SHANNON WAR MEMORIAL

Chronicle (Levin), 21 March 1946, Page 3

SHANNON WAR MEMORIAL

R.S.A. AND COUNCIL MEET PUBLIC MEETING ARRANGED At the fortnightly meeting of the Shannon Borough Council, held on Tuesday evening, a committee representing the Shannon branch of the Returned Services Association and comprising Messrs. R. Hook, D. Aitchison and V. Bateman met the council to discuss the suggestion of a war memorial for Shannon. The Mayor (Mr. R. E. Downes) , in welcoming the committee to the meeting, said he wished an open discussion on the matter. It was time something was done in connection with a war memorial in this town. Mr. Downes then outlined a scheme which the council was pucting forward as a suggestion. Tae scheme was the erection of a new municipal buildings, which would embody every facility such as library, reading room, rest room, meeting room and dance hall. He said they had no idea of the cost, but it would most likely run into something around £15,000 or £16,000 and suggested that the money should be raised by carnivals, etc., and with possible help from the Government. As yet nothing had been done by the Government with regard to subsidies for war memorials. Mr. Downes also stated that it had been suggested that the fire brigade also be housed in the new building. Another suggestion had also been put up, and quite a good one too, and that was the building of a soldiers' club and a doctor's residence. Howeyer, there was still the problem of being able to get a doctor to come to Shannon. Mr. Hook, on behalf of the R.S.A., thanked the council for the privilege of being able to discuss the possibilities of a war memorial, and said there were movements afoot all over the country with regard to war memorials. He was pleased to see that Shannon had made a move. He said That the R.S.A. was not concerned with the spending of large sums of money, but wanted a memorial of some form. Mr. Hook said that the R.S.A. was in favour of a memorial hall, as there were little facilities in that direction in Shannon, and he felt sure that a hall would be a great asset to the town. He said that he had been instructed by his association to support a suggestion for a hall, but the R.S.A. would be pleased to discuss any other suggestion put forward. Mr. Bateman said that the R.S.A. had not gone into the price of a hall, but he failed to see where the money was to come from. He suggested "to see how much money could be raised and then build accordingly. Cr. Clayton said he thought the town should build its own council ■chairibersy and in his opinion. a yah memorial should be something for the future generation to look up to and remember. Cr. Clayton went on to express his views on memorials in England and other parts of the world, and also in this country, where the memories of great men and great deeds were bright before the people. He then put forward a scheme whereby Stout Street should be cleaned up and an avenue of scarlet oaks be planted, and a mem1 orial to the members of the three fighting forces be bufft with all the names of those who had served 1 overseas inscribed on it. He sugi gested that the avenue be . named "Remembrance Avenue" and be I brightly lit, and then a rememi brance day could be held each year with floral gifts and the sounding nf the last post."

Cr. Higgie said that he was m favour of a hall, and mentioned a number of towns where memorial halls were built after the last war. He suggested waiting to see what money was available before going into anything that would be a liability to the town and district. Mr. Bateman said he was not in favour of having a "Roll of Honour" in the body of a dance hall, as some of the towns now had, but thought that some remembrance room

V should be included, some place which would be sacred. Mr. Aitchison said that only one member of the R.S.A. was in favour of the old type of memorial. He said'that the days of concrete memorials was past. It was not advisable to rusn things. He suggested a five-year plan in which to raise the money. Cr. Aitchison said he was in favour of the council's suggestion tohave all the facilities togetner in the one building, as it would serve as a war memorial and at tne same time be an asset to the town. Cr. Curran also expressed approval of a hall, and thought that the Government ■ would no doubt assist with finance. Cr. Lind also supported the suggestion of the hall, and dealt at some length with the possibilities it would offer the town, and also solve the caretaker problem for the library and rest rooms. He said that there was 110 reason why the fmances could not be arranged, and he agreed with Mr. Aitchison's suggestion of some five year plan. He said that three to five years was not out of the way, and he doubted if it could be possible to get permission to build such a building as was suggested before that time. Cr. Lind stated that the present council chambers needed replacing or renovating, and a new concrete building would be a fine asset to the town. Cr. Lind then dealt with the proposed rest room for which some £600 or £700 had already been raised. He said that it would be a pity to build now and later bring the other scheme into operation. He said that the people, and rightly 30, would not be inclined to wait any length of time for a rest room, and it may be possible to build the rest room and later incorporate it in the new building. Mr. Hook said that the rest room was tfce stumbling block at the moment and he failed to see how it could be avoided going on with that building, as there was no lead which could be put to the public with regard to the community building. Mr. Aitchison said that the outside people might not be inclined to support the building of a new council chambers, and thought that if it was possible for the council to find tlie money for its portion of the building, the hall and rest rooms, etc., could be by public subscription. The Mayor stated that the reading room, library and meeting room were a benefit to the district as well as to the borough,. and a meeting room was most important gS.jthe. pr1es,eni; facilities were most unsatisf actory. ' Mr. Downes then asked all present to think the matter over and a public meeting would be calied on April 8 to discuss what form the war memorial was to take. Cr. Clayton then asked if the present site of the council chambers would be suitable and large enough to house the suggested plan. He was informed by the Mayor that the present site would not be large enough, and he suggested they should try to get an option on the site next to the council chambers. Mr. Downes then outlined the difffculty of getting an estimated cost of the community building and said it was not required at the moment, as the scheme was just a suggestion to be put to the public meeting. It was not right that there should be any set scheme with cut and dried prices, etc.

Cr. Higgie agreed that it was not correct to go to the public meeting with any set ideas about the scheme. The idea was only a suggestion, and the public meeting was called to discuss all suggestions. The Mayor thanked the memers of the R.S.A. for attending and said he was sorry that other organisations were not present, but hoped that there would be a large gathering at the public meeting.