A TISCH MEMORIAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 75, 19 September 1911, Page 8

A TISCH MEMORIAL

MEETING OF CITIZENS. There was a good attendance of citizens at the meeting held last night, convened by the .Mayor, Mr. George Browne, to takS into consideration the matter of providing a suitable memorial to the lute Mr. G. Tisch. The Mayor presided. Numerous apologies were received from gentlemen who, whilst unable to attend the meeting, were quite ready to give their financial support to any scheme adopted by the public meeting. The Mayor said that there was no necessity to refer at length to the work of the late Mayor. They all knew of his energy and devotion to the duties of his office, his daily efforts to advertwe the town, and his genial manner when he came in contact with the people; and they felt unanimously that they must in some way perpetuate his memory in some lasting manner. He mentioned that the late Mayor, who had been wrapt up in beautifying the town, had intended to initiate, on Arbor Day, the planting of an avenue of trees along the foreshore, from Te Henui to Moturoa. Knowing of this he (the Mayor) * had, before calling this meeting, had ' waited on Mrs. Tisch, and she had authorised him to state that the idea of planting an avenue along the esplanade as a memorial to her late husband was' one that had her approval, and was one that, she felt sure, would have met the late Mayor's wishes. Mr. Browne referred to the great boon to be conferred on our people, and particularly on the frequenters oL>the beach, bysuch an avenue of trees. He moved tkat an avenue of trees ibe planted along the foreshore to commemorate the late Mr. Gustav Tisch, and that the avenue be called "Tisch Avenue." Mr. Collis seconded, pro forma. He, however, thought it would be better to take in hand only a portion of the esplanade, and complete it, place Tisch memorial scats there, and erect some tablet which would indicate to the "public that this piece of ground had been set apart by the citizens, planted and cared for, to keep green in their memories the late Mr. Tisch. A long and in- | complete avenue of trees, he pointed . out, might not be such a good memorial I as a shorter stretch, well cared for.

Mr. F. P. Corkill considered New Plymouth had plenty of beautified spots—more than she had money enough, it seemed, to maintain. He instanced the Recreation Grounds, which were being starved, and Western Park, whose board was also impecunious. And now there was talk of a further avenue, which the Borough Council would have to care for. He himself thought the Tisch memorial should be something distinctive, and work on the esplanade would be more of a memorial to Mr. Kyngdon, who initiated the work there. He suggested a Mayoral chain as a memorial. Cr. Clarke liked the idea of an avenue, ,but thought provision would have to be made for maintenance. A neglected memorial was the worst possible form 0r.,, memorial. Another suggestion made was for a peal of bells in the Post Office tower. Mr. Shaw considered no more fitting memorial to the late Mr. Tisch than the proposed improvement of the esplanade could, be devised, and he believed that money would be forthcoming in this growing town for the maintenance of all works undertaken for adding Jo the attractiveness of the town. A Mayoral chair might be somewhat of a memorial to Mr. Tisch, but it would tend rather to glorify the wearer of the chain. The Mayor also disapproved of the chain proposal, for the chain would very seldom be seen by the ratepayers. Mr. S. Teed suggested the erection of a tea kiosk on the esplanade. Mr. Ambury said a chain was out of the question. There was no doubt that Mr. Tiseh's heart had been set on the beautiiication of the town, and he had spent a good deal of energy and money i tt making walks, tree-planting, etc., and any effort that the townspeople would put forward in this direction would be appreciated by future generations as a fitting memorial. Mr. Ambury said he had thought of providing a couple of beds in the new hospital at New Plymouth, but the general public would seldom sec them, so that idea did not appeal to him so much as the improvement and beautiiication of the foreshore.

Sir. Clarke said that if the beautifying project were departed from, the next best thing was a scholarship—an everlasting memorial. Mr. A. Hooker thought that the piece of ground (Kawaroa Park) near the municipal Baths, might be planted and called Tisch Park. The Mayor's motion was then put, "That an avenue of trees be planted along a portion of the foreshore, and that the avenue he called Tisch Avenue." Mr. Shaw suggested that the motion be altered to provide for the initiation of a scheme for the improvement and extension of the esplanade, leaving the actual form of the work to .be decided on according to the funds which may become available.

In this form the motion was carried. The following were elected a committee to gain information and report: The Mayor and Messrs. W. A. Collis S W. Shaw, H. E. Cattley, W. W. Smith, W. Ambury, H. Stocker, A. R. Standish, and J. Buttimore, with power to add to its numbers. Subscription lists wore opened in the room.