BATTLE TROPHIES.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 March 1918, Page 6

BATTLE TROPHIES.

AUSTRALIAN COLLECTION. endangered. HEDGED TO LONDON MUSEUM. ’ (From Captain JlTw. Bean, Official Australian Press Representative m London. Copyright by Crown. LONDON, January 25. Difficulty has arisen about the disposal of the trophies of the first Australian troops, which, unless steps arc taken in order to rectify it, will wreck the whole scheme of collection of the Australian trophies, and cause extreme indignation among the Australian troops.

Australian battalions and companiee from generals to privates, display the greatest enthusiasm in bringing out from battle interesting exhibits for the people at home. The man hauling a battered German machine-gun down the duckboards, the sweat pouring from under his steel hat, pictures to himself all the time the pleasure of showing it some day in some museum at home to family and friends. THE BEST FOR AUSTRALIA.

The men are intensely eager to get the best for Australia; but it turns out that same time ago when the war was younger, and the circumstances possibly different, a promise was made on behalf of Australia, in answer to a request originatinf from the Imperial War Museum in London, to give the first selection of. all trophies captured by our troops to that institution. Difficulty has already arisen over the very finest trophy captured by the Australians at Sinai, the ancient mosaic pavement carefully preserved and guarded and sent back by the Light Horse. The Australian claim to this is being resisted by the authorities who possess the permission mentioned above. And a very fine trophy captured by the Australians in France at the risk of their lives is liable to be selected by the authorities of the London Museum.

INTENSE INDIGNATION.

The indignation of the Australian troops when they realise this will be intense; and amongst, the Canadians and New Zealanders, who are aware of the facts the feeling is very strong. The idea of preserving these cherished relics for the London Museum leaves them quite cold. It would be a very different thing for Australia to present the best possible collection from her own trophies to the British Museum. The men here would make every effort to get the London Museum whatever it asked, and doubtless the museum would reciprocate. But it is urgent for Australia to insist upon three principles: First, to revoke whatever promise has been given; second, to claim the greatest control for the Australian Imperial Force over the collection, supervision, and distribution of their own trophies; third, willingly to co-op-crato in the fullest scheme for the exchange of any representative collections desired, but to join in only on the basis of complete equality amongst the museums of British countries.