WESTLAND WAR MEMORIAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1920, Page 1

WESTLAND WAR MEMORIAL.

A CENOTAPH DECIDED ON

A public meeting was held in the Town Hall last evening to consider the report of the Committee as to the design and site of the proposed War Memorial. The Mayor,(Mr G. A. Perry), presided, and there was an attendance of about twenty present. Mr Perry stated that the report of the Committee had been published, and judging by the small attendance that night thero were no serious objections to the proposals put forward. He would move that the jiroposed memorial he of a non-utilitarian design. Seconded by Mr Bruce and agreed to. ft was resolved that the suggested site, Cuss Square, be approved.

The Mayor invited a discussion on the question of design, of which the Committee had suggested three. Mr Bruce (County Chairman) said lie bad, since the.last meeting seen four memorials, and that, of, a cenotaph bad taken bis fancy. He moved that No 2 proposal.be adopted. Mr Coulson .seconded the motion, considering a cenotaph, most appropriate for the proposed memorial. He thought it was wise to cut out any utility proposal, and to make the memorial a fitting one for tlio object in view.

Hr Breeze supported the proposal which he considered the most appropriate. , Mr Perry said his preference, was for an obelisk, on lines of . that created for the Dover Patrol, . which fulfilled his ideal of a memorial, of this kind. His second preference was the cenotaph.

Mrs Butler asked if it were not possible to obtain designs from the Depart nient of Internal Affairs, which had sup plied them to other bodies. Mr Evans thought a cenotaph would meet the ease. The obelisk referred to by Mr Perry ,as a memorial to the Dover Patrol was a very noticeable one, but it had to be tall as it was erected on the cliffs at Dover and was made to be seen from a long distance, at sea. It was .noticeable ,from.,the papers that in England and in Canada they were deciding on cenotaphs. He suggested that they call for applications for designs. It was not necessary to have an expensive design, as long as it served to epinmeniorate their purpose. In reply to. an .enquiry, the Mayor sakl he. thought, the,Committe already appointed, would ultimately decide the actual form of the cenotaph. The, motion was agreed to. Mr- Bruce, then moved that designs lie invited. Seconded by Mrs Butler and carried. .. - . + „ The Committee were empowered to carry, out. the, recommendations made bv the meeting. ■ ' The meeting then terminated with a vote ..of thanks to the Mayor for presiding.