ANZAC SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19931, 27 April 1928, Page 13

ANZAC SERVICES.

QUESTION OF LOCALITY. THE DOMAIN SUGGESTED. PERMANENT CENOTAPH DESIRED.

The question whether Anzac Day services should continue to be held in the Town Hall or be transferred to the Domain, where greater numbers of the public could join in, was discussed at the annual meeting of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association last evening. Opinion was divided, but. theru was unanimity that the Cenotaph should be a permanent structure.

"Although 1 had a very comfortable seat on Anzac Day, I felt very uncomfortable when I saw crowds round the doors of the Town Hall trying to get in to be witli us in remembering our comrades who fell," said Mr. Sinclair Reid, the retiring president. "The Town Hall will not bold all who want to. attend the service and we tried without success to make arrangements for an outdoor service. We also want a permanent Cenotaph." (Applause.) Mr. Reid suggested a Cenotaph could be erected in the court in front of the War Memorial Museum and the service could be held there. "I think also,, that Anzac Day is drawn out too long alnd that the evening could be given up to more pleasant thoughts," he said. Mr. S. Austin Carr said very few of the outside public could gain admittance to the Town E'all and the executive of the association felt the time had arrived when the growing generation should have an opportunity of hearing the splendid addresses given. Representations had been made to the Anzac: Day Committee and although it had been outvoted on the committee, the executive felt that next year the service would bo an outdoor one. Engineers had promised to provide loud speakers so that the service would be heard all over the ground. What was wanted was a service like that of Wellington, where the school beys and girls, the cadets and territorials and the general public joined with the returned soldiers in remembering the men who had fallen. "Ths voluntary parade of 700 men of the infantry territorial battalion on the afternoon of Anzac Day shows the territorials want to join in with you in remembering the men of the old regiment who gave them their traditions," said Lieut.-Colonel T. H. Dawson. "In spite of what has been said to the contrary, the territorials are keen to serve." Mr. E. W. Inder said the Domain service was an excellent idea so long as the weather was fine, but what would happen if the day were wet. Let them miss one Anzac Day by postponing the service, and Anzac Day would be gone. They had fought to retain the observance of Anzac Day on April 25. A suggestion was made that the indoor service should be retained for ex-service men and their relatives and that an outdoor service should be held for the general public. Mr. E. F. Andrews said his experience of the outdoor service was that in its most solemn moment it was disturbed by a dog or by children getting up and chasing one other. The preservation of harmony among all those concerned in making arrangements for the observance of the day was emphasised and it was decided to refer the question to the incoming executive of the association.