AUCKLAND'S MEMORIAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 287, 3 December 1929, Page 5

AUCKLAND'S MEMORIAL

OPENING OF MUSEUM A BRILLIANT FUNCTION. (By J. O. Hanlon, the “Chronicle’s” Special Reporter.) At every turn, the inspiration of the Greek has been caught in the erection of Auckland’s memorial to those who fought during those tragic years from 1914 to 1918. Something of the glory that once was Greece is enshrined in the noble niuseufh. building which form the memorial takes, and the spirit which led the ancient cultured race to place the Parthenon upon a prominence —a reminder and a challenge, has actuated the erection of Auckland’s memorial on a spot where it can be seen for miles around. On Thursday afternoon the work of raising a symbol of the city’s recognition of the services of those who went

abroad to fight was consummated with the transfer of the building to the trustees of the Auckland Institute and Museum by the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson. The ceremony included the consecration by the Archbishop of New Zealand, Dr A. W. Averill of the Cenotaph, erected in front of the Museum Although the weather on the two preceding days was marked by heavy showers, on Thursday it was fine, and consequently, with the large concourse of the public assembled outside the museum, the scone pre-

sented at the function was a brilliant one. From u.ll points of the building and from the Cenotaph, flags fluttered in the breeze. Immediately before one lay the beautiful environs of the Domain, in which the Museum stands, and beyond these were the city, the waters of the Waiteinata, the Hauraki Gulf with Rangitito towering up and Tiritiri plainly seen in the far distance. Consecration Of Cenotaph. Promptly at 2 o’clock the Vice-regal party arrived, and, as the opening bars of the National Anthem, played by the band rang out, thousands stood in silence. The chairman of the Citizens’ War Memorial Committee, Mr A. S. Bankart, then traversed the history of events leading to the final decision to erect a Museum as Auckland’s war memorial. The citizens, he said, were, to be congratulated upon the fact that the ( total amount subscribed for the building had been free-will offerings only. The memorial, he explained, took two forms: Firstly the Museum, which was to be entrusted to the Auckland Institute and Museum arid the Cenotaph which was to be entrusted to the City Council. IThe citizens desired that the latter should be consecrated by the Arch-

i I bishop, and in accordance with this ■ i wish, he asked his Grace to consent to I i perform this act. • The Archbishop gave his consent ■ and, with his retinue proceeded from the dais to the Cenotaph and its consc- . cration was duly effected. Then on behalf of the Citizens’ Committee, Mr i Bankart asked his Excellency to prei sent the Cenotaph and the Court of Honour, in which it stood, to the Mayor, Air G Baildon. Tn making the presentation his Excellency said that he wished to carry

the minds of the gathering back to a period more than 2000 years ago in ancient Greece, when, we were told, it was the custm, after a battle, for the inhabitants to assemble on a set day at some beautiful spot outside their city. There were brought in caskets the remains of those who had died in the battle and other caskets representing those who had died on the field, but whose remains had not been brought to their native city. Then some chosen citizen was called upon to make an oration and pay tribute to the memory of the men who had died for their country. And after that, we were told, the people went away quietly to their homes, A Fear Of Dishonour. Above the doorway of Auckland’s great museum would be seen certain words. These words were spoken on one of the occasions referred to by the statesman, Pericles. It would not be out of place to recall some portion of that speech. He began by saying that the men who had fallen had voluntarily resigned all hopes of happiness in the determination to do their duty; that they ran away from the word of dishonour, but on the battlefield their feet.

stood fast and in the moment at the height of their fortune they passed away from the scone of their glory. To-day, a similar scene was presented by the ceremony then taking place on a beautiful spot outside the city. As on that occasion, the Cenotaph did not represent the grave in which the men were interred, but the glory which survived them and it told its message to us that the fallen were men who knew their duty and had the courage to do it. Surely this was the noblest of all petitions! And so, to each one, the Cenotaph became a call to duty and it depended upon each, just so much or so little, as he responded to that appeal to duty, what the answer to the question which was then asked would be Were those lives wasted: did those men die in vain? Yes, they died in vain if the appeal was not listened to and the lesson of self-sacrifice was not learnt, A Challenge and Inspiration. At Athens on the Acropolis, added his Excellency, the Athenians erected the Parthenon and there, through the centuries, it stood a silent witness to a piety which was dead and a faith which had passed away. There on the summit of the Auckland Domain was seen a heritage of Ancient Greece which too, would stand through the centuries. There were many difficulties in the path of the great project which, however, had been brought to a successful issue. As the years went by, might the pile be a challenge and an inspiration to those gathered’there that day and to generations yet unborn.

At the conclusion of his address, his Excellency placed the Cenotaph and Court of Honour in the keeping of the Mayor who, on behalf of the councillors and the city, undertook that the trust would be jealously guarded. The ceremony of handing over the Museum to the institute was next performed by his Excellency, Mr H. E. Vaile assuming charge of the building on behalf of the trustees.

The relatives of men who bad fought in the War wore then admitted to the building and for the‘first time a large section of the general public were able to see the truly extensive scale on which the housing of museum exhibits had been carried out. The splendid conception of the Grecian ideal everywhere manifest in the architecture, together with the cultural influence of the Museum, made the building a most fitting memorial and one of which Auckland may justly be proud.