COINCIDING DATES.

Otaki Mail, 19 February 1919, Page 4

COINCIDING DATES.

ST. MARK’S AND ANZAC DAYS. Tlic lav.- of coincidence operates in many surprising ways ami often very lmppilv. An instance of this is to be found in the fact that St. Mark’s Day and Anznc Day are identical in the calendar. And the point in (his coincidence is that the Anglican Cathedral which is to be built on the site of the present St- -Mark’s Church in Wellington, will also lie a memorial to the deeds of tin- New Zealand Army and the battlefields on which they fought. ! Anzac was the first and most heroic j of these, and it will .naturally be pro- ' miuentiy represented in the historic , records which will be stored in tins j great cathedral. In view of these tacts j the coincidence of the two days is a de- I cidedly happy one. The proposal to build a cathedral iu Wellington which would be second to nothing of its kind in Australasia, was brought forward over a year ago, and in a brief campaign a sum exceeding £30,000 was promised, showing that the appeal did not fall on deaf ears. At that: time, however, the claims of patriotic societies and other soldiers’ comforts funds were being pressed, and in deference to tinurgency of these matters the cathedral fund campaign was held in abeyance for the time being. It is considered, however, that the £lso,Out) necessary to begin work cm the main building should be obtained as soon as possible, because one of the purposes' of the cathedral is that of a memorial to New Zealand’s fallen soldiers. Straightout giving is what is desired in obtaining the money, so that the cathedral will be built by the freewill offering of a people who are grateful for the success which has been won by men who fought and died for right and liberty. There will be no ,art unions or doubtful devices for raising money. Those who.cannot give at once what, to them, is a large sum of money, can promise it and spread the payment of their gift over a period of * years. The lion, organising secretary is the Kev. C. B. Askew, the Vicarage, -St. Mark’s, Wellington, who will be happy at all times to answer inquiries and receive donations to this worthy object.