WAR MEMORIALS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16430, 25 January 1919, Page 8

WAR MEMORIALS.

TO TUB EDITOR 0* "THB PRESS."

Sir,—! wish very much to suggest the form tho memorial to tho glorious part the New Zealand soldiers played, in the war should take, and, I 6hall be grateful indeed for its publication.

We are deeply concerned about the future lives of all returned soldiers, and it is our imperative duty to make provision for the care ,'of tho modically proved incapacitated in need of it. A home in all that the word means, for all time is' tho right of every soldier, who has risked his life, and thore should not be the semblance of a favour in tho granting, but rather tho equivalent of the fee simple should be tho indei feasible right of cvory such maimed one. We should bo proud of the privilege to give directly,! and indirectly through taxation, for the establishment and maintenance of this "his owii house." May I instance the case of a returned soldier with both or one leg missing, who may even obtain some light employment, but who can nover find real liappiness in any other btit his own home. His working days may pass pleasantly enough, but oh, the sadness and the loneliness when his labours ard ended! You know, and wo all know, that the healthy do not want to be bothered with the crippled. Readers will ask what is proposed, and I answer:— (1) A house near the city in grounds that can be farmed of fresh fruit, vegetables, butter,»and milk, and made as nearly self-supporting a? possiblo; (2) skilled attendants and professional nursing: (3) medical attention and adVice; (4) indoor recreation, books, and papers; (6) suitable outdoor amusements; (6) rules as simple as possible, subject to good behaviour; (J) perfect freedom to come and go at will; (8) life residency without payment; (9) voluntary contribution from the solaier residents.

The mind of man is, I am sorry to say, britjf in its consideration of the fallen and unfortunate, who are soon forgotten, but wo must not leave the care of oVery ill soldier, who i» dear to everyone of us, to the chance regard of the future; we must establish a symbol of our love now, and I ask everyone in Canterbury not to let this shape itself in cold marble or garish triumphant arch, but* to rear something enduring, something noble and Worth whilo, something that the present and those of the future will maintain and love, arid i keep green in our memories. It is aelfed again what bettor than a'homo for those who havo spent their beautiful young minds ond bodies for us, that we may "cafiy on"P I plead to you, Sir, for editorial support, which, when afforded, ifl in liberal measure, and it is so mighty. Will yon kindly feive it F—Yours, etc., V s MARY ANDEfcSON. Lyttdlton, Jantiary 23rd, 1919.

TO THE KDlldtl OF "THE PRESS."

Sir,—! duite agree with your C6ff6s» pondont who picks Iho late site of th# • Oodlcy statue as the finest position in the city for a war memorial, if it is to take the shape of a monument or group of statuary, as I hope it may. Bjit-, qf course, Iho tram shelter blocks the way, and I should like more light on the qilestfon of how far it is essential to the public in its present position. Your correspondent stated that if all north and eouth-bound trams stop- . ped at Brice's and Broadway's corner, people oould board or alight from them equally ns well as" at the present shelter. This sounds all right to the man , in the street, and certainly it would have the effcct of dividing by fdur the crowd who usually hatig about the train shelter, but I should like to hear what tho traffic manager has to say on the subject, before accepting it. To my mind the .removal of tho shelter wnuld in itself bo a very pood method 'amongst others) of memonalising the arrival ot