CABLE NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 19 June 1902, Page 2

CABLE NEWS

By Elbctmo Tklbghaph—Oopybioht. ♦ SOUTH AFRICAN AFFAIRS. SUSPENSION Of C\PB CONS'ITOTION P)C« PRESS ASSOCIATION. LONDOX, JuD« 17. Mr Graham, the Acting-Premier at Caps Town, is opposed to th« suspension of tti» CjistitutisD, aseucuaction was unnecessary, and would brand the cjlony with ihi stigma of rebellion, because two percent of the whites ware rebels. ~, JHB febtoria plot. Loxdoh, June 17. The Pr.tori* p'ot waa discovered through en officer who underwood Dutch overhearing a plotter accosting Beyers in the street. FALLEN TROOPIRS' MEMORIAL. A pub'ic meeting waa held at tha Town Hall on Wednesday evening to discuss the question of tbe areotion of a memoiial to Taranaki treopara wh» bave fall n in the South African w»r. 1 lhe Mayor presided, and there were present M< ssrs N. E. MacDitrmtd, D. Berry, S. W. Shaw, W. H. Slinnor, 8. Smith, F. Gatriogton, J. Mynott, W. Cou'tney, H. D>mpsey, F. P. Corkil 1 , 0 Bundle, Bellrirger, B. Snowball, F. SStobr, W. A. Ojllw, VT. J. Ihaw, H. Goid,cre, W. Ambu'yaed D. O'Brien. In introducing tbe business, Mr Djckrill said the matter of a memerial had been discussed at some length in 1900. Latterly it had been stated that at no one else was moving in tbe , matter the Ohuich of England people i bad taken it up. This meeting was, he pointed out, called in nccordVoe , with a promise made in 1900 that the . question wuuU be fully <o»eid«red when peace was dec'ared. Mr Dockrill then read a letter fr >m Rev. F. 0. Evans apologising for hie unavoidable absence and expressing a hope that the meeting would join issue with tha promoters of a nn-marial to be erected »t S\ Mary's Church, a place which would be open to the public for all time. But if it was decided to «r«ct an independent memoral the writer a«id 1 he would do all in bis po«r*r to assist. At this paint a te'-gram f>om hie ' Excellency tbe G >vernor was h>nded to ' 'he Mayor, and a* it bore on 'he sub- * ject under dicus*ion, his Wo ship retd ' it a< follows:

" The Gov ruor de.inr«« to draw your Wer»hip's atteetion to lb* movement he is desirous to inaugurate to eitab'iih a home to bold oome forty aged veterans n ho have seen active service in the Army, Navy, or Colonial Furc-s. Ho hus this day r-cuved a cab'e from L ndon irifoimi'g him that H..E.8. Princess Ori-ti n, president cf the Incorporated Soldie a and Sailors Help Society, en'irely approve* of tHe eeaibli hmtmt of sucb a Lome, and th*t she • ill placj the matter b fore h-r ovamitt'o with the K>st delay possible. The Governor w uM point cu'. ibat the estab ibhaiea'. of his home would be of inestimable benefit now to very m«ny respectable men who have, h«eide* ether deeds elsewhere in our Empir', done much to pre»e>ve hie Majesty's supremacy in New Zealand. Old age homes and other charitable inatitu'ions do not cover the necessities or these p r oplp, who mostly pref-r to live independently in dire poverty to h.ving wither to be feparated from their wives r to be mixed up with the crowd of unfortunates who may 1m obliged to live oo the c u-itry's charity, amongst whom ara many imbeciles, or kufferifjg from incurable diseases. This condition of things should not be. The Empire owe* much to those w*.o have served it, and t' ough many receive pensions others are not so f< rtunate. [', would b» not only a great act "f kindq sj to thfsi old p opleif thee'abliehmui't of a home fjr them i-ou'd be quxkly realis d, but such a home w< uM be a fitting memorial to the mai.y wlo have lost th-Ji'r Ims in South Africa. it would els > cpmmeaiorite in a I sting md useful manner th»ir Majesties' eoronatun year. The Governor expresses a Lope that this proj c". may meet with )our Wo ship'* support, and that you will establish a committee to collect funds with a vi»w to helping tbisebj->c*. The Governor f-e's confident that he will now receive good support from Ei g'and to assist in its establishment, provided the people of New Z aland support the m< vement, He, however, hag no inteuuen <f

