Never let us forget…
“Never let us forget the great debt we still owe them...Let us go forward with faith in the future. Let us say to our fallen comrades, "We shall not fail or falter."
These were the words spoken by Mr Ron Giorgi, the then President of the Hastings RSA on Remembrance Day, 11 November 1956, at the ceremony for the laying of the foundation stone of the Hastings War Memorial Library. The Library celebrated 50 years as a war memorial on Sunday 18 October 2009.
Councillor Cynthia Bowers, of the Landmarks advisory panel, said the road to becoming a war memorial was not a straightforward one for the library.
“Council had been working to acquire the land on Civic Square for years with the view to build a library to replace the temporary one set up after the 1931 earthquake,” said Cr Bowers.
”The war memorial project was debated for years before a final decision was agreed upon. Once the decision was made to have a war memorial library things moved along quickly. Now we are celebrating 50 years of service and our library has issued a challenge to the community to use at least 50 of its services.”
A Hastings District War Memorial Committee, set up after WW2, had originally decided on a cultural centre on Civic Square block, consisting of a memorial hall with wings for an art gallery and museum, and a forecourt to where the cenotaph would be moved.
Other ideas and locations were proposed by various sections of the community and much debate and controversy ensued over the years.
The memorial funds sat idle until 1952 and were then handed over to the Borough Council to manage - at this stage a public meeting of contributors reached agreement to build a War Memorial Library on Civic Square block and include a Hall of Memories.
War Artist Peter McIntyre was commissioned to design the mural for the Hall of Memories which depicts the three forces, air, land and sea. McIntyre also designed the glass etchings for the windows.
The text on the foundation stone, which was laid by the commanding officer of the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Major-General Sir Andrew Russell K.C.B, K.C.M.G., reads
To the glory of god in grateful memory of the men and women of this city and district who gave their lives for us 1939-1945.
Throughout the following years as NZ was involved in armed action overseas the Hastings RSA added memorial plaques to the Hall of Memories.
The library holds a large collection of war books both New Zealand and international and has a close relationship with the RSA. The Hall of Memories open to the public during library open hours, is proudly included in library tours and is also open each ANZAC Day from 5.00am.
For more information or photo opportunities please contact
Paula Murdoch
District Library Manager
Hastings District Libraries
Warren Street
Hastings
P 06 8715180
E paulam@hdc.govt.nz
