THE MAORI WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81899, 4 December 1906, Page 2

THE MAORI WAR.

. ALLEN SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL "It's a long- lime iince the war," ■ maikud one ui tat- gentlemen prelit at tiie New Plymouth Town Hall ..ii Monday evening to discuss the to erect a monument to tiie memory of su.dn.is wlio fell in t'tto Taranaki Maori war. There were present: MessiU E. Dockrill (Mayor), Captain Mace, J. C. Davies, S. ilili, Harris Foid, \V. il. Skinner, G. A. Adlam, W.F.Gordon, E.N.L. Okey, Colonel E.liS-j, S. W. Shaw, H. Goodacre, and the Rev. F. G. Evans. Apologies were iead from Captain Standisli and Mr Henry Weston. T!ie Mayor, in opening, said lie could not agree with those who considered it the duty of tne old comrades of the faden soldiers, or their contemporaries, to take steps to keep their memory green. His own idea was that it was a duty devolving on those who camo after, and who reaped all the benefits of tli e peace now enjoyed as the result of the valour, the hardships, and th sufferings of the men who preceded us. They should feel grateful to those men who had tlius smoothed the way to peace and prospe-ity, and people of to-day should recognfce that they owed a duty to the memory of these men and siiould erect some fitting monument. It was a> well, perhaps, that the movement had not been set afoot tili after the lapse of time, now that the was a larger population to take the matter up and bear the cost. Captain M-ice, N.Z.C., in the absence of Capu.n Standisli, through illness, said that lie had been moving in the matter for the pa A ten yeais, It was time they did something in I memory of those men who had made New Zealand what it was to-day. They must have no smail memorial, but something creditable to the men and to the district. It must not be a local affair but a colonial one. He mentioned that Mr W. F; Gordon had written to many of the officeis of the that served here, and had received promises of money amounting to ,£SO. Besides this £2O had been promised to Mr Davies by New Plymouth residents. Thequestion aiose snould Mr Gordon write to these promised contributors and say the money would not be required, or should he write and ask for tne donations. He moved, "That a suitable memorial be erected 011 Marsl'aiid Hill to the memory of the Imperial and Colonial fo'rdeu who fought and died during the Maori war, and that the fo.'tow'ng persons be a committee, with powei to add to their number, to give effect to this resolution: His VYoiUlip the Mayor, Captain A. Standisli, Colonel W. B. Mes.enger, Colonel J. Ellis, Colonel E. L. N. Okey, Messrs R. Cccki W. F. Gordon, Sam Hill, G. A. Adlam, ]. Black, J. C. Davies and 1 the mover.

Mr Adlam, late of the 43rd Regiment, seconded, and said that he had always fe-t in accord with Captain Mace in this matter, and hoped a good memorial would be erected, and soon. He thought the Government might fairly be expected to assist. M" Gordon said he had sent circulars to no officers receiving definite promises of .650 and promises of several amounts not stated.

Mr \V. H. Skinner, whilst in sympathy with the idea, said that Maryland Hill was a sort of "no man's land." It was Crown land, whose purpose might be changed. It would be advisable to find if the Government had any such intention before deciding on this site. The thanks of the community were due to Captain Mace and Mr Gordon for the amount of energy and'time devoted 1 the inauguration of this scheme. The Mayor thought it possible and prcbable that Marsland Hill would soon be handed over to the borough. At any rate, he did not anticipate any difficulty in obtaining the site for the memorial.

Mr S. Hill thought the meeting should decide on Marsland Hill, for such a decision would help the movement, as many of the old soldiers would remember the place as theii camp. He considered all the old soldiers would be willing to contrib'"' ie a day's pay. Mr Hill suggested j s ' 0 that the name of Colone 1 r'nllins should be added to the co- " ittce H considered the ™ the Maori war mol . e desel . ving or a memorial those who fought irt any recent warj f or jj ero t j ie men were volu'jioers under fire in the defence o, their homes. |r Captain Maco said that Marsland iiill was tho most" historic place n" the colony, for it was the refuge of the women and children, who had alway's lied there 011 the first sound of hostilities.

Rev. Evans suggested an amalgamation with the committee in charge of the movement to erect a monument to the soldiers who fought in South Africa.

Mr Davies semembered that when Lord Ranfurly was in New Plymouth in connection with the Veterans' Home scheme he spoke of the service of volunteers in every part of the Empire but Taranaki. Perhaps not one in a hundred of Taranaki people knew that the first volunteer in the Empire who fell in fight was Trooper John Sarten, who was shot dead at Waitara. It was grave reflection on the people and on his fellow-troopers (the speaker concluded) that no monument was reared to hi* memory. Mr Davies also considered that tli e battle 0; Waireka, memorable as the first occasion wlien British volunteers were under fire, should be mentioned in the ■ chool text-books.

Mr Skinner interjected that in St. Mary's Church there was a memorial ' 0 7 rooper Sarten's memory, erected by his fellow-troopers. ,Th e motion was carried, and the following names added to the committee: Colonel Collins, Captain Price, Colonel J. Watt (Wanganui). Sir Wm. Russell, and Mr W. H. Skiniter.

Mr W. F. Gordon was elected secretary, Mr Sam Hill assistant secretary,, and the Mayor treasurer. At a meeting of the committee held afterwards Captain A. Standish was elected chairman. It was decided '0 have subscription lists printed,