launching a new charity on the c-lony until be sees that it can be made permanently succ s-fu'. The funds collected can b« all cated to any of the following.--1. Building and furnishing fund ; 2. Endowment < f an /» memorian bed or rot*age; 3. Per* mantnt endowment. Th< situation of the fir,-t borne must be in tb« North Island, two-third* of tbose for whom >* is at present required liv ng tt re. if funds p.TUiit a s cond home • f a similar ntture could ba after*ar.!s esttbl'shed e'sewhere. " Ranpurlt " The Mayor then r«ad Press ex-tract-i publ shed in 1900, dsali'ig with he intentions <f tbe Patriotic Committee and oth-ra. It had bean con-sider-d undesL-xbl* to attempt to tract u wernoi i 4 unil p-ace was derl ire<i, as i hey could Dot then tell ho* many names might have to be include J. Tbe funds collected wrre obt«ined for patriotic purp*se>, and could oot bi \ib'A for a memorial un il all our men had returned, and their neds wrre supplied. Any residut might theo bs -itvoted to the me nori il. Th re was one thing lie would like to s>y : Tfie matter should not be lrft to any one section - t-tligious or secular—of the :: immunity ; the whole of the people were iut rested, and should He cooHe hoped that in whatever ivm Hoiip, th-re would be p rf *ct ui»niiniry. He thought there should certainly ba ou>, and only o e memorial. Mr S. W. Shaw explained how the fund had I esn started for a m* norial vt S". Miry's. As one who hit -ilways o.ien iutetestel i<i St. AUryV, l.e li ught t hat as there were ihe reunins of a number of soldiers who htd fulljii <n our.owo war, and as there was also i number of ha'ohments there she clinch possessed an i istoric interest, and was the meat appropriate place for a memorial. Tbe amounts raise! were given oaths understanding i hat the memorial wat to *»• placed ■u St. Mary's Oon chyard. At pr«eat there was absut £75 in bxnd. He hop.d, however, that so.ue aiiictide .vraugemeot would he come t> in regard to a i/ohmi'.il m'iuq ii., but he .■o ill not a k the subscribers 6i fill i.i *itu any o her proposals sj far as their pi-cKunt fund was coicernei ll* was m accoid with tbe Governor's suggestion, but it frhould be kept i-epara'e fro ii the motmiia] al.e dy s .b*cribed. foi.

Mr Stohr stated what had been done by the Patriotic Committee. Any memorial erected from thtir fund <*as not to be erected on the ground of any particular denomination. He hoped the Ohurch of England people would allow their funds to go iuto the Patriotio Fund. Mr Courtney said he could not see why, if any one church ehoie to erect a tablet or memorial, it should not do so. Most people would be willing to con tribute toward a general monument as well. Speaking on the Govern 'i '« sug gestion, Mr Courtney said he was will ing to give an acre of ground at Fi zroy, for half the valuation that might be placed on it by two indrpeodent men, or he would give £2O on condition that the memorial was erected in Taranaki. Mr Stohr thought subscriptions should be limited te Is. In reply to Mr Cork ill, the Mayor Bud the Patriotic Committee had about £l5O in hand at present. Mr MacDiarmid agre«d with the remarks made by the Mayor and Mr Stebr as to the action taken by the Patriotic Committee. But he agreed else with Mr Courtney that, if any sect or society wished to erect a memorial it should du so. He also thought the community should erect a public memorial in Taraniki if the Governor's suggi stion was not oarried out. Mr W. Ambuiy thought the bmi-| nets ef the meeting was to deride to erect a public memorial to stand in ■owe part of Taranaki. Mr Berry the buainw should b* relegated to a committee'] and moved that tbe Patriotic Committee, acting in conjunction with Colonel Ellis, Major Okey, Messrs H. Dampsey, D. O'Brien, F. P. Coikiil, 3. Smith, W. Ambury, H. Okey and H. Goodacre, be appointed t> fully consider the mitter and teprrt to another public meeting. As te the Governor's suggestion, Mr Berry thought that at present it was out-id* the question. Mr Stohr ceesidered the meeting should new decide what- was to ke done; there had been toe much delay already. He moved that a manorial to Taranaki troopers bo erected, and a committee appointed to deal vi h h<» matter.

Mr Mynott urged tbe erection of a home for old soldiers and sailors as a. memorial. He moved that funds be collected for tint purp se, Messn S'ohr and Mynott agreed to withdraw thnr motions at the request of the Mayor. Mr Geodacre thought the committee suggested wag not a representative one, not containing one old soldier. He did »ot believe in the home system, but thought a fund might b» rais.d to assist any old soldiers who were in med in tbeir owu home?.

Tna Mayor Mr Berry's resolution, which was, after some little discusdioo, criijd. In reply to Mr Skinner, the Mayor said he understood the committee was to formula's some scheme for a public memorial and wis net to be bound by the Uovcrnor'e suggestion. The m«e>iag then adjourned.