THE CENOTAPH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22583, 23 November 1936, Page 11

THE CENOTAPH

ACT OF DESECRATION ALLEGATIONS AT MEETING TRADE UNION REPRESENTATIVE An allegation that the desperation of the Cenotaph at the Auckland War Memorial Museum last Thursday was deliberately performed in order that it might have certain reactions was made by Mr. T. Stanley, when speaking as a representative of the trade union movement at the anti-war demonstration held in the Town Hall last night.

Before the meeting began the chairman, Professor AY. A. Sewell, asked that those present should consider and pass without discussion a resolution recording profound disapproval of the desecration of the Cenotaph, and stating that it was regarded as an act not only outrageous in itself, but dangerous to the cause of peace. The resolution was adopted, only one member of the audience opposing it. Speaker's Allegations " I wish to dissociate the trades union movement from the recent Cenotaph incident," said Mr. Stanley in his opening remarks.

" It has formed an excuse for one of our so-called representatives to absent himself from a movement which is above all sections, sects or creeds.'' said Mr. Stanley. "It may not be generally known that Mr. W. J. Lyon's statement to the press is a perverted statement. The Cenotaph episode was not the cause of his absence. His refusal was made before the Cenotaph incident occurred. " The New Zealand Defence League has been mentioned —a defence league created inside another defence movement controlled by tho Government. It. is significant when Colonel T. H. Dawson, one of the leaders of the New Zealand- Defence League, is the one who finds the circular on tho Cenotaph." Chairman's Attitude After Mr. Stanley had finished his speech, the chairman spoke to him for a few moments, and then addressed the meeting. " Mr. Stanley has made some very serious insinuations with regard to the Cenotaph incident," he said. " I do not know whether ho can substantiate these insinuations, but unless he can substantiate them, then they should not have been made. For my own part, much as I distrust some of the functions and policies of the individuals mentioned, 1 feel that as you have 110 knowledge of them, and I as chairman have no knowledgo of them, we should dissociate ourselves from the remarks. The whole incident has been particularly tragic, and we should do our best not to make it worse."

Interviewed after the meeting concerning Mr. Stanley's remarks. Colonel Dawson said he was lecturing on defence matters at To Awamutu when the circular was found on the Cenotaph on Thursday night. Jt was therefore an impossibility for him to have found it, and, moreover, he had not seen it.