ANZAC day 1973. Peter Wilson, President of the Students Association of Victoria University of Wellington attempted to lay a wreath at the Wellington Cenotaph. An objection by a member of the Returned Services Association meant that it was not laid until official ceremonies were finished. The student newspaper -Salient- reported that the wreath had the inscription ” To the dead and dying in the struggle against imperialism. Victory will be theirs”. The objection by the RSA was that such an inscription was too political. Salient commented that this was a trifle ironic, given that most of the other wreaths were laid by imperialist and fascist countries such as the United States, South Vietnam, South Africa, Indonesia and Malaysia. It stated as well that apart from taking the opportunity to glorify their militarism, past and present, they all cash in on Anzac day to gain diplomatic acceptance and prestige.
Photographer: Keith Stewart