THE WAR MEMORIAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5436, 17 June 1929, Page 2

THE WAR MEMORIAL.

PROPOSED FORM DISCUSSED. MEETING FAVOURS CENOTAPH. A small gathering was present at the community singing on Friday night, no doubt owing to the intense cold. After detailing what had already been done in the matter of a queen carnival, and explaining some further suggestions, the Mayor, Mr W. Marshall, who presided, said that he considered those present the heart of the movement, and he hoped they would use their good offices to help break down any antagonism. There was quite a considerable number of people who preferred some other sort of war memorial. So far as he could gather, the erection of a ladies’ rest-room and Plunket room was suggested—a very worthy thing to do. The day was not far distant when Paeroa would have to provide these two things. However, it was a mistake to say that good conveniences did not exist in connection with the present Plunket room. The Plunket nurse had said that the room was 4s good as they desired. There was no real need for anything better. As it had been suggested that mothers were kept away on account of lack of conveniences, ete., he would like this made known. Mr Marshall said he hod gi /vii careful thought to the rest room ; it did not appear to him to fit the case. It was not like erecting a memorial purely for those who served and fell, a memorial which would serve as an inspiration to those who came afterwards. .Tradition and knowledge of the courageous acts of their forefathers had made the great British nation what it was to-day. New Zealand was a young country without any local traditions, but these would come and serve for those coming after. If a memorial was erected such as the council proposed, all young men and women, not only in this century but in the next, would find inspiration, appeal, and thought of tradition represented in the memorial. Mr Marshall referred to a visit of his to New Plymouth and the memorial there, which it was proposed to copy in design for the one here. If the memorial in New Plymouth had been a ladies’ rest-room he would not have seen it. If one was built in Paeroa, young men would not know of its existence, as it was a place they did not go to. Something was wanted to appeal to men. It was a question of the utilitarian and ethical. If a restroom was built, would it not be that in doing something to the meinoiy of the fallen we would be doing something for ourselves. The memorial should be something not for ourselves, but a tribute to those who had given their lives. The speaker said he was perfectly certain that the gathering was in sympathy with this view. All would realise that it was for the best. He confessed that at one time'he had held utilitarian views, but he had since realised that there were some things one could not assess—into which the question of profit and loss could not enter. What was needed was a memorial that would make history and would have influence on generations yet unborn. Mr Marshall declared that there would be no cross on the cenotaph which it was proposed to erect. The only added decorations would be wreaths and a light of remembrance—a light which would never go out, one which could be seen from all the approaches to Paeroa, and far and wide. It was not even proposed to put thereon the names of those men who had died : then’ names would be engraved on parchment, so as to be recorded for posterity, which would probably be kept in the borough office until a library of more pretentious style was erected. It was naturally hard to be unanimous on everything.

The Mayor said he had prepared the skeleton outline of the scheme. His colleagues had discussed it. At the finish he had asked them if they were prepared to do their jobs, and though fully realising the time and sacrifice involved each one had said yes. The result of that meeting had given him a greater’ feeling of exultation than he had experienced in all his six years of office. He had also received a letter of apology from someone who had been unable to attend the previous “sing,” and in that letter was a cheque for £5 towards the unemployment scheme, a promise of a further £5, and the offer of £lO worth of goods should the ladies be holding a stall. Mrs Marshall had told him of a lady who, though unable to help financially, volunteered that if there was any work to be done she would be only too glad to help. This offer, said Mr Marshall, he valued as high as (the first. The spirit, not the pocket ; the widow’s mite and the highest donation were equally acceptable in the spirit they were proffered. Those who favoured the cenotaph Mr Marshall advised to help those who thought otherwise as much as they possibly could ; to be very kind and patient with them. Seven or eight years ago the erection of a memorial had been found most difficult because opinions were so divided that the matter was made impossible. He suggested that a little careful thought individually should be given to the subject, and that it be talked over. A pole would probably be erected on Primrose Hill on the projected site of the cenotaph, somewhere where a cenotaph would not be forgotten. The Mayor added that it was a mistake to think that the Bradford Memorial on the hill would be forgotten. Visitors to Paeroa always asked what was the hill and what was the monument. If possible the new memorial should be added, and a new access, with an easy grade, and an asphalt path would make approach easier in every way. In conclusion Mr Marshall asked for the assistance necessary to bring the proposals to a successful close. Mr H. Poland asked if it was not possible to erect some other form of a war memorial other than a cenotaph. In spite of the strong argument the Mayor had given he st ill felt that a much better form of memorial

might be erected. A cenotaph was a cold testimonial without inspiration.

