PAPANUI WAR MEMORIAL.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17727, 2 April 1923, Page 14

PAPANUI WAR MEMORIAL.

UNVEILING CEREMONY.

Many hundreds of people were present yesterday afternoon at the unveiling ceremony of the tablet in front of the newly erected Memorial Town Hall and Library at Papanui. The Memorial Tablet, which is of granite, bears the following inscription: "In memory of the men of this district who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914-18," and the following, names:—Allington, F.; Boon, W. 0.; Cassin, G.; Courtenay, C. C; Clarkson, W. G ; Dalley, S. M. C; Dorrett, S. W.; Donoghue, L. P.; Donoghue, F. J.; Donoghue, S.; Devening, P. S.; Dunn, E.; Harris, S. H.; Johnston, H. A.; Hopkins, V.; Hopkins, H.; Hay, G.; Kerr, W.; Cerridge, G.; Low, G.; Lyons, G.: Mawson, E.; Montgomery,. J.; McArthur, J.; McLeary, H.; McDonald, D.; Elderton, A.; Eldridge, A.; Flint, J. A.; Lord, L. S.; Mcllroy, V.; Patrick, A.; Kiordan, J. J.; Ryan, P. P.; Rainbow, J.; Schumacher, F. W.; Walsh, P.; Boon, H. L.

The Guard of Honour was from the 6th Cadet Batallion, Canterbury Regiment, under Lieut. H. Beaument. A large voluntary orchestra was in attendance.

After the singing of "Abide With Me," the chairman of the Memorial Committee, Mr L. M. Hart, said that at last the day had arrived when Papanui was able to unveil its Memorial to the men who had fallen. There was a fine assemblage of children, and he hoped they would always remember the men who had sacrificed their lives in the cause of right. Papanui people were proud to be able to have Sir E. Heaton Rhodes, who had done his best for the boys when they were oversea, to unveil the Memorial. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, Minister for Defence, stated that he greatly appreciated the honour of being asked to unveil the Memorial to the fallen soldiers of Papanui. It was "" not as though he was a stranger to the district, for he had known Papanui, ."he thought, for a longer time than most of the people present. It was because he was so well acquainted with the district that he was so glad to perform the ceremony. April had come, and the day was approaching when the anniversary of the landing at Anzac .would be commemorated. The men had gone away from New Zealand, and the people at home anxiously waited to see what they would do. The mothers' and fathers had known that they would noflail, and they had not. The same spirit that had enabled their forefathers to win countless victories on sea and land had been inherent in them. They had shown the spirit of endurance, of indomitable pluck, and they had won through in the end. A war correspondent had written that the Anzae division fought like lions, and that they had accomplished a feat almost unequalled in the history of war, and every word the correspondent had written was _ true. The people must see that the spirit of the race should never die. The spirit of adventure and discovery that had animated Scott in peace, was the same that had impelled the men who had • died for us, the same that had carried them through the battles in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France. The names of the battles that New Zealand ( had • helped' to win -would be familiar to the children and the children's children in the years to come, and they should remember the men who had helped to win them. The tablet was a memorial to the heroes, and it was erected in no mean spirit of glory and no boastful spirit, but it was to put on record the names of the men who had sacrificed their lives for the community. 4 'This generation will not forget them," said Sir Heaton, "but we -must think of those generations which will come after us. As they pass this hall they will read the names, and think what the tablet means; what these men gave ' to the nation." The tablet would.be an example of self-sacrifice to, their countrymen. It was fitting that every community should have its memorial, so that it could always remember the men who gave their all. In Franco a Memorial had been completed, and others were being erected, and on tho highest point reached by British troops on the Peninsula,, Chfinuk Bair, .another memorial would.be placed. Many mistakes had been made in the war days, and jobs had been given to men who were not capable, but in spite of the blunders, England had f won through as she had done on other occasions. The speaker knew that the people who remained behind had done their >part, and their efforts had not been lost on the men in hospital and ,'in the trenches. '' The lesson is that these men devoted themselves to the world and to ourselves, and let us in pur daily lives help one another, and be self-sacrificing on our part," he con- ° The flag which veiled the 'tablet was held by the mothers of the fallen men when Sir R. Heaton Rhodes pulled it aside. , . Over the Memorial was a laurel wreath, with the words, 'f At the going down of tho sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.'' The mothers placed floral wreaths at the foot of the tablet.' , ■ ' , ~ . The Rev. W. H. Orbell (Anglican) said, although everyone" felt deeply for the people who had lost sons,.it was not so much a feeling of sympathy that was uppermost in their minds; they were there to honour the gallant and glorious deeds of the men. He had counted no fewer than names on the memorial, and they would live not merely in tablets of stone, but in the hearts of the people in the years to

come. The tablet would endure long otter the building had fallen, and, he thought, it would go into another building, and be an object lesson to others. It was a day of glory to i'apanui, tor it was remembering the men who went forth at the call of country. The names of the men were going to endure and from generation to generation be revered and held sacred. It was appropriate that the unveiling should take place on Easter Day, for it was a day of life, of victory over death. It bade the people to take hope, as there was no death, but only transition, a step to something higher. The dead were not out fn the graves in Gallipoli and France, but they lived in another sphere. There was no message of such hope and comfort to the bereaved.

