KEY POINTS:
Over half of nzherald.co.nz readers would prefer Sir Edmund Hillary to be commemorated with the continued support of his charity work, rather than a new public holiday.
Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons has proposed said a new holiday named after Sir Edmund to fall on July 20 -
his birthday - or the next Monday.
Ms Fitzsimons said New Zealand had no public holidays between Queen's Birthday and Labour weekend.
"It makes a long winter," she said.
"I think Sir Ed would have been rapt to think that each year, on Sir Edmund Hillary Day, New Zealanders in their droves headed out to organised alpine or tramping club activities, or got their skis and snowboards on and headed for the slopes."
Meanwhile, the EPMU union is urging the government to make the day of Sir Edmund's funeral - January 22 - a one-off holiday.
"Sir Edmund worked with others to make life better for people and did so with great modesty. He really is a symbol of what people can achieve by working together, and New Zealanders should be allowed the opportunity to reflect on this, National Secretary Andrew Little said.
Only 34 per cent of the respondents to the online poll wanted the new holiday, while 13 per cent said name a mountain after him.
They sent in a range of reactions to the idea to nzherald.co.nz.
Keith Todd of Auckland said people would more likely head to the local mall: "she has been living in Noddy land far too long."
Hamish Barwick suggested both. "Donating to Sir Ed's charities in Nepal would have got the thumbs up from the great man. The suggestions of a national holiday and a mountain named after him sound great too. We celebrate the Queen's birthday with a holiday so why not honour a local legend?"
A writer who called herself Stace is also in support of Ms Fitzsimons said a "knock the bastard off" day would be great."It's a public holiday where we think of that one thing that needs doing and we do it. Doesn't matter how big or small, it just gets done. It could be ordinary or extraordinary. It's something we aspire to complete," she said.
Some suggested naming the largest mountain in New Zealand - Aoraki-Mt Cook - after Sir Edmund while others said February 29 that comes around every leap year should be named after Sir Edmund.
Tributes have flown in for Sir Edmund since he died of a heart attack in Auckland on Friday morning, aged 88.
Ms Fitzsimons said the Government was proposing some form of financial support for Sir Ed's Himalayan Trust, and her party supported that form of recognition.
"Sir Ed Would have really appreciated it ... but it does not provide a means for ordinary Kiwis to commemorate this great New Zealander," she said.
Prime Minister Helen Clark earlier indicated the Government would follow Sir Ed's wishes when deciding what sort of memorial to endorse.
"Everyone knows Ed himself was very dismissive of formal memorials," she said.
"He didn't want great statues.
"What he wanted was his work to live on, and in 2003 when the major 50th anniversary of the ascent was celebrated the Government then made an ongoing commitment to the work of the Himalayan Trust, and that really meant an enormous amount to him."
Miss Clark said she had noted the strong public feedback that the best tribute would be to carry on his work.
"Our thinking would be very much in that direction," she said.
Auckland Mayor John Banks said he hoped once the Hillary family was ready, the council would be able to meet them to discuss how to "celebrate Sir Ed's life".
"I've learnt from experience. It was a very undignified public dialogue when the late Sir Peter Blake died. Between the time of him dying and his funeral, there was a high-level undignified and crass debate going on around memorials and that sought of thing. We're not going to have that," Mr Banks said.
He said he would not comment further on any possible memorial.
Mr Banks said he had contacted the Department of Internal Affairs about Sir Edmund's January 22 funeral and was waiting to hear back details. He said it was likely roads would be closed.
The first memorial service for the first man to conquer Everest was held yesterday on the Antarctic ice.
The service was held in the Chapel of the Snows at the United States-operated McMurdo Station and was led by New Zealand chaplain Father Tom O'Connor.
Senior New Zealand representative Dean Peterson said nearly 70 people crammed into the small chapel in Antarctica and there was "standing room only".
He said they reminisced about some of Sir Ed's recent trips to Antarctica and Father O'Connor talked about what a humble hero the knight was.
"Everyone's got a connection because of his incredible greatness, even if they never met him," Mr Peterson said.
After the half-hour service, they headed to the rugby field for a New Zealand-versus-United States rugby game.
"The Kiwis carried on the 51-year tradition of winning against the US ... but it was 12-0, so it was a close game," Mr Peterson said.
He and five others were to spend last night in an A-frame hut 10km from Scott Base that was one of Sir Ed's favourite places.
It was the start of eight days of remembrance that will culminate in a state funeral unprecedented in modern times in size and scale.
Miss Clark invitations to Sir Edmund's state funeral were being sent out this week.
"It's going to be a very, very big Kiwi occasion," she said.
"We will be formally inviting people this week, including people from governments who were very much a part of the broader canvas of Ed's life.
"I would think that a lot of governments would wish to be represented."
Sir Edmund's coffin will lie in the nave of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell ahead of the funeral in the neighbouring 120-year-old St Mary's Church.
About 600 people will be seated there, including family, friends and special guests, from Helen Clark to foreign dignitaries. Mountaineers, representatives from Nepal and India and a member of the royal family are all expected.
Large TV screens will be put up in the cathedral for another 1000 guests to watch the service. More screens will be outside the building for the overflow of visitors. The service will also be broadcast live on TVNZ.
A decision on who will represent the Royal family at Sir Edmund's funeral has not yet been made.
A spokeswoman from Buckingham Palace told the Herald the media would be notified as soon as a representative had been confirmed.
Helen Clark said the organisers' numerous tasks in the next few days would include sorting out what music would be played at the funeral.
She said she would be among the speakers at the funeral, along with family members and friends.
"Lady Hillary has asked me if I would say some words and I will be honoured to do that," she told Newstalk ZB.
"The Reverend Peter Beck, who is now dean of Christchurch Cathedral and was known to Sir Ed and Lady Hillary, will also be taking a prominent part in the service."
Miss Clark said the wishes of Sir Ed's family were the most important factor in the funeral arrangements.
"He has a loving widow, a loving family, and we must honour them as well," she said on Radio New Zealand.
"In terms of people being able to pay their respects, the period of lying in state at the Holy Trinity Cathedral will provide a time for many people to come and go past the coffin and say their personal goodbye to Ed," she said.
The Anglican dean of Auckland, Ross Bay, told the Herald the size of the event would be unprecedented.
"We understand that many people will want to be part of this amazing event and pay their respects.
A steady stream of people were at the cathedral yesterday asking for details about how they could pay their respects.
Dean Bay said he expected the church could cope with the size of the event but admitted "we will have to wait and see how many turn up".
Police will be involved to help manage traffic through Parnell on Monday and Tuesday.
Dean Bay - who has only been dean of Auckland since November last year - admitted to a few nerves with the eyes of the nation and much of the world likely to be on him.
"It's early on and it's very big. I will suck lots of peppermints," he said.
"It's enormous and we're honoured to be the gathering point for it."
Internal Affairs officials met yesterday to continue to work out the funeral details, which are being organised in consultation with Sir Ed's family.
A state funeral is an honour usually reserved for Governors-General and Prime Ministers who die while in office.
The last to be held was for former Governor-General Sir David Beattie in 2001.
Sir Edmund's death, at 9am on Friday, means just four of the original 14 team members from the Everest expedition remain. George Band, the youngest of the team, has said he hopes to attend the funeral.
The Nepalese community in New Zealand is planning a service after the state funeral.
A Book of Remembrance will be opened in Wellington Town Hall today.
- ADDITIONAL REPORTING, NZPA
