HONOURING THE DEAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 837, 4 December 1929, Page 6

HONOURING THE DEAD

LEAD TO THE PUBLIC WANTED CENOTAPH AS WICKETS School children must be taught the true meaning of the Cenotaph in the Court of Honour at the War Memorial Museum, and a lead generally given to the public to show respect for the dead in passing the memorial. This was the consensus of opinion expressed by members of t le Auckland Provincial Roll of Honour Committee yesterday. Inviting views on the matter, the chairman. Mr. A. C. A. Sexton, asked whether the committee should not set out its opinion that the public was expected t«» show respect for the dead. It is natural for a man passing the cenotaph to n his hat in silent tribute and i p u: * it after passing,” remarked Sir George Richardson. He considered that no uniform mark of respect should be insisted upon. The chairman, however, saw difficulties in the way if hat-raising was not made a custom. A man did not like to make himself conspicuous by baring liia head when others did not do so, lie added. Pedestrian and vehicular traffic in London always paid silent tribute to the dead, which the cenotaph there signalised, it was pointed out. Following a statement by Mr. C. T. Majdr of having seen children playing cricket on the Court of Honour and using the cenotaph as wickets, the committee decided to apply to the Education Board to instruct teachers to Inform children of the cenotaph’s true meaning.