ANZAC DAY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 165, 24 April 1928, Page 4

ANZAC DAY.

OBSERVANCE TO-MORROW. MESSAGE FROM THE KING. TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND. AUCKLAND, April 23. The Governor-General has been commanded by the King to communicate to the people of New Zealand on the occasion of Anzao Day the following message from his Majesty:— On this solemn day consecrated to the memory of those who died so nobly at Gallipoli the thoughts of the Queen and myself are with my people of Australia and New Zealand, and our hearts go out in sympathy to all who gave their loved ones. GEORGE, R.I. AUSTRALIAN GREETINGS. WELLINGTON, This (Day. The following message has been received from the Military Headquarters of the Commonwealth: — Kindest greetings to the New Zealand forces from Australian comrades on the anniversary of Anzac Day. Messages have been sent to FieldMarshal Birdwood, Sir Alexander Godley and the Commonwealth Military Headquarters.

“ MEMORY IN NO WAY DIMS.” SIR W. BIRDWOOD’S THOUGHT. WELLINGTON, This Day. The following cablegram was received this morning by Major-General Young, (G. 0.0- New Zealand Forces) from Field-Marshall Sir William Birdwood (now Commander-in-Chief in India): — G.0.C., New Zealand Military Forces, —I shall he glad if you will once more convey to my old comrades of the N.Z.E.F. my greetings and remembrance for Anzac Day. It hardly seems possible or necessary to use more words than these. As years go on my memory in no way dims regarding those events. My affection for my old comrades can never he less, while my feelings for those who gave their lives for all they held dear can never alter. Will you please also convey my respectful greetings to families of those who fell and to the people of New Zealand.

ASHBURTON CELEBRATIONS. ADDRESS BY GENERAL RUSSELL. The anniversary of the landing of the. New Zealand troops on Gallipoli on April 25, 1915, known as Anzac Day, will be celebrated through the Dominion to-morrow. Following the usual custom, brief sendees will be held in Ashburton in the morning, with a united religious and patriotic meeting in the Domain, in the afternoon.

Appropriate references to Anzac Day and its significance were made in most of the schools in the County to-day, as there is no official place for the children in to-morrow’s programme. At 10.30 o’clock a brief service will be held at Baring Square, where wreaths will be laid on the South African War memorial, and afterwards there will be a somewhat longer service at the soldiers’ plots in the cemetery, this commencing at 11 o’clock. Two hymns will be sung, the Rev. A. G. Irvine will read a passage of scripture, the Rev. W. Grigg will lead in prayer, and wreaths will be laid on the graves, while the sounding of the Last Post will conclude this service.

At 2 o’clock a brief service will be held at the Hampstead memorial, at which the Salvation Army Band will be in attendance.

The main gathering will be held on the Domain Oval, commencing at 3 o’clock, and the chief speaker will be Major-General Sir A. H. Russell (president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association). The Mayor (Mr R. Galbraith) will preside, and the presiding minister will be the Rev. R. B. Tinsley. The Ashburton Silver Band will be in attendance, and returned soldiers, Territorials, Senior Cadets, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides will parade, all but the latter marching to the Domain from their respective meetingplaces and joining the column en route.

Returned soldiers are requested to meet at the cemetery at 11 a.m., and at the Soldiers’ Club at 2.15 p.m., in mufti and wearing badges. The following units will parade at the Drill Hall at 2.15 p.m.:— B Squadron Ist N.Z.M.R. (C.Y.C.), D Company Ist Battalion Canterbury Regiment, A Company 6th Cadet Battalion, and C and D Oompanie,s 2nd Cadet Battalion. An invitation has been extended to the Reserve of Officers and .Retired List, nurses and South African veterans, to meet there at the same hour. At the conclusion of the service, which will last about an hour, returned men, nurses and veterans will be the guests of the Lady Liverpool Fund at afternoon-tea at the Soldiers’ ClubShould the weather be wet, the service will be held in the Theatre Royal. Services in the County. Special services will be held at several of the County centres to-morrow, including • Methven, Staveley, Mount Somers and Rakaia. At the latter place a united memorial service will be held in the Town Hall at 3 p.m.. and will be conducted by the Rev. J. Boothroyd (Methodist), Rev. A. S. Morrison (Presbyterian) and Rev. J. C. Hawksworth (Anglican).