In years to come, if Britain was unfortunately called upon to go to war and send forth her men he did not believe a cenotaph would be an i> spiration to them. In fact, it was not an inspiration, but was useless. The boys who went from Paeroa to the front and laid down their lives had been in as great a proportion as any in New Zealand. If those boys could return and were asked if they desired a headstone—and after all a cenotaph was only a collective headstone ; if they had died in Paeroa the only difference would have been individual headstones at the local cemetery—they would say “No.” Nor would the mothers of those boys who had died believe that it was the best form of memorial. Mr Poland reiterated that it was not. As for the Bradford Memorial, there were people who had been in Paeroa 10 years and had not been up the hill to see it. Occasionally visitors did so. A memorial need not go on the hill. Mr Poland emphasised that he did not object to a memorial, but he objected most strongly to the proposed form it was to take. It was very unwise to do anything which might upset the success of the movement, and whatever happened in regard to a memorial it would not stop him from supporting the proposal. However, again criticising the suggested form, Mr Poland said that a rest-room might be more advisable. An inscription in front of such a memorial in the form of a concrete building would be seen and be a more striking inspiration, and every man passing in the street would see it. A public library would be better than a cenotaph if funds permitted. Of course, there was the point of which would give more employment in construction, a rest-room or a memorial on the hill. In conclusion Mr Poland said that while he would assist the unemployment scheme to the utmost he could not sir, still and leave without saying that he disagreed entirely with the proposed form of memorial.

Mr W. Forrest said he was sorry to disagree with Mr Poland. Previously he had agreed with him in everything, but most emphatically not on this occasion. The memorial had not been a new thing with him, he had always advocated it. The memorial should be to the memory of the dead, and to them only ; not one for me, two for you. Referring to the War Museum in Auckland, Mr Forrest said that if half the people there who had subscribed funds had known the eventual form it would take they would not have contributed. The people of Auckland had been tricked. Striking- a simile as illustrative of the utilitarian and ethical sides of the question, Mr Forrest quoted the case of the late Mr Costley, of Auckland, 40 years ago. When he died he left a goodly portion of his large fortune to the establishing of a library, and to the endowment of a home for the sick and the needy. The Press of that time was unanimous that a wonderful memorial would be established so that Mr Costley’s name would be remembered for all time. What had happened. No one knew of him and he was forgotten. If some tangible iponument had been raised to him which everyone could see he would have been remembered. If a library was built in Paeroa, in a hundred years the original idea for which it was built would be forgotten. A cenotaph would stand as an inspiration for 100, 200, aye, may-be for 1000 years. Unless they approached the subject in a united spirit it would be hard to carry on. Everything possible should be done to make it a success, and it ought to go right through now. Mr F. Hubbard spoke in support of Mr Poland and a rest-room. Mr Marshall said that there was one thing certain, they could not be unanimous. There was a sentence in the leading article of “The Hauraki Plains Gazette” that day which was not quite correct. It was not really a question of “modern thought,” for the argument between utilitarian and ethical had been one long existent in history. On that subject it was impossible to get unity. Further, he knew of no other building that would supply so much work for the workless as the war memorial proposed. In the case of a rest-room or library most of the money would be spent on material, and nine-tenths of the men employed would be skilled, whereas the unemployed were mostly unskilled men. All the time he had been Mayor he had felt the thought accusing him of the lack of a war memorial in Paeroa. Last Anzac Day he had felt the reproach more than he had felt anything before. He wished to rid himself of that reproach, and now gave the opportunity of doing the work or of leaving it undone. If it failed this time it would never be done. For any other type of memorial than a cenotaph a good deal of the money would go out of the district, thereby 'destroying the double object of giving work to the local unemployed and at the same time erecting a long-delayed memorial. He had exercised deep thought on how the two things could be combined so as to secure the £ for £ subsidy. The cenotaph proposal was the result. This would be very hard to achieve from any other standpoint. Gates, rest-rooms, etc., had all been gone thoroughly into and threshed out. Last week a meeting had approved of a cenotaph, and he would like the present meeting to say whether it was in favour or whether it wanted the subject reconsidered. On a show of hands the meeting voted six to one in favour of the cenotaph. Cr. Edwards, thereupon, in a brief speech, said that when the matter was discussed at the council table he had not agreed to the cenotaph. He wanted something useful. But the question had been thoroughly threshed out from every aspect. He found himself in the minority, and realising the good of the whole unemployment scheme, he had agreed with the majority. He hoped that the people of Paeroa would join now and realise the honest effort made by the council to provide work for the unemployed. He asked the public to sink their differences, be united, be enthusiastic, and take the scheme to success.