Australian Anzac Day Held Not “Only Way”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30127, 10 May 1963, Page 12

Australian Anzac Day Held Not “Only Way”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 9.

Mr T. J. Kirk-Burnnand’s claim yesterday that acceptance of the Australian form of Anzac Day observance was the “only way” provoked a defence of the New Zealand tradition today by the vice-president of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, Mr J. C. White.

Speaking in the absence abroad of the R.S.A. president, Mr H. Mitchell, Mr White said that Mr Kirk-Burnnand’s report, as leader of a returned servicemen’s party which visited Melbourne for Anzac Day, would be considered with reports of the leaders of the other groups of members who visited other Australian states.

“One has reported already to the opposite effect,” said Mr White.

Mr White said m a supplied statement: “We must also remember that only last year the present state president of the Victorian branch of the R-S.L. said this when addressing our Dominion council: ‘I believe Anzac Day should be sacrosanct to the nation and not thrown open as a general sports day. Many people thought that sports on Anzac Day in Australia would be a good thing, but it has not been a change for the better—particularly in Victoria.’ ”

Mr White said: "The R.S.A has to think of all New Zealand, not just the big cities It is sometimes forgotten that there are many places where for many years Anzac services have been held in the afternoon, and even the evening.

"We have our own -pattern, which suits many of the smaller communities, and we must ask ourselves whether, looking at New Zealand as a whole, the observance of Anzac Day should be disturbed.

“The services in country districts are often an object lesson to some of the larger centres of population.” he said. Mr White said that the policy of the R.S.A. was determined at its Dominion council meeting and he believed delegates, whether they were from cities, towns or outlying districts, tried to reach a decision which was right, thinking of those who were remembered, their next of kin and their friends, and the significance of the day for all New Zealand.