely the man who has fought in the ranks—the man who brought us victory in the end.