MEDIA RELEASE

Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Manatū Taonga

August 6, 2012

NZ Flag to Fly at Half-Mast

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage advises that the New Zealand Flag is to be flown at half-mast on all Government and public buildings for the remainder of today, August 6, to mark the death of two soldiers of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan.

Flags will lowered again on the day of their funerals, date to be advised.

This applies to all Government departments and Government buildings which have flag poles.

The flag is half-masted by first raising it to the top of the mast and then immediately lowering it slowly to the half-mast position.

The flag must be lowered to a position recognisably “half-mast” to avoid the appearance of a flag which has accidentally fallen away from the top of the flagpole. As a guide, the flag should be more than its own depth from the top of the flagpole. At the end of the day, the flag should be raised again to the top of the flagpole before being fully lowered.

For more information visit http://www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/flags/half-masting-new-zealand-flag

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