The Rev. J. Bickerstaff (Presbyterian) said he thought there could be no better season for the unveiling of the tablet. Its lesson was that death had lost its power, and that the, grave had been conquered. By their" sacrifice the men had built a wall between the country and her enemies in order that the • Dominion, the Homeland, and the Empire might be protected. The people of to-day should continue to build the Avail, until the time would come when the sword would be sheathed for ever, and peace, harmony, and concord would reign among the nations.

The Kev. H. Ryan (Methodist) said that although many came to the ceremony with sad and heavy hearts, there was glory and joy in it. The people had assembled to remember the dead and to honour the brave, but there was more in it than that. The danger of such meetings was that while they stirred the deepest emotions, and appealed to the best in a person, they did not release the springs of action. There ivas a lesson in the ceremony. The different churches had different ideas, but they were united in the belief that Britain fought for ideals and a vision of righteousness. She was on the side of the weak against a national bully. Every bit of,the sacrifice that the men had made might be wasted unless the people re-created the ideals the men had died for, and strove to bring about a better world and a better life. What were they doing for the right? how much were they seeking to prevent the evil, cruel, and ful things? The men had died for the truth, and the others should perpetuate their ideals, and not only treasure the dead. By sacrificing themselves, they had laid their very lives on* the altars of God and the community. All things that were believed in would never come to pass unless there was blood and sweat of mind and body, and the people should remember their deeds, and sacrifice themselves in order that, there might be a better land.

The Mayor of Christchurch, Dr. H. T. J. Thaeker, said that love was tho greatest thing on earth,, and there was no greater love than the love of a mother for her son. One mother had lost three sons and another had lost two, but all were equal. The Papanui boys had "gone West," but their glory would never die.'' "We are sanctifying and hallowing our boys and establishing a record that all the world can see," he stated. The square in front of the hall Bhould be called "JVlemorial Square," and " everybody ivould recognise the honour that was due to the men. He congratulated Papanui on the fine effort in erecting not only a tablet, but a town hall and library in, honour of the boys. The living soldiers, however, must not be forgotten, and their dependants should be cared for.

Mr R. W. Hawke, chairman of the Waimairi County Council, stated that it was one of the proudest moments of his. life to extend, on behalf ,of the Council, his deepest sympathy, to. the' mothers and fathers of the.men who. had made the greatest sacrifice. The men had felt they were upholding the .best traditions of the Empire,- arid a monument had, been built 'to their memory. It would live for all time, and the deeds of the boys would never be forgotten. By their sacrifice they had given us happiness and prosperity. Mr W. R Leadiey thanked the people of Papanui in the name of the. Returned Soldiers' Association, for the memorial to the fallen. The boys had died as men and soldiers ought to. The majority' of them had gone away from love of country and home, prepared to fight, and if need be to 'die for their country. They had died that the rest of- the people might live in peace and harmony, and they should value the great /sacrifice by strenuously opposing all forces of disorganisation, and by keeping up the spirit of brotherhood and.cameraderie, which grew up among the men in the trenches. That spirit should be taken up to-day, and not the feeling of .'class-hatred. There was duty to the living men, to the ..war. wrecks, to the. men who were "down and oujt" as a result of 'their war experiences. It'Bhould, be seen that they got just treatment : at hands of the Government. The soldiers had sacrificed themselves and' it was c not what people got out of life, but what they put into it that made them great Mr 0. Witty, M.P.,- complimented Papanui on the fact that it had erected a utility building as well as a tablet, as a memorial.' The men had gone to the front to protect the Mother Country and the Dominion, and no better men had been sent to the front. "We are living in comrort because they died," he said, "and we should do our duty to those who have suffered, and tp their children; they did their duty, not for themselves, but for humanity. , The Hon. D. Buddo, M.P., said it was the duty of Papanui' to honour its heroes, and never to forget them. JUighty-two years ago the pioneers had come to the country, and seventy-four had passed before the call came to defend the freedom. The men had joined willingly in order to defend the right and in order that the country might enjoy liberty. The men had accomplished a great task, and the living, should endeavour to make /a brighter and better, democracy. < The maimed soldiers and all those who had suffered should be cared for. $■ The ceremony concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.