WAIKATO SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 79, 25 April 1918, Page 2

WAIKATO SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL.

Time Not Opportune. A meeting of public men from the Matamata district, convened by the Town board, w'as held in Matamata on Saturday, to discuss a letter relative to the proposed Waikato Soldiers’ Memorial, at Hamilton. There were present Messrs J. Price (chairman), Cr Stopford (Matamata County council), Whyte and McDonald (Okauia branch N.Z.F.U.), Neal (Omahine branch N.Z.F.U.), W. A. Gordon, E. C. Banks, J. Pohlen, J. F. Vosper, A. A. Bowler (Matamata branch N.Z.F.U) and J. McNair (Matamata A. and P. Association.) The matter was well discussed by all present, but while recognising the duty of the people towards the men who had fought and were fighting, the speakers generally considered that the money proposed to be expended could be better used in the direction of prosecuting the war to a successful conclusion. Several of the representatives carefully refraining from giving an opinion as to whether one central, or local memorials would be most suitable. The following motion, proposed by Mr A. A Bowler and seconded by Mr J. Pohlen, was carried unanimously : —“ That this meeting of various local bodies in the Matamata district consider the present time inopportune for the erection of a soldiers’ memorial building in Hamilton and recommend that the matter be left in abeyance until after the end of the war.”