Colonel Malone Statue

A statue of New Zealand war hero Lieutenant Colonel William George Malone stands tall on Broadway South. The statue of the dapper soldier, facing Mt Taranaki, topped in his signature lemon squeezer hat, serves as a reminder of his great leadership and the sacrifices he made for his country. Initiated by the Malone Quest Committee, the bronze statue of Lt Colonel Malone was unveiled on 20 November 2011.

Lt Colonel Malone made a large contribution to early Stratford. William Malone was born in Lewisham, England and came to New Zealand in 1879 where he served in the Armed Constabulary at Opunake for two years. He then farmed at Cardiff near Stratford with this brother.

Malone was active in local affairs as chairman of the Ngaere Road Board, a member of the Hawera County Council and the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. He was involved in the formation of the Stratford County Council and was its first clerk and treasurer. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1892 and was admitted to the Bar in 1895. A keen rugby player, he represented Taranaki in 1889 - 1891.

In 1903 he formed a law partnership with James McVeagh and William Anderson and then opened branches in several other Taranaki towns.

He commanded the 11th Taranaki Rifles and created the distinctive 'lemon squeezer' hat adopted by the New Zealand Army. His regiment still has their charter with the town of Stratford.

The statue is the work of New Plymouth sculptor Fridtjof Hanson. The statue was bronze cast by Ross Wilson and weighs 140kg and is 2.2m high. A replica bust is on permanent display in the War Memorial Centre.