CONSECRATION OF COLOURS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22258, 10 May 1934, Page 6

CONSECRATION OF COLOURS

PROTEST BY PRESBYTERY ANGLICANS’ “ CALM ASSUMPTIONS” (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 9. Exception has been taken by the Auckland Presbytery to the manner of the consecration of colours and flag of the New Zealand' branch of the Old Contemptibles’ Association last month, and also to the design of the windows for the war memorial shrine in the Museum. At the meeting of the Presbytery last night Mr F. W. Matthews said the iiag was a national one, and the consecration ceremony should have been in the Town Hall. Their proper place was in the Hall of Memories, in the War Memorial Museum, and not in St. Matthew’s Anglican Church. “ The calm assumptions of. our Anglican brethren seem to pass without efficient protest,” he said, “and by our apparent acceptance of them we seem to acquiesce.” The clerk, the Rev. A. M. Elliffe, referred to the report that in the design for windows for the war memorial shrine shields were shown representing the Anglican Diocese of Auckland. Referring to the consecration of the flag, the Rev. Lawson Marsh said they ought all to have been more alive to the situation, but they must recognise that the thing had been done. The Rev. I, E. Bertram: When things are done in a corner they should be pulled out into the light, Mr Marsh moved that the Public Questions Committee consider whether a private letter should not be addressed expressing regret at what had been done, and that the Presbyterian Church had not been represented. The memorial windows should also be considered. The Rev. W. J. Comrie said he did not favour the letter being private. Mr Marsh withdrew the word “ private,” and the motion was carried.

REMARKS RESENTED DESIRES OF ASSOCIATION CARRIED OUT. (Feb United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 9. “ If we did not accept the good intentions of the members of the Auckland Presbytery we should probably accuse them "of being impertinent,” said Mr S. M‘Donald, secretary of the New Zealand branch of the Old Contemptibles’ Association in replying to criticism regarding the consecration of the Colours and Hag of the branch. “The Anglicans inAuckland as a body had nothing to do with the proposal to hold a consecration ceremony and to deposit the consecrated Colours 'in an Anglican church. The proposal came entirely from my association. A motion dealing with the points under criticism was actually moved by a former soldier of the Gcdou Highlantle.rs, himself a member of the Presbyterian Church. Our president is a Roman Catholic, and had to obtain special permission from his bishop to attend the ceremony when it was held.”

Mr M'Donald said that the organisation was not a New Zealand one. As' former members of the British Army they held that the ceremony should be conducted in a church w’hich was the National Established Church of England.