Fallen Troopers' Memorial

The Unveiling Ceremony. There was a very large gathering of town and country people on Saturday to witness the ceremony of unveiling the memorial obelisk to the fallen troopers, erected in Baring Square East. Included among the assemblage were His Worship the Major and Messrs C. J. Harper, W. H. Collins, and C. W. Purnell, members of the Memorial Committee, of which Mr Collins was chairman; also Messrs D. Thomas, W. W, fcr'mith, Chaplain W. S. Bean, and many other gentlemen. Shortly after 2 p.m., the time appointed for the ceremony to take place, His Worship the Mayor, accompanied by Messrs Purnell and Collins, mounted the steps of the obelisk, and said that before the proceedings commenced he would tender apologies for absence from . the Premier. Messrs J. McLachJan, M.H.R, J. Studholme, T. Harrison, J. Lambie, and Captain Dolman, the latter being indisposed. His Worship went on to say that Saturday was a very inconvenient day for the volunteers to attend, and this he regretted very muoh, Apologies were also read from Bandmaster Humphries, and Mr Pearson of Oamaru, whose son fell during the war. Chaplain the Rev. W. S. Bean, North Canterbury Battalion, then said the Lord's Prayer, and read appropriate prayers for the occasion.

His Worship the Mayor then performed the ceremony of unveiling the obelisk by removing the Union Jack, which was entwined around it. The obelisk, which is of red granite with polished sides, bears the following inscription on the face fronting Bast Street, the lettering being of gold :— " South African War, 1900-2. David Bruce, Hugh Edward Collison, Alfred Edward Pearson, Basil Edward St. John Stephens, Robert.Henry Bramley Upton, Archibald Wookey. Erected to their memory by the people of Ashburton. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori." Following the unveiling, the National Anthem was sung, after which His Worship spoke as follows :— In common with all' parts of the British Empire, the Ashburton district after the recent war in South Africa, whilst joining in the general thanksgiving and jubilation at the successful issue of that straggle, had occasion to mourn the loss of a number of their fellow residents who met their death during its progress. It was only natural that there should be a general desire to pay a tribute to the memory of those men whose lives have thus been given for their country, and some of our leading townsmen have taken the subject in a practical way and this obelisk is the outcome of their efforts. This memorial appeals to us as a tribute of regretful and honourable memory to those who on our behalf laid down their lives in » distant part of the Empfra. It will remind us all of a hard campaign successfully gone through and of the sorrow which belongs to any war, and it will do more than this, it will remind ub and posterity of the closer union of our colony with the Mother Country and of ths bond of patriotism that closely welded our great Empire. This is the first public memorial of a lasting nature erected in our district, and it is fitting that it should, marl? the first call of the Mother Country to. her young colonies and the ready response given. Though the feelings of pride for our sons who so readily answered their country's call may now be tinged with sorrow for those who have fallen, yet to our decendants this memorial will recall the noble sentiments of patriotic pride, and the blood of our&qxis shall not have been shed in vain. Though this monument is not perhaps so grand a one as we might like.tosde to mark so great an event, yet it is of a permanent nature and will be a lasting memorial to posterity of how the colonies helped the Empire and the stirring times of the great Boer War. Such memorials as these in our midst have an educational value, for besides stimulating our patriotism they should prove an incentive to volunteering, and always remind our yqung men of their duty to their country, so that should occasion again require, it, they will say " what our ancestors have done, that we will also do " In conclusion let me say we do well I to think of those men whom we send to fight our battles, but we should remember that however brave they may be, and however anxious they may be to do their duty to their country, their efforts are of little avail unless in'time o£ peaoa they are prepared for war. Therefore, there must be in our colony a large and w.ell equipped body of volunteers'who , may be at all times prepared to support the cause of the great British Empire, t think that £he memorial Committee are deserving o,f much praise for the efforts they have put forward to have this memorial erected. (Applause.) Mr C, .T, Harper, chairman of the Oounty Council, and a member of the Committee, expressed his gladness at seeing such a large attendance present, and at the game time thought that every man.