VETERANS' SALUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 296, 14 December 1936, Page 3

VETERANS' SALUTE.

"HAIL TO THE KING." mount roskill incident. BOROUGH PROCLAMATIONS. Wearing the uniform of the Veterans' Home, and bearing on their chests medals of many campaigns, twenty old soldiers stood at the salute in front of the ilount Roskill Road Board's office this afternoon. It was an impressive vignette among the many which in the boroughs and districts of Auckland demonstrated loyalty to our new sovereign. Through the wars of the past sixty years they had followed a flag and given themselves in its service. To-day, old in duty, they stood again in line and with eyes that were still bright they gazed at that flag and with hands and hearts testified to their fealty. The oldest of them that stood there was 85 years, a veteran of many campaigns, with the medals of a proud career. The others were little younger, a number of them bent and in "ill-health as a result of their wounds and the ordeals of fire they had experienced, but upon the chests of two of them were distinguished conduct medals. Through the initial ceremony they sat in a poignant row before the assembly, but with the final royal salute they rose, and for all that a number were on sticks they had a soldierly bearing and an aspocfc of dignity. It was as though the words had been spoken, "I need again your services" —and they had replied, "We are ready." Varied Ceremonial. That was one incident of the outer suburban readings of the Proclamation, but there were many others. As in this case age had anaswered, so in others the ■ ccent was on youth. At a number of -'■ie gatherings about the city troops of

boy scouts were in attendance, and their tribute was bright with the eagerness of their youth, as was the older men's a brightness of experience. Young and old. they stood in tribute to the same ideal—service ror service. Each of the boroughs and districts had its own ceremonial associated with the accession of King George VI., and for each there was an assemblage of people, though the Town Hall ceremony liad attracted citizens from all parts of the city. In the suburban districts the Proclamation was read by the following Mayors: One Tree Hill, Mr. I. J. Goldstine; Newmarket, Mr. S. Donaldson; Mount Eden, Mr. T. McXab; New Lynn, Mr. G. Lawson; Onehunga, Mr. J. Park; Devonport, Mr. H. F. W. Meikle; Northcote, Mr. R. Martin; Birkenhead, Mr. E. J. Osborne; Mount Albert, Mr. H. A. Anderson; Ellerslie Town District, Mr. C. G. McCullough (chairman), and Panmure Town Board, Mr. W. G. Brown (chairman).