THE "ANZAC ANTHEM."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 8

THE "ANZAC ANTHEM."

I am really sorry to find myself not in full a-ccord with our worthy citizen, William Cooper, whose thoughtful letter appeared in your issue of the ,16th inst. Whilst I take strong objection to the text of the Anthem its narrow sectarianism, convention?, theological anomalies and its out-of-place rhyme (A°C Benson, speaking generally, assailed''rhyme for the "detestable limitations it enforces on the writer"), I am compelled to maintain that the musical ''setting" does scant justice to the poem, and. given a competent tribunal, am prepared to demonstrate my contention at short order. I would assure your correspondent of my fervent belief that the late esteemed Choirmaster Cooper, his father, would entirely agree with me. Of course, Mr. Cooper is quite right in the matter of the "Anzac" incongruitv, but, incidentally, I understood it was decided that Xew Zealand had nothing to gain but much to lose by perpetuating the too-absorbent "Anzac - " slogan. I am inclined to follow the lead of our sagacious Prince of Wales and use the term "Remembrance Day." ADEQUATE.