ANZAC DAY OBSERVANCE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume L, Issue 7972, 29 April 1922, Page 2

ANZAC DAY OBSERVANCE.

(To the Editor.) Bir. Two intimations con cer r Anzac Day appeared in vour i * of last Monday, of such a conflTT mg character, that one natural - looks lor some explanation to rJI ole them. The first reads „ s u lows; “With regard to Anzac/) ’ U is well to remember that Uu’ turn is very strict as to its yance. It has to be kept like hnday and Christmas Bay \ cording to the Act, . JV o permtsZ totahsator or racing can be while shops, offices, hotels ap j picture shows must dose.’’

With all this every right thiukin™ person must most heartily a ’ and some may even wish that [L ‘Act’ weiu a liUle farther still f of the fuller protectou from vandal minds of this honored day. kni't the other intimation- an* advertise mem presumably-be correct! ■ printed, and is not the un\vitti D i work of some poor “printer's dev il,” then there are. many i u 0 „’ midst, and one would devoutly that they arc iu the majority, who will not be slow in stating ' t | leir opinion that legislation’ as to the observance of Anzac Bay m Us t I*. made more 'strict’ stall. 'xiie ‘News’ item objected to appears? thus;- -“Messrs Walsh, Bros, Swi , plane was due to arrive here today about noon but up to the time of going 10 press had not put i n ‘ an appearance. To-morrow, comment, ing at 10 o’clock, flights will be made with passengers. The starting point will be on the Waikareao Estuary at the foot of Haringt oa Street.’’ If this item were correctly printed, then wo are driven to the conclusion that we to have been visited on this solemn day, by those who, if it be legal, which L surely questionable, 'would defy all 1 he right purposes of the said ‘legislation’ for the fitting observance of the day; who would show disregard for the noblest and tenderest sentimerits of those who had assembled at the Memorial Service in tlie Town Hall to do honour to the illusirions memory of our heroic dead; those who would callously and cruelly outrage the feeliugs-nf those whose hearts must still bleed whenever they think of the men who left their homes never to return-tbe sons, brothers, fathers, husbands and lovers; as the case may bewiio fell in freedom’s cause and who now’ sleep, the last long sleep of the dead,; in distant lands and under strange skies. Not only would these gentlemen (?) seemingly have done this themselves (fortunately they did not do so as it appears, but why one does , not know), but they would inevitably have . induced others to do likewise, for passenger flights’ cannot be well taken,Acertainly not profitably, without pas-, sengers. But, Mr Editor, V new light lias just, penetrated, my perplexed brain dispelling its doubts; i.e., it was never the Mention of these gentlemen, no not for one moment., to outrage or harrow the most sacred and tender feelings of the best citizens of our community by carrying paying passengers merely for “filthy lucre’s sake” on'our most honoured Anzac Day; but their most noble.tho’ somewhat misplaced or inopportune purpose was to give flights gratuitously, “without money and without price” to our infirm, maimed and crippled ‘boys,’ thus bringing rays of brightness into their otherwise sometimes sombre and grey lives. 0 noble Sirs! Most worthy intention 1 Why still awaiting an honourable consummation? The only regrettable feature in this disinterested idea; no doubt inadvertantly overlooked; lay in the fact that these .‘boys’ would not have been ready at 10 , o’clock” (even had there been no 1 incongruity in the whole generous scheme) for at that hour.they were expected to be getting ready, to join that great and worthy gathering of noble souls who assembled at) 11 a.m. to do fitting honour to the memory of all tho Anzacs who fell that we might not fall, who died that we might live. Trusting to learn that this is the true solution of tho aforesaid perplexing paragraph and assuring our Flying friends that tho’ they were late in ‘ appearing upon this SCENE 01 ACTION, yet it is not 100 late Builds good purpose for THE BOYS ARE STILL HEBE: I am, sir, FRED C. EVERY. Tauranga, April 27tli, 1922, P.S. On receipt of favourable assurances I shall be pleased to endeavour to arrange for gratituous conveyance for the Boys to and front the shore, if need be.