DISTRICT WAR MEMORIAL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4332, 19 October 1921, Page 2

DISTRICT WAR MEMORIAL

THE ORGANISER’S APPEAL. Air J. L. Hanna,, organiser of the Paeroa District War Memorial Committee, stands in the following eloquent appeal tfor funds

Eighteen months ago a committee was l set up tp make preliminary ar~ rangements for the .erection of a suitable war memorial to the memory of those brave /men who fell for us in the Great, War and to. commemorate the Victory and Peace resulting therefrom. This committee, last night reported to a public meeting, and it was decided to erect a Memorial Arch at the Thames Ro.ad entrance to Paeroa Domain, and that the district be the Paeroa and Kaimanawa of Ohinemuri County, the Netherton Riding of Hsuraki Plains County, and the Borough of Paeroa, the same district that united for war relief wprk.' The arch is to cost £B5O, and the sum to be raised is £9OO, arid this sum is to be raised in fourteen days. The canvassing committee consists of Messrs W.. Bain, G. P. de Castro, W. J. Enticott. G. P. Lamb, J. W. Silcock, and A. White, and the writer has beep, appointed organiser. This committee realises that probably no/ time could have been chosen for launching this campaign/when the money market was harder, when free money was less readily available—that would have given the less grateful (if any) of the s public an opportunity of! finding an. excuse for not contributing, but the committee also realistes that the honour and duty to, and affection of, this district to .thte fallfen heroes, and its gratitude for the resulting Peace and Victory, is such that , the Public will, realising that the only real giving is that which cavuses a sacrifice, rise to the occasion, and give to the lastpenny of its ability. . • There is rio person in this district to whom our project can vainly appeal—those friends of ours,, the bbys/ we loved in the days when all sefem-v ed bright and joyous, lie far away from !home and many buried in alien soil. For us and for their kin no monument yet stands to mark our pddc in their achievement, our gratitude for its result. But soon in our town, in the centre of our district, will arise an edifice than - which no more fitting could be conceived,, the contemplation of which will inculcate for all time in us and in the rising generations the. same devotion to duty 'as animated those whom we honour. . Will, you have a share in this ? We must have £9OO in fourteen days.

“Are you going to allow the opportunity of doing your share to pass ? Are you going to haggle as to how/ little you can give, or are you going to meet the demand in the spirit of giving that the cause demands by donating what you yourself know best you can? It may mean sacrifice,, it may mean self-denial, but surety your honour is at, stake and our honour is at stake, and the end is worthy ofi the means.. Many districts much smaller than ours—districts that are not even shown*.on the map—have erected their me.morial, and. to this extent- have vindicated their honour and duty ip those who, nuLde the supreme sacrifice. We are depending on you and are confident that pur trust will not be misplaced, basing our faith on the . reality and depth of your affectionate esteem for the memory, of the fallen and your gratitude for the result they made possible. ' . Remember then:. / The objective is £9OO. The period is four teen. days.. The dates are October ,21 to November 4. : • This is a debt of honour payable before all other debts, and that honour is the keynote of the whole scheme .and that your giving should be . all that your honour prompts,. And, thinking seriously, what would your, position have been had we suffered. defeat, and gauge the amount of your thankoffering by that. Can you b,e honest to yourself and fail to give ? . What we need is that the money shall be in hand by December 21 ;hext at the latest to eiiable arrangements to be made to commence work immediately in the new year. It is proposed to unveil the memorial* on April 25, 1922 (Anzac Day).