KEY POINTS:
As the Prime Minister suggests, it is premature to be making decisions on a memorial to Sir Edmund Hillary so soon after his death. The priority must be to ensure that the State funeral next Tuesday is fitting for a man of his stature. But that has not stopped an outpouring of commemoration ideas from people from all walks of life. The reach and nature of these speaks eloquently of the inspiration and pride that New Zealanders drew from his achievements. In time, the most suitable of these must be adopted as an enduring testimony to Sir Edmund's impact.
There are three main commemoration strands. One school believes that renaming a New Zealand mountain Mt Hillary would be the most fitting tribute. Others want a new public holiday, Sir Edmund Hillary Day, either on July 20, his birthday, or the nearest Monday. Still others think that increased support for his Himalayan Trust, set up in 1965 to build and run schools and hospitals and help development among the Sherpa of Nepal, would be closest to his own wish.
Of these ideas, the first is the most straightforward. It has been suggested that the mountain should be Mt Ollivier in the Mt Cook National Park, which is said to have inspired Sir Edmund's passion for mountaineering. But a relatively unknown peak does not fit the bill. A man of Sir Edmund's standing and achievement deserves the best New Zealand can muster. Aoraki Mt Cook should be renamed Aoraki Mt Hillary. This should not be interpreted as some sort of slur against James Cook. The explorer's name would remain prominent as the title for the stretch of water that separates the North and South Islands. A public holiday is rather more problematic. The business world would, justifiably, look askance at an added burden. Others believe Sir Edmund would not want to be immortalised in this way. Still others say it would soon become devoid of meaning. Such might not be the case, however, if that day were to serve as a reminder of the values that he espoused and to which so many New Zealanders aspire. There could be parallels with Martin Luther King Day in the United States, during which parades and festivities serve to remind Americans of the civil rights leader's message of hope and healing - and of values such as justice, compassion, humility, courage and service.
If a similar public holiday were introduced here, it should replace one that already exists but that appears increasingly superfluous. The obvious candidate is the Queen's Birthday holiday. This is not even celebrated in Britain. A straight switch would impose no strain on employers, and, indeed, would provide a timely break near the middle of winter. There need, however, be no thought of the day of Sir Edmund's funeral being a one-off public holiday. That, certainly, would be a step too far.
Continued backing of Sir Edmund's charity work is seen as the most appropriate form of commemoration by many people. Five years ago, on the 50th anniversary of his ascent of Everest, the Government increased its grant to the Himalayan Trust to $290,000. It will now review that support. In addition, individuals can make their own donations. Sadly, however, the essential link to this charity has now gone and it seems sadly inevitable that interest will fade. Sir Edmund developed a special relationship with the Nepalese people, one that New Zealanders may find difficult to sustain in the long term.
One thing is certain. The vacuum that ensued after many ideas were floated for a memorial to Sir Peter Blake must not recur. At the appropriate time, decisions must be taken and acted upon. Anything less is untenable.
