EMPIRE WOMEN'S WAR SHRINE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 142, 11 March 1919, Page 2

EMPIRE WOMEN'S WAR SHRINE

. THE WESTMINSTER SCHEME. Lady Bertha Do.wkins presided recently at a meeting of tho Empire War Memorial Committee at .Caxton Hall, when M'r. 'Reginald'"Neville described tho scheme, for the proposed reconstruction of a triangular area in Central \Yest : minster and the suggested shrine ami cloisters to be erected by Women of the Empire within the precincts of the Abbey in memory of the men who have fallen in the' war. Major C. J. Pawfey, the designer of •Hies chbnie, said the cost of the shrine was difficult to ascertain, but it had been, estimated at approximately J.'SCo,oflo. While they hoped to receive large donations, ho said, small subscriptions, were chiefly, desired, and ss. each from four million women would enable the scheme to .be carried out.- There were between ten and eleven million women on the register at tho general election, and here • was an opportunity for the women' to come forward anil crown the victory with .111 is beautiful shrine. If the three him-, rtred thousand women employed iu Government offices and munition works in London subscribed 10s. each for Christmas they would have a sum of .1:150,000 .to start with. Their intention was to proceedMvith the building at the earliest date, and if (his nnionyt was raised by the end of the year it would lie possible to lay the foundation stona before the end of. next. year. On the proposition of Canon Eawnslcy a resolution was carried supporting tho scheme and authorising the executive committee to approach the Dean and Chapter of Westminster regarding the site and the erection of the shrine.