The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1920. PROPOSED WAR MEMORIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1920. PROPOSED WAR MEMORIAL.

| In bringing before the Borough j Council, on Monday nighjt, the j outlines of a proposal for a war | memorial in New Plymouth, the | Mayor performed an obvious publie duty. The citizens, on whom i the decision will ultimately rest, naturally look for a lead in this matter, and this has now been given. It is probable that many suggestions will be forthcoming as to the nature of this memorial, but it is doubtlul if any more suitable scheme will be evolved than that which Mr. Clarke submitted to the Council. ]ts great merit is to be found in the dual purpose to be served—a fitting memorial to the heroes of the war, and the beautifying of the town. The vacant ground opposite the railway station would make au ideal site for the memorial, which would be the first object in view of all visitors to the town arriving by train, and would therefore strike them as evidence of the high honor in which the citizens hold those who answered the Empire's call. The first consideration in connection with a war memorial is that it should lie erected in the most public position possible, and the sitein question answers to this essential admirably, there being ample space for grass plots and ornamental plants and shrubs, fountains and shelters. Laid out by an expert; in landscape effects, what is now an eyesore might be converted into attractive and beautiful pleasure grounds, adding to the lasting tribute that all desire to pay to the honored dead. Opinions may differ as to the design of the memorial itself, but Avhether it be a cenotaph, or any other suitable monument, the surroundings cannot lie too beautiful, nor can too much care and attention be bestowed on their upkeep. We feel sure that the peopb of: New Plymouth will be unanimous in the desire that the memorial shall in every way he worthy of the sacrifices made by thos,; to the memory of whom it is to be erected. Assuming that the proposed site meets with general acceptance, the propriety of acquiring the whole of the vacant block becomes obvious, and it may fairly be expected that the Harbor Board will not drive a hard bargain as to price, and they might even fix a nominal figure for the

remaining four sections in view of the patriotic nature of the scheme for which the land is requir?ci. The Mayor made reference to the possible erection of a town hall or municipal theatre on this siti at some future time. We venture to suggest that it would be better not to take this possibility into consideration as part of the memorial scheme. It must necessarily be many years before the borough is in a sufficiently strong financial position to justify a loan for such a luxury, especially in view of the urgency of the call for the extension of essential works like water and drainage, not to speak of hy-dro-electricity, and even then the proximity of the railway yards renders the site unsuitable for the purpose, while the noise from the trams and the surf would further, militate against the project. Jf at any time it is considered feasible to erect any buildings, either municipal or in the shape of a covered promenade, they should be relegated to the back of the area, it being essential 'that the foreground facing the station should be laid out in a way that would show the memorial to the best advantage. By planting trees ana shrubs at the extreme end, the stables and other buildings would in time be well screened from observation. Tn this way the Egmont street, St. Aubyn street and Queen street frontages all being beautified, a commencement would be made of the too long deferred work necessary to bring the town into harmony with its ideal sursoundings. In considering this, or any other scheme, the main fact to be kept in view is that, the war memorial comes first, and that whatever form it takes it should not be dependent on any ulterior intentions. The public may be relied upon to do what is right when once an acceptable scheme is agreed upon. We can conceive of no better site for the memorial than the one advocated by the Mayor. It is for the citizens of the town to decide, and it is quite possible their decision will be facilitated by simplifying the proposal so as to confine it, for the present, at least, to acquiring the site, the erection of a cenotaph, and the laying out of the grounds by an expert, possibly including two fountains. Apart from the aesthetic point of view, such a memorial would be a worthy and patriotic work.