Support cut for Anzac Day wreathes
‘‘I think they are an important part of the community and an important part of the remembrance ceremony. ’’ Feilding RSA president Barrie Law
Police say it is too expensive for them to lay wreaths at many Anzac Day services and the money is better spent elsewhere.
They have axed laying wreaths at nearly all war remembrance ceremonies in the Central District, covering only the cities.
There are more than 40 ceremonies across the district and in the past police laid a wreath at each one.
‘‘This year we chose to do this at the three main services, in Palmerston North, New Plymouth and Whanganui,’’ district commander Superintendent Sue Schwalger said.
Representatives of the RSA have expressed some surprise about the new stance, saying the purpose of laying wreaths is to show respect for the fallen.
Feilding RSA president Barrie Law said the police had always laid a wreath at the Feilding ceremony and it was news to him they had decided not to this year.
‘‘They normally do and they normally parade and march.
‘‘They are an accepted part of the RSA organisation. The welfare side of things takes into account police.’’
Each police district was given the power to allocate their district budgets as they saw fit, and Schwalger said the police leadership team decided it was not appropriate to provide a wreath at every ceremony.
They thought the money could be better spent as part of the work they did in communities.
‘‘We believe our staff’s presence at ceremonies across the district, either in a personal or official capacity, is the best way we can honour our fallen service personnel on Anzac Day,’’ Schwalger said.
She said Central District police were committed to supporting and attending Anzac Day ceremonies in their local areas.
The money to buy wreaths came out of their general operating budget, which was used for such things as the rescue helicopter, search and rescue operations and community events.
Police have not said how much money will be saved.
Accent on Flowers owner Trish Lee-Brown said the cheapest wreath would be about $120.
‘‘That is a smallish circle with leaves and just a small flower focal point.’’
Lee-Brown said some of the bigger wreaths would cost about $250.
RSA national president BJ Clark said respect was the reason police laid wreaths.
‘‘Wreaths are a traditional symbol of remembrance, with the colour and type of flowers they are made of often representing the organisation or country laying the wreath.’’
There were more then 240 services around New Zealand and Clark said the RSA had not noticed a trend of people skimping on wreaths.
Law was away this year for the ceremony at Feilding but confirmed police had not taken part formally.
In previous years they had an incident with police where they had been told they could not march in the parade, but that had been sorted out.
‘‘I think they are an important part of the community and an important part of the remembrance ceremony.’’
He believed it was important that police took part in the ceremony and wondered why there appeared to be a lack of communication about the change.
Forget Me Not Flowers owner Alex Phipps said a lot of time and love went into creating the symbols of remembrance wreath.
‘‘They are really, really timeconsuming.’’