-woman, and child ought to haye turned out on such an occasion tp pay thejr reverence tq those young men who left this country full of enthusiasm, and went out to the war. He thought that on such an occasion also, the volunteers should have turned out to a man (applause). They should be ever ready to assist on occasions like the present. It was his duty as, representing the County Council to attend. He said that the unpretentious monument before them would stand as a record of public recognition of , the services these young men had rendered to the Empire, Should such another occasion arise, he felt sure that Ashburton would not be backward in sending her sons to go out in defence of the Empire. What more could a man do than lay down hi§ life for his country's cause ? Now that the monument had been raised so far, he thought they; should not stop at thaji, but go on improving it. (Loud applause.} ■ Mr C. W. Purnell said that 'before touching upon the matter relative to the cause of the gathering that afternoon, he would like to sajr something about the criticisms that h r ad ecu V^ 6 bysome people, and those who werb: keenest in this way were' persons whd'tiad never had anything in the slightest to do with matters of this kind, or assisted^ in any way whatever wltH the raisipg of thfj monument, There had been a good deal of misapprehension as to what kind of a monument should be put up. It was quite inappropriate for a monument to be erected unless "it was to be of a lasting character. There might be o.ther monuments of tfef ?am? kind,. butnqt suitable. This one was of granite and there was nq reason at all why it should not last 100 years. People said why did the community honor these tnen. The answer was this j They had-laid down their lives for their country, and no nian could do more than that, was noblp'for these men to die for their cquntry, anjj it was ahly right and proper to keep their, mem* ory. A' man might devote his whole life to j good causps as, a private citizen^ but the man lyho laid down his life deser-ved to be honoured. Then there was another reason. The South African war had marked a turn-, ing point in the destiny of the British Wmnirß. it tYaa very difficult to ascertain jjtu^,..^. « • 4.T.-««,«.. f{ mf> ; the turn of events, and it was iu D ».•.•>* .»—- ---in history that the whole of the colonies had fient-mento <help in the struggle, There had feeeiJL colonial contingents sent before, notably from New South Wales to the Soudan, but this was the first time on record that the colonies had united to assist the Empire. The colonies had attained their years of manhood, so to speak, and could not'only protect themselves but others as well. We had only to look around to see now imperative it was that the colonies Eihouldkeep up an efficient state of military preparedness. The time would 5 probably come when the war drum would cease to throb, but from present indications he thought that was a long time off, and instanced the disturbed state of Asia. The only reason why Britishers sat down in peace 1 was because of their firm faith in England's strength. That is why we go about our duties without fear of molestation. There was an qld saying that in peace we should always be prepared for a time o' way; He did nqt mean |n a bellicose or k iingoistic spirit, b.ut iq a mijitary Bpiiit The British Empire would last just as long as the sons of England were prepared to fight for it. (Applause.) Mr W. H. Collins, Chairman of tie Memorial Comuiittep, said there was very

little left for him to say, but he intended 3aying something in reference to th« memorial. They all knew what it was for, and the occasion of their being brought together. They must remember, and never forget, that there were fathers and mothers whoso hearts were Rore because of the Bons they had lost in the South African war. All honour to them, he said, for going out to fight for us and the nation. They had met there to-day to honour the dead, and he would say « Peace be to their ashes, and may their memories never be forgotten." While we enjoyed the sunshine those whose names were engraved on the monument were lying in their cold graveß on the veldt The memorial was ereoted in memory of the dead soldiers. He would take this opportunity of mentioning that there would be an opportunity given of subscribing towards the memorial, the amounkaubsoribed up to the present was £119, and the monument had cost £125. He mentioned that the Committee would like to put a railing round. (Applause.) Subscriptions were taken up on the ground, and the sum of 19b was leoted.