THOUGHT DIRECTED TO WAR MEMORIALS

Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1946, Page 6

THOUGHT DIRECTED TO WAR MEMORIALS

-Press Association

SOMETHING FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

By Telegravli-

WELLINGTON, May 17. ' ' During tJhe last year," said the Prime Minister, Hon. P. Fraser, in a • statement today, "the Goverriment has been greatly impressed by the manner . in; wliieli people fiom one ehd of New .Zealand. 'to tkfe' .other, have been ap.proaehih^ tlie subject of memorials to the men and wpmen of New Zealand who !seived in tlie recent wrar. The Government has been particularly interested in the •.v.ery clear e.vidence that . our people geiierally are thinldng in terms of ' living memorials. In this, New Zealand tliought is in keeping with. that of other allied countries, particularly the United Ivingdom' and United States. It .liuist not be tliought," continued tlie Prime Minister, " that the New Zealand Goverimient is opposed to the idea of syinbolical memorials. At tlie same tinie it must be recognised that unless the symbolism of these memorials i'fa sliown in 'tlie highest fornj of creative art, they fail largoly in their purpose. "Tliought throughout the allied world today is in the direction of memorials that will not only perpetuate our liallowed momories, but will also serve a real comniunity iuterest. Tlie New Zealand Government feels there is a wide range within whicli memorials of a peimanent community value, can be conceived. In particular, 'Community Ceutres serving cultural and recreatioual ueeds of the conimuuity would, in the Government 's opinion, be ideai memorials and the Goverunieiit is at ' preseut eonsidering a scheme of subsidising these and other approved war memorials. Centennial niemorials erected throughout the Dominion some iivb years agd/'are generally iine evidence ot what can be achieved in the way ot memorials that serve both the community and commemorative value. . The • Minister of lnternal Affairs, Hon. W. L. Parry, will' "couvene a l'epresentative Dominion conference as soon as possible to discuss the whole question of war memorials and to arrive, if possible, at some common agreement about the type of niemorial to be givdn prefereuce when Government approval is sought for a subsidy." The Minister of lnternal Affairs, Hou. W. E. Parry, stated yesterday that a conference would be called in the near future, of representatives of Local Bodies, the Returned Services' Association, tlie Council of Sport, and other interested bodies, to consider the question of war memorials, the form the\ would take and the financing of them. Mr. Parry said the idea was not that it wqu|d be possible to embark immediatelv on building and otlier. work ot that. kind. A good dea! of preparatory work would be involved before decisioii's could be inade and the actual work could be put in hand.