THE "ANZAC ANTHEM."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 222, 19 September 1929, Page 6

THE "ANZAC ANTHEM."

As a returned soldier I was much impressed by the sentiments which were voiced by Archbishop Averill at the last Anzac service in the Town Hall. Subsequently I read in your paper the inspired "Anzac Anthem," which, according to his Grace, was the only one of the many submitted which had completely expressed .his sentiments. The R.S.A. has since supported this opinion, but surely the finest indication of the Anthem's merit was the letter from an old white-haired lady who carries in her heart the memory of a son who died in the service - of his country. Possibly not so clever as . f "Adequate" or Wm. Cooper, this little mother has nevertheless written, something which ,i«. • far more valuable than a score of such feeble and ill-considered epistles as those which have appeared in your columns. Might I suggest that "Adequate" point out to his children the .. dictionary definition of "blank verse" and that Wm. Cooper gently hint to his that verse ft "written," music "composed"? As knowledge is power, this latter gentleman might add that "Anzac" embraces every "Digger" either from New Zealand or Australia. It is curious that so keen a critic lias overlooked two things in his critque. First, the Anthem, was written at the request of the Primate of New Zealand, and secondly, it can be used by our "Aussie" cobbers if they simply substitute the word Australia for New Zealand. In conclusion, might I humbly suggest that "Adequate" and Wni. Cooper acquire a little more knowledge

of the rudiments of composition before they endeavour to publicly belittle the construction of an Anthem which is obviously beyond the power of either to produce? DIGGER.