Late sir Hubert Murray
p. 12 · Read in the full issue
Fund For A Memorial
A LETTER was received recently from England, from Lady Murray, widow of the late Sir Hubert Murray, ask ing what had become of the fund estab lished some years ago, to provide a mem orial to the life and achievements of the distinguished former Administrator of Papua. We referred the inquiry to Mr.
E. A. James, of Port Moresby, and the fol lowing is his reply: “As advised some years ago, the moneys collected pre-war for this fund were held by Mr. Nevitt and myself as Trustees; and, as the amount collected, namely £l9B, was considered insufficient to carry out any worthwhile memorial, we were most concerned as to what action could be taken.
“We consulted with His Honour, the Administrator who, after a lapse of time, has consented to take over the Fund, with the certainty of some financial assistance from the Government in carrying out a suitable memorial.
“Accordingly, Mr. Nevitt and I have as signed our interest in the Fund’s money, represented by War Savings Certificates having the face value of £248, to the Ad ministration.”
Probably, the inclination of the pre sent Administration will be to spend the £248, in some special way, on native wel fare, and call that a Memorial.
The simple and sensible thing to do, which probably would most please the late Sir Hubert’s relations and friends, would be to spend the available money on the erection of a plain stone memorial in a central position in Port Moresby, where future generations may be re minded of the former Administrator’s name and achievements.
It is ten years since he died, and already there has appeared on the scene a generation who remember little and care less about Sir Hubert Murray.