The Star. MONDAY, MAY 4, 1925. ANZAC DAY OBSERVANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17528, 4 May 1925, Page 6

The Star. MONDAY, MAY 4, 1925. ANZAC DAY OBSERVANCE.

A writer in the “ Church News ” suggests that the movement for the observance of Anzac Day on a Sunday is being furthered by the “ lion-episcopal communions,” and resents the attempt to crowd this particular memorial service into the watertight compartment of a Sunday. It is only lair to point out, however, that those who advocate this course arc as genuinely anxious for the observance of the day as anyone else, and perhaps have a great deal more foresight in the matter. Christchurch is the only place in New Zealand where Anzac Day is observed in the solemn form that the legislature had in view when “ Sundayising ” it, and there is no hope of inducing the rest of New Zealand to observe Anzac Day with the same solemnity. Already tiie people are making a general holiday of it, and in Ashburton this year a number of farmers went about their ploughing as usual. In Australia, too, Anzac Day is observed in some places with a half-holiday, and in other places not at all, while in those places where a full holiday is observed, it is being rapidly secularised. Therefore, the religious character of the observance can only he firmly established by holding Anzac Day on the Sunday nearest to April 2a, because otherwise, as the years go by, it will tend to become a holiday and less of a day of solemn celebration. And there is Ibis point always to he remembered, that every worker in New Zealand who is paid by the hour—that is to say, the lowest paid class of workers—is obliged lo lose a day’s pay for the purpose of keeping up Anzac Day, and if any attempt were made to force employers to pay these workers, the special observance of Anzac Day would soon go by the hoard. But, in any ease, the landing at Anzac was made on a Sunday, and could very well be observed permanently on that dav.

Fciidalion residents who arc in the more closely populated area of the Riccarton riding of the Waimairi County will have to wait a little longer for relief from heavy rales, for the Boundary Commission has decided against them, and in favour of the large land-owners, in their petition for borough control. The Commission finds that if lhe area were included in Riccarton it would have to pay, under the unimproved value system, considerably more in rates than it pays to-day, and the whole of the increase would he borne by tiie owners of the larger properties. Even this does not slate the position accurately. Those who petitioned for a change of boundaries showed that in some cases their rates would he halved under borough control, and they are being penalised at the expense of large landowners and land speculators, who pay next to nothing for land that is lying idle. To make matters worse, this particular riding-includes lhe very large acreage occupied by the Boys’ High School, on which no rates arc paid, and it is obvious that if one or two more non-rate-payiug institutions could be planted in this riding, the ratepayers would J)o in a very had way financially. As a matter of fact, subdivision and building operations arc going on rapidly in this direction, and it is only a matter of time when the area will he included in Greater Christchurch. Meanwhile, the residents have a grievance not only on the ground that they are carrying the big land-owner on their shoulders, but that their general rate under county management has gone up in two years from a penny to a penny and five-eighths on the capital value.