THE WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20112, 24 November 1928, Page 12

THE WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM.

The differ once of opinion about the revised plans for the Auckland War Memorial Museum is a matter of deep interest to the general public. Returned soldiers, through their association, have expressed their dissatisfaction at the exclusion of features understood originally to be embodied in the design; particularly do they regret the absence of a cenotaph in front of the building, for this was an essential part of tho scheme. The Citizens' Museum Fund Committee, replying to the criticism, has repelled the implied charge that it has excised deliberately and without justification the memorial features: it has tried, according to this reply, to keep three things in view —a building of dignified and impressive character, a building suitable for the purposes of a museum, and a building comprising appropriate memorial features relating to the war. It has retained tho war trophies hall, enlarging it to accommodate a large gathering of people, modifying its upper portion to serve as a hall of memories, and furnishing it with a shrine. This change has allowed the room originally meant for the hall of memories to be allotted to the library. Finally, the committee intends to erect a cenotaph, should funds permit. Full weight must be given to the committee's financial difficulties. These have been considerable, even embarrassing. But the dissatisfaction |voiced by the Returned Soldiers' 1 Association can well be understood. As a war memorial, the building was not, intended to be of merely historic significance, and it was certainly not meant to suggest any glorification of war. A nobler aim was in the minds of ils promoters—tho perpetuation in honour of the service and sacrifice of the men who bore the brunt of tho struggle. From this point of view the war trophies hall and the provision of a place of public assemblage, presumably for scientific lectures, are of secondary valuo at best, considering the dominant intention; and judged by this reasonable test tho merging of tho hall of memories in tho leeturd hall, and the placing of a small shrino within the building, are naturally deemed an inadequate substitute for tho cenotaph. Tho committee's financial straits are relevant to tho question raised: nevertheless,' Ihe returned soldiers' disappointment is reasonablo and should havo public endorsement. It is well that tho matter is still under discussion.