ANZAC DAY

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9062, 22 April 1937, Page 2

ANZAC DAY

ALTERATION MADE IN CEREMONY QUESTION DISCUSSED I LEFT IN HANDS OP CLERGY For the purpose of making arrangements for the commemoration 1 of Anzac Day a meeting convened by ' the Mayor, Mr W. M. Wallnutt, was 1 held in the Wailii Borough Council < Chambers on Monday afternoon at ' which the local clergy were well re- ' presented. The chairman, Mr Wallnutt, apologised for the absence of the Rev. A. Marshall owing to indisposition, and read the following letter from Mr F. R. Slevin, the principal of the Waihi High School:— "Please accept apologies for my absence. . . My personal opinion is, and my teachers feel the same, that as the day falls on a Sunday the usual parade to the Academy Theatre should be abandoned in favour of church services." Mr J. Mitchell, president of the Waihi branch of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, explained that at its annual meeting the question of the commemoration of Anzac Day was discussed, special attention being given to the" subject owing to the day falling on a Sunday, ] and as a result the following resolution was carried: "That it be a recommendation from this annual meeting that owing to Anzac Day falling on a Sunday this year no parade or combined services be held, but all members attend services at > their own churches." INVITATION BY CHURCHES The chairman said that if the 1 churches extended an invitation to ! the civic authorities and other public " bodies, including military units, 1 they would no doubt be pleased to T accept it.

Canon J. L. A. Kayll said that personally he did not like the idea of the churches extending invitations for parades. It appeared to be a question of which church was first in with an invitation, and savoured of a "stunt," which he was opposed to on principle. He would move that the matter be left in the hands of the clergy to make their own arrangements for services in their own churches.

The Rev. R. Day said seeing that the Returned Soldiers' Association had given a lead he would second the motion.

The Rev. E. E. Smith, the new pastor of the Baptist Church, said it seemed to him a pity to ignore the clay. Although he knew there were objections to keeping sorrowful memories alive, the commemoration of Anzac Day was a national duty to the young people. His thoughts ran on the lines "Lest We Forget.' - Could they not, he said, make arrangements for a combined church service in the afternoon. Mr Mitchell, in further explanation, said that in putting forward his association's recommendation it had no idea of establishing a precedent, and there was no thought of curtailing the commemoration of Anzac Day. Two factors had a bearing on the association reaching the decision it had, the overcrowding of services on a Sunday, as in the past Anzac Day had always fallen on a week-day. A packed theatre that a combined service would involve, including many children, was not favoured by the Health Department for health reasons. However, whatever was decided upon the Returned Soldiers' Association would be represented at the church services, by invitation or free will. After some further discussion Canon Kayll's motion was put and carried. SOLDIERS' GRAVES Mr Mitchell, speaking on behalf of his association, explained that in the past the collections which accrued from the combined services went to the association's distress fund. However, he was pleased to be able to say that that fund was now in a sound financial position and able to meet the obligations required of it, but they proposed to create a fund to improve a certain number of returned soldiers' graves at the Waihi cemetery. Already a few pounds had been provided by the Waihi Borough Council to make some permanent improvement to these graves. Meanwhile the association was looking for means to create a nucleus of a fund.

In reply to the Rev. Day as to the amounts collected at the Anzac services and received by the Returned Soldiers' Association, the town clerk, Mr E. C. Westbury, supplied the information, giving the gross amount of the collections for several years past and the net amount handed to the association. The gross amount in 1933 was £5 12s, each year since showing a slight increase, and last year the amount reached £7 18s 6d, the association receiving £5 14s 6d. Father Von Rotter said he would be pleased to give a donation to make up any loss that the association would suffer by reason of the abandonment this year of a combined service, aud a similar intimation was forthcoming from all the other clergy present, Canon Kayll stressing the importance of caring for the graves pf soldiers. Mr Mitchell, in thanking them ! for the sympathetic manner in which his remarks had been received, expressed his appreciation of the clergy's generous intentions.