COOK MEMORIAL

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1537, 19 August 1905, Page 3

COOK MEMORIAL

PROPOSED CHANGE OF SITE.

A meeting of tho committee of the Cook Memorial Fund was held in Townley’s Hall yesterday afternoon, there being present : His Wprship the Mayor (Mr J. Townloy) in the chair, Mesdames T. Coleinan and Townjey, and Messrs W. Webb, J. G. Cox, and W, Gaudin. Tho Ohairpj’an introduced Mr W. Mason, of the firm of Messrs McNab and Mason, of Auokland, whose design for the prppoeed memorial has been accepted, to the meeting. Tho Mayor also made a short statement giving the reasons for tbe delay which had taken place in’regard to placing the ordor-for the memorial. Mr Mason stated that ho bad twice vißited the locality where it was proposed to ereot the memorial, and he could not advise the oommittee to plaoe it thore. There was a risk of the £IOOO beipg thrown away, as tbe bill might at a,uy time come away. There was a good site ah the foot of the bill where Bishop Williams’ house formerly stood. This spot could be converted into a park, and made a vory pretty place. The Mayor said that it would be as well to have a public meeting called to consider tho question; Mi Gaudin thought the matter was one for the committee themselves to settle. If

they opened the question of sites and made it a public matter' there would be no telling where it would end. The movement had been started for the expres* purpose of marking the first landing of place! of Captain Cook in Now Zealand, and towards

this end subscriptions had been contributed. He favored the site at the foot of the hill bejng adop|Bd. Captain Tucker had offered an acre of land abutting on the road, and with the portion of the road that they could take in, a very pretty park could be made.

Mr J. G. Cox endorsed the former speaker’s remarks. He thought the committee should themselves deoide where the site should be.

. Mr Coleman was aleo of this opinion. The sife should be at once settled, and the memorial erected at the earliest possible date, The Mayor regretted that the site seleoted by the early committee could not be aocepted, but on tho face of Mr Mason's opinion it would not be wise to erect the memorial on the hill. The memoria

should bo pul on a solid and substantial aito. Ho moved tho following resolution : “ That having hoard Mr Mason in rogard I lo Iho sits soleotod, a goneral mooting of tho oommitloo bo oallod to consider tho matter and dooido on a moro auUnblo sito." Mr Qnudin seoondod tho motion, whioh was unanimously adopted. It was decided that a goner*! mooting of tho oommitteo should bo oonvonod by circular for tho following Monday evening at faalf-pc.st Boven.