The War Memorial.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16856, 9 June 1920, Page 6

The War Memorial.

Tho conference which discussed the problem of the war memorial yesterday came to a decision which should go far towards ending the unfortunate delay in settling this matter. It was decided to recommend that both the Memorial Column and the Bridge of Remembrance be gone on with, and that the two movements receive the official sanction of tho civic authorities. This is by no means an ideal arrangement, bub it is certainly the best in view of all the circumstances. Had the question been j handled with energy and common-sense from the beginning, it would certainly have been possible to select a single schemo which would have received the approval and practical support of a majority of the citizens, and a single memorial would certainly be better than two separate ones. It is now too late, we are afraid, to put the whole question in tho melting pot again, and impossible to merge into one the two plans whose supporters have shown in a practical way their anxiety to get something done. So far as tho Bridge of Remembrance is concerned, it docs not appear to be at all likely that a sufficient sum will be subscribed- for more than a decorative arch. This is very much better than nothing, and will bo a suitable enough memorial; but most people who like the idea of a Bridge of Remembrance will regret that they cannot see the plan carried out which they had hoped fori The manner in which money is coming in for the proposed Memorial Column in Cathedral square seems to indicate that, despite tho splitting of opinions and subscriptions, a suifi will be subscribed sufficient to provide a worthy memorial of the kind desired by a majority of the citizens. It is a - pity that tho idea still seems to persist that a Hall of Memories can somehow be made to fit in with tho memorials now before the public. Those who persist in confusing the situation by advocating this appear to overlook the fact that those who are supporting tho movements to provide a Column and a Bridge are doing so because they emphatically prefer them to a Hall of Memories, tho advocates of which, we may point out, have never explained what it is that they desire. When the "VVar Memorial Committee considers tho resolution carried by the conference yesterday, it ought to make up its nlind quite definitely upon this matter, which has been a disturbing and delaying factor quite long enough. Assuming that the Memorial Committee will face the facts as frankly as they were faced at yesterday's conference, and will give its support to tho two movements now in progress, wo hope that the committee will give some consideration to tho problem of the site for the Memorial Column. The City Council has declared against the erection of any memorial in the Square, but no practical argument against the use of the Square was put forward at the Council meeting, if wo accept Councillor Fleshers remarkable suggestion that the incontestable superiority of living dogs to - dead lions must not be challenged by the allocation of a part of the Square as a memorial for j soldiers. Everybody feels that the only j perfectly suitable site in the city for i such a column as is proposed is Cathedral square, and wo are not apprehensive that when tho question is again j raised the City Council will remain obdurately attached to Councillor Fleshers view.