SERVICE INDOORS

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1935, Page 2

SERVICE INDOORS

HAWERA ANZAC CELEBRATION. WISH OF RETURNED SOLDIERS. The Hawera branch of the R.S.A. decided on Monday night to recommend that both indoor and outdoor services be held at Hawera next Anzac Day. For the past two years, the only service has been held out of doors. The president Mr. M. R. Jones, said that last year a move had been made to have Anzac observed on the Sunday nearest to the day. At Hawera, as the result of a gathering of citizens, it had been decided to hold a service on similar lines to the Armistice Day ceremony at the Cenotaph at Whitehall, London. In moving the recommendation that services in future should be held at the Opera House, beginning at 2 p.m., followed by a march past the memorial, the whole service to take no longer than an hour, Dr. A. M. Young said there was no doubt in his mind that an inside service was better. The outdoor service was too dependent on the weather and in a downpour the service lost all interest. If the service was cut short, there would then be time for the soldiers to return to the club for the afternoon tea provided by the Women’s National Mr. Jones said when the Rev. Whitby James was at Hawera he was most outspoken that the service should be held out of doors, where it gained full glory. Padre James also considered that the service should be one of thanksgiving. The speaker mentioned that he had seen the Auckland outdoor service, which was most impressive, even though there was no address. In seconding the motion, Mr. W. James said that it would be easily possible to have a service lasting an hour. The service at the memorial arch had lasted only a quarter of an hour. The service should not be gloomy, but should be a service both of gratitude and of sympathy with those who had lost sons. Mr. F. C. Foden said an independent morning service was held at Auckland in the town hall. Mr. G. Fitzgerald said the control of arrangements should be in the hands of the R.S.A. alone and should not include outsiders who had missed the war. He was in favour of the present arrangement being continued, said the president. The Hawera committee arranging the service was very much in sympathy with the R.S.A. The borough council bore the cost, said Mr. D. McCormick. If it did not have representation, the cost would have to be borne by the R.S.A., and at present, that could not be afforded.. If it was the wish of the public that the service was to be held indoors,, he was perfectly happy to fall into line, said Mr. J. E. Campbell, the Mayor. The whole borough council was not on the committee, Which was really representative. If the R.S.A. wished to take over, he would be perfectly happy.