WAR MEMORIALS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16424, 18 January 1919, Page 10

WAR MEMORIALS.

TO THE: EDITOR OF "Tint Sir, —[Despite Mr Alpers's eloquence, and the manner of his appeal, the public is satisfied that those most interested in the memorial are the parents and the kin who have contributed their blood to the war, and not the returned soldiers only. It is they who will, also contribute most to the erection of the Memorial Hall. As to who should have the credit of the idea is a point that Mr Alpers need not labour. So far he is-the only one who has raised this point. Should a Memorial Hall bo erected, and most people hope it will, I trust it will •bo in some very conspicuous place, such as Victoria square, where it can be.seen by everyone ~wliq comes into the town, and where elderly people may be able to see it and at the same time find room to. rest. A twenty-five thousand pound building would be lost and spoiled in a residential part of the city, whereas in such a place as Victoria square it would bo ornamental as well as fulfilling the very desirous purpose. If the memorial should take the form of a massive ' column, or some statuary, any of the squares would be suitable, or even the patches in front of the City Hotel, or Hallenstein Bros., which at the present time are used as small gardens.. In such places, too, the memorial would be . seen .by everyone. If the Returned Soldiers' Association or Christ's College, or any other s institution choose to put up a memorial, that is their business, butthe community desire a public affair, and the -people are not likely to be turned from their desire. Hoping that the Soldiers' Association advocate will become a public one. —Yours, etc., _ . . GAIXIPOLL January 17 th. ' IO THI EDITOR 01" "TUB PRESS." Sir,—J see a lot of correspondence in "The Press" as to .the 'best form of our memorial for the deceased soldiers in the Avar and what is to be done for those who have survived the ordeal and returned to. Canterbury,-New- Zealand. I am of . opinion wo should have an artistic statue ■of 50ft high, as the central piece, surmounted. by an emblem of. victory, or an equestrian effigy of H.M. .George V., and around this statue or in line with.it along the terrace, .have four or five square bases, upon 'cach we . shall have one of our great commanders, viz.: Foch, Haig, Beatty* Pershing (if more bases, other leaders) up the -panels of these bases all the arms of the "fighting forces by land and water will be represented. The site I Tecommend for. these statues is upon Cambridge terrace, in front of the Supreme Court and Magistrate's Court buildings; and name it Anzac .terrace, a most commanding and central position, easily accessible by everyone, and one which will not interfere with the. traffic of the city, which is much congested already. As for what we can do for returned soldiers, I_£hink the idea of a club or a homo to he quit© a mistake. I would ask how many (or how few) of the soldiers could avail themselves of either, they will he scattered all over the military district, on the land, or in various occupations, trying to make homes for themselves, and cannot afford to spend their tiihe in the club. For their roal comfort I advise.that we raise a fund from which we would supplement the Government pensions to the soldiers and dependants. It is idle to suppose that the roll of honour could be inscribed on the statues. I propose that complete and suitable bound vcflumes be prepared and duplicate copies sent to every borough council, CCr r public library, college, y.JVI-C.A.,-Salvation Army, and other institutions. —Yours, etc..

JOHN COXKAL