"Moral Collapse’ Of Australia

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30534, 1 September 1964, Page 17

"Moral Collapse’ Of Australia

(N.Z. Press Association—CopyriahtJ MELBOURNE, August 31. The replacing of the words “Dei Gratia” (By the Grace of God) by the word “Australia” on Australia’s new decimal coins inferred that Queen Elizabeth did not reign by the grace of God but through the good offices of the Parliament of Australia; it was. also symptomatic of Australia’s present moral collapse, the Rev. Canon L. L. Nash said in St. Paul’s Church of England Cathedral yesterday.

“Six or seven years ago the word faith was taken from bur coins, but the public demanded that it be restored,’’ Canon Nash said. “Now, at the next reorganisation of our coinage, we find that not only Faith disappears, but God is also asked to go.” The obverse side of the new coins will have a new portrait of the Queen with a simplified inscription, “Elizabeth II Australia 1966.” The “tail” of the coins show Australian animals and the value. The Treasurer, Mr H. Holt, said the Latin inscription has been replaced because “it had only limited meaning and significance for the average Australian.” The Government had also decided that the inscription should combine dignity with simplicity. Canon Nash said the replacing of “Dei Gratia” by “Australia” was “a flagrant breaking of the first commandment” “God is bowed out and Aus-

tralia is ushered in,” he said. “As a nation we are breaking enough of the 10 Commandments without adding to our sins.

“This inference that Elizabeth does not reign by the Grace of God but through the good offices of the Parliament of Australia is open rebellion,” he added.