R.S.A. DISMAYED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 233, 2 October 1928, Page 10

R.S.A. DISMAYED.

WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM.

OBJECTION TO DESIGN.

CONCERN REGARDING FINANCE.

The Returned Soldiers' Association asserts that the Auckland War Memorial Museum, although 'meant to be a war memorial, is "practically devoid of any indication of its primary purpose."

"To our dismay," says the R.S.A. executive, in an open letter to the Citizens' War Memorial Committee, "we found that beyond a certain military character attached to the outside frieze, a very prominent inscription over the entrance doors, some regimental badges displayed in an upper gallery running round the inside of the central vestibule, and a shrine at thp back of the latter, the building inside and out was practically devoid of any indication of its primary purpose. The central vestibule itself will be merely a set of passages and stairways for the museum, the Hall of Memories appears to have been adapted as a private reading room or library for the private use of members of the Auckland Institute, and no provision whatever seems to have been made for a Roll of Honour, a paved Court of Honour or a permanent Cenotaph." The association states that, although the building has been designated a War Memorial its executive has never been invited to co-operate or express any views on any question affecting the scheme. No apology is made for the association's present action, aq it says it did not feel justified in permitting the present building to be completed and handed over as Auckland's War Memorial without a very definite protest. History of Movement. In recounting the history of the War Memorial Museum, the association points out that in October, 1920, a meeting of citizens was held, the form of the memorial to be erected was discussed, and it was finally agreed unanimously that the museum was the most appropriate. In response to an appeal, the sum of about £200,000 had, with interest, become available, including £25,000 from the New Zealand Government, £37,500 from the Auckland Savings Bank, £10,000 from the Auckland City Council, £50d0 from the Auckland Harbour Board, and other large amounts from companies and prominent citizens. The returned soldiers were unable to contribute large sums, but the association considered that should not debar them from voicing their opinions in regard to the distinctive features to commemorate the sacrifices of their comrades. Memorial features adopted were a central war memorial hall, a hall of memories with a roll of honour, a court for the exhibition of war trophies, and a paved court of honour with a cenotaph. The Strongest Appeal. The Returned Soldiers' Association contends that provision for a hall of memories and roll of honour made the strongest appeal, especially to those who had suffered. To those who had chafed at the recurrent sordid spectacle afforded by the periodical erection and subsequent removal, within a few hours, of an imitation cenotaph around which memorial services had been conducted, the prospect of a site worthy of the purpose stood in importance second only to the hall of memories and roll of honour. Recently it was announced that the buUding was sufficiently advanced towards completion to permit transfer of the old museum's contents, and a rumour that all available funds were exhausted prompted closer inquiry as to the prospect of holding the approaching Anzac Day service in the new buildings, as promised.

Is the Fund Exhausted? The R.S.A. further state that they have failed to get any definite promise that the features referred to will be included, but, from "information received elsewhere," they have reason to believe: (1) That the fund is exhausted and a considerable liability yet remains. (2) That the essentially memorial features of the design which figure so prominently in the reasoning 'presented for acceptance of the latter were not even specified in the builders' contract, though amounts were especially earmarked for their service, but ultimately absorbed in other expenditure. (3) That the personnel of the committee of the War Memorial Fund, except its chairman, remained practically unchanged from the date of the subscription until after all expenditure commitments had been incurred. In fairness to the present chairman it should be stated that they realised that he succeeded to an empty treasury. (4) That the recent campaign to obtain from local bodies towards the cost of the museum's management a minimum of £6000 a year out of rates (equivalent to a further public levy of £120,000 if capitalised at 5 per cent) has seriously prejudiced, if not entirely extinguished, any prospect of further contributions from citizens towards the cost of completing the original plan. Worthy of Anclcland. Continuing, the R.S.A. says the bald fact regains that, in the expenditure of something like £200,000 of public money subscribed for the purpose of erecting a war memorial worthy of Auckland, and worthy of the sacrifices of the citizens in common with the rest of New Zealand, that purpose, by the reason of absence of essential war features, is quite unfulfilled. It was admitted that the preparation of the roll of honour was a matter of difficulty, but that did not apply to the reservation of a Hall of Memories or to the completion of the Court of Honour and Cenotaph. The open letter concludes: — " We would urge the earnest consideration of the matter. Our desire is to get the soldiers in full sympathy with the effort, but we anticipate a wave of bitter disappointment and dismay should the public be called on to realise that the present position represents the final effort of the Auckland public to perpetuate its war sacrifices."