THE PRINCE'S WREATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22000, 5 January 1935, Page 13

THE PRINCE'S WREATH

Sir, —May I be permitted to point out to Mr. Ohlson, secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association, that I quite agree the parade was the association's show, and that the association took the responsibility for safeguarding the wreath. But may I inform Mr. Ohlson and the association that the assumption of authority or responIsihil ity for removing the wreath did | not empower him or the association to ! remove the wreath to a place unknown ! by the thousands who may have wished to view it in sonic public place while i they had the opportunity through being in the city during the holidays. 1 he parade was the association's show, but the association had nothing whatever to do with the Duke of Gloucester placing the wreath on the Cenotaph. 1 hat wreath would have been placed on the Cenotaph, parade, or no parade, out of respect to and in rcmembranco ol our dead soldiers. Had there been no Duke or wreath there would have been no parade, but had there been no parade there would still have been the Duke and the wreath. A serious and dangerous precedent has been established, admittedly with the best of intentions, but without mature consideration. Again, 1 wish to reiterate emphatically that the civic authorities and they alone have at all times the control and safe keeping of the Cenotaph, and everything connected with it, in trust for the people of New Zealand. The question of the disposal of the wreath does not rest with the executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association any more than it docs with the Boy Scouts or Girl Guides, but its disposal does rest with the Auckland civic, authorities, and 1 sincerely trust that they will, ex cathedra, do what duty demands of them. Vivian H. Potter.