UNVEILING BURNS MEMORIAL AT

GALASHIELS.

ATURDAY, 31st May, 1913, was one of the most impor

when two important events in its history took place. The first of these was the unveiling of the memorial erected to Robert Burns, Scotland's National Bard, at the foot of Lawyer's Brae, in commemoration of his having written the song of Braw, braw lads o' Gala Water." The other was the opening of the fine new Square whereon once stood the old Corn Mill, by which one of the greatest improvements ever effected in the town has been completed.

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THE BURNS MEMORIAL.

The idea of a memorial to Burns originated with the Cycle Parade Committee, who in 1907, by means of the proceeds of one of their parades, erected two ornamental pillars at the foot of Roundtree Bridge wherewith to complete the improvement carried out by the widening of Bank Street. For three years following this the proceeds of the parades were set aside to form the nucleus of a fund wherewith to erect the memorial, this fund at the end of the third year amounting to something like £120. While not a large sum, the Committee felt justified in proceeding with their scheme, but as the cycle parades were losing some of their popularity and financial support they had to consider other means whereby to raise the wherewithal to erect a memorial worthy of the Poet. A sub-committee was therefore appointed to collect further funds, and so generous was the response made to their appeal by a number of local gentlemen that they were able to carry out the work as they originally intended. In due course designs were advertised for, and after much careful

consideration that of Mr F. Doyle Jones, of Chelsea, consistin of a bronze bust of the Poet on a granite pedestal and base, was selected out of about forty received by the committee. The site chosen for the memorial was at

the foot of Lawyer's Brae, at the junction of that street with Albert Place. The ground was given free by Mr Scott of Gala, and the Town Council gave their consent to the erection of the memorial on the site. The granite work was carried out by Mr G. Sutherland, sculptor, and the way in which the whole of the memorial has been

executed reflects the greatest credit on all who have had to do with it. It bears the simple inscription of "Burns " below the bust, and "Braw, Braw Lads" on the base.

The new Square-in the immediate vicinity-being completed about the same time, it was wisely resolved to have both ceremonies on the same day, the arrangements being made jointly by the Burns Memorial Committee and the Town Council. A large platform was erected

in front of the Public Library, and to this cords were attached, stretching on the one side to the Burns Memorial, which was covered with the Scottish flag, and on the other side to the fountain in the new Square. The platform party included members of the Town Council and the Memorial Committee and others, while a large enclosed space in front was reserved for representatives of other public bodies, friendly societies, Burns Clubs, and others. The local Territorials, who were present with their band

under Bandmaster Macdonald, lined this enclosure, being under the command of Major Herbertson, the other officers present being Captain Sanderson, Lieutenant Dun, and Surgeon-Major Doig. Two of the Territorials were placed at the side of the memorial as a guard of honour. A children's choir, trained for the occasion by Mr Joseph

Townley, occupied a site at the side of the platform. These, headed by the Ex-Soldiers' Pipe Band, under Pipe-Major Bertram, marched to the site from Roxburgh Street Schoo'. The Town's Band, under Mr George Hogg, also took part in the proceedings, and for half-an-hour prior to the start played alternate selections with the Ex-Soldiers' Pipe Band. By the time the platform party arrived the

enclosure in front was crowded, and a dense crowd, numbering several thousands, occupied all the space round about, while all the windows overlooking the scene and every other available coign of vantage were filled with eager onlookers.

The Chairman, Mr George Hope Tait, in opening the proceedings, called upon Mrs Harry Murray of Glenmayne to unveil the memorial.

THE UNVEILING CEREMONY.

Mrs Murray then gracefully unveiled the memorial amid loud cheers, the Territorials saluting as the covering was removed.

The Chairman then called upon Mr H. S. Murray to address the gathering.

MR MURRAY'S ADDRESS.

Mr Murray, who was loudly cheered on rising, said :— Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen,-We are met together for the purpose of unveiling to all who care to look at it, and, I trust, to admire it, a memorial to one of the greatest of Scotchmen, a patriot in the right sense, a lover of his country, and a friend of all the nations and of all the peoples in the world. I am perfectly aware that by a certain class of people the worshippers of Burns are not always viewed with a favourable eye. They will tell you that the followers of Burns are an undesirable crowd, an improper crowd, a drinking, or shall I say in homely Scotch, a drucken crowd, a crowd who are without moral principle or responsibility, a crowd who live merely for the hour and the day, and whose chief motto appears to be Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die. ́ ́ Such would appear to be the standpoint from which these superior, hypocritical persons-whom Burns has well named the “Unco guid "--view the admirers of the Poet and even the Poet himself. Well, I do not need to

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