NATIONAL ANTHEM AT ENTERTAINMENTS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20898, 4 July 1933, Page 13

NATIONAL ANTHEM AT ENTERTAINMENTS.

TO THE 15DITOB 07 THE PRIS3 Sir,—l crave a little space to broach * subject which has not seen the light of day since before the Great War of 1914. New Zealand is essentially British and has shown herself to be loyal in all her actions towards the Mother Country and to her King. An example of this loyalty is shown in the part which the Anzac troops played in the Great War and in the promptitude in which the Government of New Zealand voted large sums of money towards the great cause. All through the great history of this little country a shining record of loyalty may be seen. The loyalty which New Zealand bears towards the Mother Country is • clearly shown in its concurrence of V; Tjiews at the Ottawa Conference. Hav- •' ing stressed the fact that this lovalty ' can be traced through the history of New Zealand, is it not irony that intelligent people in an audience should be compelled to sing or stand for the National Anthem before their amusement. whether it is af the theatre or at a concert? Some of the intelligentsia will say it is no hardship for one to swg or stand while the National Anthem is being played. But does at confirm trust or does it make for loyalty that the people constantly have to sing or stand for the National Anthem in such a loyal country as New Zealand? The National Anthem, instead of being played on auspicious occasions and conserved only in the presence of royalty, is played at any badly or well conducted hall of amusement. In England the National Anthem is played only when the King or any member of the Royal Family is present. The anthem has certainly become a farce in New Zealand, and the people consider it a damper on their righteous enjoyment of the amusements they attend. It has not the true significance: it is only a mockery. We stand, and it is over, and generally, that is if one is at the theatre, some polluted jazz is rendered immediately afterwards, heralding the birtli of a picture. The distance from New Zealand to England is great, and this, no doubt, is the true reason why the anthem is kept—as a tradition—as an expression of outward loyalty. I should be decidedly grieved if someone criticised the above merely on the grounds of grammatical construction or some other insignificant reason. After all, it is certainly true that the "word" is only the expression of the "thought." Could some of your correspondents enlighten me on this subject.—Yours, etc.,

WINSTONIUS. July 3, 1933.