AN APPEAL FOR INTEREST.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1921, Page 5

AN APPEAL FOR INTEREST.

WAR TROPHIES EXHIBITION. To the Editor. Sir, —A visit to the exhibition to-night (Friday) produced a sense of surprise at its importance, its interest and its educational value, and of disappointment- at the meagre attendance of the public. With your permission 1 will draw attention to the loss suffered by those who do not avail themselves of this opportunity of actually seeing and examining such a collection of war material and souvenirs as has never before been seen in New Zealand. It appeals to all, especially to those who have a love of mechanics and of applied science. With the object of helping to fill the hall with visitors to-morrow (Saturday), the last day, I mention a few of the trophies which attracted my notice. As one enters the hall one sees a scouting aeroplane, with its wooden propeller and immense wings; next a line of machine guns, and then a line of At one end stands an 18-inch shell, nearly six feet high and weighing a ton and a half. At the end of the hall are glass cases filled with medals of all kinds —the Victoria Cross, the Star of the Legion of Honor, the Order of the Bath, and others too numerous to mention. Flags of all nations decorate the walls, many of much historical interest. Among them are General Allenby’s motor car pennant and General Chaytor’s motor car pennant—the actual flags which went through the Palestine campaign—the pay flag flown on Gallipoli, the flag of St. George carried by the cruiser Triumph when she was mined and sunk in the Dardanelles. Courteous and well-informed attendants explain the exhibits. I write this because it is regrettable that so much time and money are spent in football and horse-racing and sports of all kinds, while so little notice is takeq of an exhibition so intimately associated with the sufferings, the achievements and the patriotism of our New Zealand soldiers.—l am, etc., R. CLINTON HUGHES.