CITY'S TRIBUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22403, 27 April 1936, Page 14

CITY'S TRIBUTE

TOWN HALL SERVICE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANZAC FUTURE OF THE DAY Auckland's tribute to the memory of its dead sons and all New Zealanders who fell in tlvo Great "War was paid on Saturday morning, when the Anzac Day commemorative service was hold in the Town Hall. There was a large attendance of citizens and returned soldiers. The Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, presided, and the addresses were given by Archibshop Averill and tlifi Rev. J. A. Thomson, Chaplain-Major to the New Zealand Forces, who spoke of the future observance of Anzac Day, and its significane to the youth of to-day. The service followed the customary lines. The hymns chosen were "0 God, Our Help in Ages Past," "Tho Supreme Sacrifice," "Kipling's "Recessional," "Abide With Me," and "For All tho Saints." Prayer was offered by tho Rev. H. K. Vickery, chaplain of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and tho lesson was read by Archdeacon G. MacMurray. Toward the conclusion of the service the "Last Post" and "Reveille" were sounded by trumpeters from the Auckland Grammar School and the Seddon Memorial Technical College. On the platform with the Mayor and Mayoress were members of the Cit.v Council, representatives of the Services and the Returned Soldiers' Association, the Consular Corps, and various local bodies}. A Greater Significance The archbishop said that Anzac Day for 1936 was a day of greater significance than previous Anzac Days as it marked tho 21st anniversary pf that wonderful episode at Gallipoli, and also the 20th anniversary of the holding of the commemorative service in the Town Hall. The service had increased in solemnity, reverence, and dopth of meaning until! it had become Auckland's great tribute to tho memory of its dead sons who had given their lives for high and noble ideals, and to the sacrifice of their next-of-kin.

"Anzac Day conies of age to-day, and it is a, proper time to consider the future observance of the day in our midst," siaid the archbishop. "Is this service to be continued in the Town Hall, or will it cease to be an official tribute to Auckland's dead boys and their next-of-kin?" The archbisljop said he was well aware that voiced had been raised on the question of the observance of Anzac Day in the future. If the day lost its sacred significance and ceased to be a State holy day, then it would be far better to cease to observe it as a holiday and leave religious bodies to carry out services. Purpose of Service "It has been said that a generation is growing up that does not care much for Anzac Day and its religious observance." continued the archbishop. "That is a feeble argument. The great purpose of the religious service is to furnish an object lesson to impress our young people with the idea that patriotism is inot merely singing patriotic songs and waving flags, but readiness to sacrifice themselves for the welfare of their country and the Empire. Surely our young people should regard it as their greatest privilege to offer a tribute of thankfulness to those who died for their welfare." If the meaning of the sacred day was going to bo lost the process should be as quick and painless as possible, added the archbishop. If the service was to cease it should be stopped at once and not allowed to drag on and die out. "By all means change the nature of the service if we think this day should be one of thanksgiving, that when New s!ealand's day of testing came we were not found wanting," said the archbishop. " But don't let us give an impression to the world that wo have ceased to honour our brave dead and desire to forget them, because we do not." Inspiration, to Youth

Mr. Thomson said that unless something happened Anzac Day would soon die in all but name. The ranks of those who remembered the heroism and sacrifices of the fallen were becoming thinner every day. What did Anzac Day mean to the youth of to-day? If it was to live in their breasts it must come as a challenge to action, not as a harking back to the memories of the past. "When we turn to the youth of today and refer to the things this service stands for, we sometimes meet with an indignant response," said Mr. Thomson. "They say, 'Look at the world you have made for us; what opportunity have we to-day of feeling that we are playing a real part in building it up?' "But it is not yet too late to rally round us young people looking for inspiration. 11: the principles of heroism and sacrifice are applied to our own lives the youth around us will feel the challenge and appeal to them, and still do something for a broken world." "MAKING THE PEACE" NEW CONCEPTS NECESSARY KING'S COLLEGE SERVICE "We should try to get a new conception of patriotism; not the patriotism which in the form of is a passion of acquisition which we call theft when wrongly applied," said the headmaster of King's College, Mr. J. N. Peart, in his address at the Anzac Day memorial service in the school chapel on Saturday evening. Mr. Peart urged the congregation, which packed the chapel, to bear in mind the phxase coined by Mr. Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister of Britain: "Bound over to make the peace." In legal language there was the phrase, "Bound over to keep the peace." This had been adapted by Mr. Baldwin because of the failure of the methods of the past, through treaties being broken 011 all sides and a feeling of uncertainty and fear that once again we might have to pass through another world war. How could -we carry out the undertaking to make the peaca? asked Mr. Peart. It was first necessary to convince the rising generation that the cause of peace was more positive, more interesting and desirable and more compelling than that for which any war had ever been fought. Secondly, we must try to get a new conception of patriotism. We required to educate the people of every country not to have less patriotism, but one that was purer, stronger and loftier. "To be able to carry out our contract with the dead it is necessary for us to realise the conditions essential to make a lasting pence," continued the speaker. "Those involve a fundamental change in the spiritual outlook of men and nations. If we are to overcome the forces of autocracy, greed, selfishness and fear, and replace them by the forces of faith, hope, love, co-opcration and goodwill it requires a spiritual miracle, but that should not deter us." Tlio duty owed to those whose memory was being honoured that day required the nation to be determined to do its part, by taking Christ as its ;exampl.e, in seeking to build up a world fellowship that would mako the peace.