AUCKLAND WAR MEMORIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 November 1929, Page 5

AUCKLAND WAR MEMORIAL

DEDICATION CEREMONIES.

(Per Press ABBoeiation.)

AUCKLAND, November 28. A great gathering attended the opening of the Auckland War Memorial this afternoon. There were two separate ceremonies. The first was the consecration of a cenotaph and' court of honour erected in front of the building. This was performed by Archbishop Averill, and the Cenotaph and court of honour were then accepted from the Governor-Gen-eral by Mayor Baildon on behalf of the citizens. , The second ceremony was the opening of the building itself, this being performed by the Governor-General, to whom a carved mere in a totara box, carved in Maori style, was presented. The Governor-General then formally handed over the building to the Auckland Institute and Museum, through its President, Mr. H. E. Vaile. The two ceremonies were presided over by Mr. A. S. Bankart, Chairman of the Citizens’ Committee, which raised £238,000. To-night wreaths were placed on the cenotaph by returned soldiers .and others, and to-morrow a Maori ceremony of dedicating an ancestral meeting house of the Hauraki tribes, named Hotunui, takes place. A flood-lighting system to illuminate the building by night, is to be presented by the Auckland Electric-Bower Board.