Combined Memorial Effort Favoured

Chronicle (Levin), 3 June 1948, Page 3

Combined Memorial Effort Favoured

When delegates~ frorri' the various sports , bodies and .other organisu■tions met members of the * Shdnnon aird District War Memorial Hall Committee in the Renown Theatre on Monday night they were almost unanimous. fh their decision that any move-to raise funds, for the erection of. the /, Memorial Hall shouid be ,in, the nature of one . b'ig combined eliort. Tiiis was contrary to the ldeas of the hall committee, wnich suggested that owing to the large amount to be ralsecl, some £4000, the various organisations be approached with the view to making their own ihdividual effort for the first year, and then terminate the appeal with one big effort sponsored by the hall committee with the help of the piiblic. The meeting was calle'd as the result of an inv-itation extended to 1tie organisations by the hall committee to ascertain whetner they were prepared to support the scheftie put forward by the committee. . . Ip opening the meeting the chairman, Mr. R. R. Lind, outlfned the progress which the cpmmittee had made to date, and stated that it had been the hope of the c'ommittee to present a sketcn plan of a suggested memorial hall, which could be altered to suit the requirements and the . section decided upon by the public. Unfortunately, however, the plans were not available, as the architect who had offered to prepare them was now in Fiji. In reply to a question, Mr. Lind stated that a tentative estimate of the cost would also accompany the plans. On the motion of Mr. R. Herbert it was decided that a cable be sent to the architect asking when. the plans could be expected and when these come to hand, a meeting be called to decide on what the requirements of the various organisations would be. Mr. Lind went on to state' that a cireular letter had been sent out to aii' the1. organisations • in the district iriviting them tokhear the yieWs of the hall committee. Those organisations /who were 'interested y)ere visited by Mr.-' Herbert arid hims'elf, and, the suggestions for raisirig fuirds placed before . them. Mr. Lind theh called upon Mr. Herbert to outline the suggestion. Mr. Herbert stated that the various organisations visited had offered their full support-. toetoe appeal, and he was very pleased with the results of, the vislts. He went, on to outline the scheme for raisin'g the money needed. Owing to the large amount required ;fpr the erection -of tjhe half, some £4000,. th.e; committee had agreed that. the various, organisations be apprpach-e'd/-{with a .view to enlisting their help for the first tweive months, and when it was known what amount remained to be coliected, fresh blood, " the hall • committee, would organise a final big appeal. Mr. Herbert said that the committee felt that if the big effort was launched from the start and the required amount not obtained, there would be great difficulty in going to the public again with another big appeal, whereas, if the organisations were to conduct their own appeals for a start, the committee felt sure that at the en'd of two years the full amount could be raised. He suggested that the Fire Brigade'and the'R.S.A. could raise £500 each and the Federated Farmers could also raise a large sum. Mr. C. Tremewen, who represented the fire brigade, stated that £500 was a very large sum to be raise'd by tweive fire brigade members, and that in the recent carnival conducted by the brigade they had received the help of several strong committees of people outside the brigade. While the brigade was fully behind the appeal, he felt that a big combined effort should be hel'd from the start. Mr. C. D. Gyde, another representative of the brigade, said that he felt honoured by the remarks of Mr. Herbert in connection with the brigade's organising ability, but he was of the same oplnion as Mr. Tremewan that £500 was " a very large sum to be expected from isuch a small body of men. He also favoured the suggestion of the big effort from the start. Mr. F. Edmonds (Shannon Bowling Club), Mr. D. Cole, Junr. (Football Club) , Mr. E. Barber (Federated Farmers), Mr. F. J. Lucinsky: (Miniature Rifle Club) , Mr. B, Clayton (R.S.A.) and Mr. D." A. Jones (Table -Tennis Club)/ all stated. that their organisations were fully behind the committee in its efforts to raise funds for the hall, but the? matter had not been fully discussedj by their committees and if was their duty, to find out what was expected of them and then report back to their committees. ! Mrs. Parr, of the local branch of the Women's Institute, stated that her committee had already made a small donation toj the fund and would help further in the future. Mrs. C. -Tremewan said the Plunket Society could not help as an. organisation, but would help in any way. possible as individuals. •. Mr. W. C. Higgie, who represented the Buckley Golf Club, said that he was in the same position as many other delegates and could not place his committee under any obligation, but he felt sure that the

club would be prepared to hold a gala day on the links in aid of the fund, All the speakers seemed to favour the suggestion that a big effort to raise the required sum should be held from the beginning, and Mr. Higgie moved in this direction. Mr. V. J. Bateman seconded this motion: After a lengthy discussion on the subject, the motion was put to the meeting and carried. As the committee now have to return to the public with the suggestion, no further business could be discussed and the meeting was brought. to a close, with a vote of thanks to. the chair.