WESTLAND WAR MEMORIAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1920, Page 2

WESTLAND WAR MEMORIAL.

COMMITTEE MEETING

The general and finance Committee’s met at tlie County Chambers at 8 .o’clock last evening. Present: Mr R. , Wild (voted jto the chair), Mesdames ' Devaney and Martip, Messrs Bruce, Stewart, Bruntop Apdrcwys apt} Evans. pripr jo the pieptipg a. visit was paid to Cass Square by some of the members of the Committee and it was reported that the site contemplated on the Eastern side of the Square facing the pavilion was considered eminently suitable for the erection of the cenotaph. A I spacp of ground is available there inside the track which forms a very suitable site for the memorial. The report

was received. It was resolved to call for designs for a suitable memorial in New Zealand and Australia, the cost to he not less than £1,500. , It was decided to arrange a foundation ceremony for Aanzae Day and to fall in with the arrangements of the Returned. Soldiers Associafon for the afternoon. It was decided to invite a returned soldier to he the principal speaker and perform the ceremony and extend an inviiatiop accordingly. The meeting th.en proceeded to consider matters of finance and the raising of the money. Provisional collectors throughout Westland wpre suggested, and it was resolved to ask the gentlemen named if they would divide the town of Hokitika into nine subareas, and sets of collectors were arranged. .The Mayors of Kumara, and Ross are to be asked to organise eollect-

ions for their towns and immediate disfript.

The Mayor, .Messrs Bruuton and Stewart were appointed a publicity committee. I.t was decided to publish the lists as ,thev came in, and the Hokitika ! Savings Bapk was appointed the banker. It was resolved to afford the children a special opportunity of contributing to tile fund through tlieir school teachers, and it was decided to earmark the nionev so raised to defray the cost of tho memorial pillar bearing the names of the fallen. It was mentioned that all contributions should be voluntary, and the children’s donations will be kept

npnrt from the parents’ gifts. The opinion was expressed that the public would feel it an honour and ft privilege to subscribe to the fund, and that there would not be any difficulty in raising the sum required. In order to bring the matter proininontly before the people, it wns resolved to circularise every household in ostland. A fixed time was arranged for the collectors to wait on the people. It was decided to invito the subscriptions between April loth and April 25th, and in the ten days to set apart- it was hoped Westland would rise to the occasion and provide the amount, thus avoiding the delay of a prolonged end indefinite appeal. The meeting " ns quite enthusiastic that his method of raising the amount needed would ho a success, and accomplished it would he to the honor and credit «,f tllp district for

all time. The meeting concluded at 9.20 o clock.