COOK MEMORIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1950, 5 December 1906, Page 2

COOK MEMORIAL.

A meeting of tho Cook Memorial Committee was hold at the Mayor’s residence yesterday afternoon. Present: His Worship tho Mayor (Mr J, Townlcy), Mrs Townlcy, Messrs J G. Cox, F. Harris, A. F. Kennedy, Eowloy, AVebb, and AV. J. P. Gaudin (secretary). Mr J, G. Black wrote: “ Noticing that your committee are holding a meeting, and will, I presume, be considering tljic erasing of the troopers’ names from the stone. If this is carried out I will subscribe £2 2s towards the cost of the work so as to make it a Cook memorial only.” Tho Secretary stated that lie had also received an oiler on behalf of returned troopers to defray the cost of removing the names- The inscription had cost J 650. The question was how the taking of the names off would affect the Patriotic Committee’s funds. 1 Mr Harris: Arc they asking anything in lieu of this ? The Secretary: No; you have tho whole of the offer there-'

Air Harris; Only the Patriotic Coins mittee can release us.

The Chairman: That is all. He went on to show that every means had been taken to malic the intention of the committee in the matter public. His impression still wa-i that the ihiDg was quite right, and nobody would oanvinoe him to the conkaty, He had beard no reason for the names boing taken off Ho'referred to. the letter of a disinterested goutiemao, asorotury of the British end Foreign Sailors’ Sooiety, v7io highly eulogised tho monument.

Mr Gaudin said ho would not offer any ojoetion to tho names being taken off if he cLcpubt it was the wish of the public, but ho did not think so. Mr Cos said from tho remarks he had heard by the troopers ho believed they wore unanimous in desiring thoic names erased from She roam portion of tho monument, though thoy would not object to a small tablet at the base. Mr Townlsy had said tho public know what they were going to do, but no one bad thought chat instead of a minor part they were m have a cr jar part.

Tue usual discussion net in, terminating in the carrying of a motion proposed by Mr Kennedy and seconded by Mr Gaudin lo supply the information caked for by the troopers. It was atatsd the amount required was £2OO, £l5O of tho Patriotio Oommittee’s money, and £SO the oost of he inscription.