WAR MEMORIAL SHRINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 97, 26 April 1932, Page 10

WAR MEMORIAL SHRINE.

NOT YET CONSECRATED. HIS EXCELLENCY'S REMINDER ARCHBISHOP SUPPORTS PROPOSAL. The fact that tlie shrine in the Hall of Memories contains no Christian symbol and that it has not yet been consecrated with any religious ceremony was mentioned yesterday by Archbishop Averill at the Anzac Day service in the Town Hall.

The sacred aspect of the shrine had been referred to on Sunday afternoon by the Governor-General in the course of hiH address before the unveiling of the Roll of Honour. He urged his hearers, when lonely and despondent, to seek tlio spiritual comradeship of those who had laid down their lives in the cause of freedom. "Especially, perhaps, shall we- do so," he said, "as we stand or kneel before the beautiful shrine which the Hall of Memories contains, if, after being railed off and suitably cq lipped, it conies to be consecrated to the Great Ruler of our destinies, to Whom we all owe loyal obedience." Speaking at the Anzac Day service, Archbishop Averill said he was pleased to note that the Governor-General had referred to the matter. "I, for one, am not very happy aibout the shrine, 01proud of it," said the Archbishop. "I wonder why there is no Christian symbol. We are a Christian country. There might have been erected something symbolical of Christian religion. I hope the shrine will be consecrated, and when next-of-kin go there they will know that they are in a holy place. I say all this kindly and sympathetically." «THE GENERAL WISH." RELIIOUS LEADERS' COMMENT. Opinions expressed in Auckland regarding the suggestion of the GovernorGeneral follow: —

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, Dr. J. M. Liston, said: "One cannot but be grateful to his Excellency the Governor-General for having given expression to the religious sentiment of the surviving comrades of the fallen commemorated 011 the Roll of Honour and of the whole community. I trust that suitable arrangements will be made to realise this general wish."

The president of the Council of Christian Congregations, the Rev. W. Lawson Marsh, said: "In drawing attention to the fact that the Auckland War Memorial Museum shrine lias not been consecrated, his Excellency the GovernorGeneral has once again earned the gratitude of our loyal people." Ho did not know of any other shrine which had not been duly consecrated, and expressed the hope that his Excellency's suggestion would find a ready response 011 the part of the civic authorities.

Tlie Rev. Joseph W. Kemp, of the Baptist Tabernacle, said the suggestion of the Governor-General was one that would appeal to the religious sentiment of the majority of the people of his Church. No harm could come to anyone by such .a observance.