THE CENOTAPH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5437, 19 June 1929, Page 2

THE CENOTAPH.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Might I through the medium of your valued paper refer again to the question of a ladies’ rest-room as a memorial instead of a cenotaph. Seemingly, last Friday evening the Mayor and councillors thought the matter had been decided at the previous week’s gathering. That, surely, was premature. The notice of the first meeting was only published a few days before the meeting was held. The community singing and business of the meeting was all a surprise to the general public. No doubt the “knights of the round table” discussed and settled the affair earlier—of course, “to be forewarned is to be forearmed.” Many folk need time to consider such a momentous question, and the arguments for a rest-room put forward by Mr Poland deserve careful consideration. The mothers, some now aged, of “our glorious dead” would surely derive more comfort for their inestimable loss when resting weary limbs in a cosy seat in the ladies’ rest-room than in gazing when tired at a cold cenotaph. True, in a few years the ' youth of the town might not know just how the rest-room came to be erected ; but it would still serve its useful purpose. As for the cenotaph, when the era of peace—for which all nations are hoping—dawns, might we not be ashamed of our monuments to civilised barbarism ? However, the powers that be have decided that a cenotaph shall be erected. We understand only a further £4OO is now required for that purpose. Let us labour so much, then, that sufficient funds will be available for a rest-room as

well. RETURNED SOLDIER’S WIFE.