OTAKI PEACE MEMORIAL

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 28 January 1920, Page 3

OTAKI PEACE MEMORIAL

MUNICIPAL BUILDING SOOM ABANDONED. j| A meeting of the Otaki P? Memorial Committee was held at 1 Town Board office last night. Prese Messrs J. S. Pole .(chairman), J.--Bills, 11. Freeman. T. B. Bax, P. Pe and Rev. Petric. . The Chairman explained that 4 meeting had been called for the pi pose of receiving the report of the ct vassers (Messrs Preeman and Baj and to decide what further action, any, was to be taken re the propose scheme for peace, memorial at Otaki. Mr H. Preeman reported that he ha met with a very poor response in cai vassing. In most cases he met with fla refusals. Many old settlers in n. sroC financial position, who had made a " their money in the place, had failed t give the scheme any support. Som said they considered the ratepaye:

should erect municipal building another prominent citizen said jj would prefer to see drainage, iva | or electric lighting schemes adopted I preference to municipal InildinJ and other excuses were mad? Oil gentleman had promised a filiation, but had not stated the oxaetj'miount . while he was assured of a of. small sums, but Lad not bothc*" a» ou fl those, thinking it would be/seless to proceed further unless mon sup? o ' ' was forthcoming from thefwealttaer people. 'Mr Freeman said th's *™ «» first time in his experience that he a done SO badly at canvassing,, anci was exceedingly sfirry to have pi sent such a dismal report. «« Mr T. B. Bax reported that he t| met with a little better success tin™ Mr Freeman, but.still he had been dis couraged by the lack of public support of the project. Some of the busincs people had responded most liberall; and he read the amounts promise him (already published in th "Mail"), including several generous gifts of £IOO and £SO each. Quite a large number of those in fair circumstances, however, refused to give a penny, and he had met with so many refusals that he had become disgusted It seemed to him thai many people objected to using the soldier.-' uam>

to raise money for the memorial. Ml Bax added that he had been connected with a good many public projects, but had never met with such discouragement as in this proposal. Mr Bills said there was evidently nothing to do but drop the v.hole! scheme. Mr Penn expressed keen disappointment at the result of the canvass, and said it would appear tiuvt the project Lad not the support of the public, and therefore it should be abandoned. He thought it a great pity that those who were oppose! to the scheme had not voiced their opinions at the publiemeetings held, at which the proposals; had been carried unanimously. Otaki'j was unfortunate in having so manjr citizens who were "passive resistors," and blocked any cutcrprising project by refraining from assisting it. Rev. Petrie also expressed great regret that the big scheme had fallen' through He had had doubts from the beginning as to whether ihe scheme] was not rather too big for Otaki, but , had hop3d that the wealthier people ' would lave responded to the call for' ' such an object. The excuse? given the' canvassers for non-support \»ere very, ' lame o:es. Mr Petric said the big i scheme had now uo chance of being ' carried nut, but he thought the public* ' should liflvp an opportunity of saying. 5 Tvhethe something on a smaller seale| ' should iot be undertaken. t The Chairman said ho had been' ' hopeful of a better result. Swing, 1 that thee residents had donated £750 < as a stefc, he thought it a great tcflection en the town that more hac not ' ( i'ollowo- this splendid example. The I < buf.iue3!peopli and the working classes < would c their part well, but. the well- * to-do riidents had absolutely t»it*i .- It was noteworthy that several of j t those wo urged that the erectioa ad a mnnicipi buildings was a matter for] the To* Board, and should bo done byj p

were outside the Tow | 0 Board a.n. an.] would thus be excm-" | e from an; special rate for such, loan. | „ It wa;then resolved, on the motiorj M of Mr JMUi. seconded by the Rev3 t; Petrie, 'That, in view of the poork response iet with by the this comiittee with regret recomuienOi the publi that the proposed peaej 0 viiemorial .heme be abandoned.'' j w On thc-.iotion of Mr Bills. seconde.| (-, by Rev. Ptrie. a hearty vote of thank.? B was aeeoied the canvassers for great amunt of trouble they taken in ;>e matter. h( After a ittle discussion, it was de- | cided to tae no further action re peace 1 memorial, wing it to the public to ! f move in t c airecticn of ano:~ er R (•ehome. if., £ho*jgfit fir, a The setotary was asked to an ftceoun of the expenses incurred, k woul have to be shaned by jxnenibers I the committee. J