R.S.A. Retains Policy On Anzac Day

Press, Volume C, Issue 29540, 15 June 1961, Page 16

R.S.A. Retains Policy On Anzac Day

(New Zealand Press Association) W WELLINGTON, June 4. The standing policy of the New Zealand ■ Returned Services’ Association on the observance of Anzac Day was retained with one amendment at the forty-fifth annual meeting of the Dominion council of the association in Wellington today.

The original policy read: “The Dominion council strongly deprecates any movement for the lessening of rhe significance of Anzac Day. and calls on all former servicemen to support the observance of Anzac Day in its present form.” To this was added: •The observance of Anzac Day in each community to be such as would meet the wishes of that community.” A number of remits from associations, one recommending that Anzac Day take the form as in New South Wales —morning "sacred” and the afternoon “open day”—were rejected. “Not A Holiday* During discussion, the Dominion vice-president, Mr H Mitahell. said he subscribed to the view that Anzac Day was not a holiday, and was not originally envisaged as such. "By Statute. Anzac Dey shaU be observed as a Sunday," he said. "Those who are religiously inclined observe Sunday religiously Those who are not treat it as a day of relaxation, while the great majority observe it with a bit of each To those in the country who are outside the R.S.A.. it is still a sacred day, and they should be free to observe it as thev wish." . said that because of different traditions in the communities in various parts of New Zealand, services were observed at different times of the day If any definite arrangement of the day was laid down it would inevitably clast) with many purely local arrangement* Change Snrgested Of those who spoke against the proposal. Mr T. C Smith of Whakatane. said that already there were manv places in New Zealand which did not observe Anzac Day in the proper manner. “This indicates that there has got to be a change,” he said. “In Australia, where the religious part at Anzac Day is observed in the morning

the reverence is just as deep as any we have here. “If we don't make an official change, the public is going to do it for us," he said. Mr L J. Donnelly, of Napier, said: “There is no need for any legislative change in the observance of Anzac Day—no need for discussion. What is required is a cleaning up of our owm backyards. If we tidied up our observances, there would be no need for any change." After further discussion, the amendment was added to the standing policy of the association.