“A WHITE ELEPHANT"

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 456, 11 September 1928, Page 16

“A WHITE ELEPHANT"

WAR MEMORIAL UPKEEP ONEHUNGA PLEDGES SUPPORT The question of the Auckland War Memorial Bill was again discussed by the Onehunga Borough Council last evening, when the previous decision was reversed, and a motion to support the Bill was carried on the Mayor’s casting vote. Mr. H. E. Vaile wrote stating that the amount estimated for the upkeep of the War Memorial Museum had been reduced from £6,000 to £5,500 a year. He asked the council not to oppose the Bill now before the House. Cr. E. S. Morton said that he was opposed to the council’s funds being spent in Auckland. Certain people, he said, had collected so much money that they had completely lost their heads, and the funds had been lavished on a costly building that was nothing but a “white elephant.” Now they were casting about in all directions to find more money to maintain it. Onehunga had not been consulted in regard to the structure, but now that the museum authorities found themselves floundering in deep water they wanted Onehunga to help them out. It was a wrong thing to shoot away money to one man to the tune of £1,500 a year. The motion to support the Bill, provided the levy was made on the basis of capital values, was carried on the casting vote of the Mayor. Cr. Morton gave notice of motion to rescind the resolution at the next meeting of the council.