LORD JELLICOE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18151, 14 August 1924, Page 11

LORD JELLICOE.

VISIT TO NORTH CANTERBURY. A BUSY DAY. His Excellency the Governor-General yesterday visited North Canterbury and unveiled war memorials at Balcaira and Eangiora. At Kalapoi he was accorded a public reception. Welcome at Kaiapoi.

His Excellency, accompanied by iscountess Jellicou and attended by Commander Dove, E.X., arrived at Kaiapoi at 11.15 a.m., where a reception was held beside the war memorial, which constitutes a striking monument to the patriotism of the borough, containing as it docs 191 names of men who went away to serve King and country, and of -12 who never returned. A large crowd was present, including the Mayor (Mr. H.' Mcintosh) and. borough councillors, the borough clerk (Mr C. 11. Wright), the chairman of the Waimakaviri Harbour Board (Mr J. Matthews), and the Hon. 1). Buddo, M.P. The Kaiapoi Brass Band and the senior cadets, under Lieutenant F. O'Donoghuc. paraded in front of the memorial, also the children of the Borough School. On arrival her Excellency was presented with a basket t.f l'iowers by a schoolgirl. After liis - Excellency had inspected the guard of honour,-which was supplied by the senior cadets, and taken the ■'salute, the Mayor' briefly welcomed him, and the town clerk handed him an address of welcome.

His Excellency. . after returning thanks, expressed regret that he had been'unable to visit Kaiapoi atj< an earlier period of his stay in the • Dominion. It was a disappointment to him that he had been unable to unveil the war memorial. He desired to congratulate tho borough on the memorial and on the site it occupied. He also desired to congratulate the people on the deeds of heroism it commemorated, and recalled to their minds. "Might I ask whoever is responsible for the education of the school children," said his Excellency in conclusion, "that a holiday be given them to commemorate my very much deferred visit." (Applause.) His Excellency, after shaking- hands with those present, deposited a wreath, from himself and Lady Jellicoe at the foot of the memorial, and her Excellency placed beside it a wreath on behalf of tho borough.

. Their Excellencies then left for an inspection of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company's mills, anS.ivcre shown tho various processes of manufacture by Mr J. H. Blaekwell, chairman of directors, Mr T. E. Leithoad, mill manager, and Mr A. D. Smith, secretary. Subsequently his Excellency had a conversation with the employees when they ceased work at the lunch hour. "Hands up those who are from the Old Country," he-said, and a couple of women operatives responded, one announcing that she hailed from Selkirk and the other from Galashiels. "Well," said.his Excellency, "I hope- you will get to like New' Zealand a3 woll 33 the New Zealanders do. I don't mind tell--ing you that tho day I leave Xew Zealand arid, the Xew Zealanders will be one of.the saddest.days of my life." Three hearty cheers were then .given for their Excellencies, who were- later entertained at luncheon "by the Borough Council.

..■■' Balcaira Memorial. His Excellency arrived at Balcaira at 2 .p.m. unveil the war memorial, which takes the form of a handsome lych gate at the entrance to the cometery. Mr W. H. Hale, chairman of the Memorial Committee, said the idea "of the memorial originated about four years ago, and although.a considerable time had elapsed since then, it had resulted in the memorial being orectcd as originally designed. Mr J. D. Wyllie, chairman of the Kowai County Council, apologised for the absence of the member for the district,. Mr G. W. Forbes, and called on his Excellency to perform the unveiling ceremony.

In. doing .so, his Excellency expressed his appreciation of the honour done him in asking him to participate in such an important function. In 1914, said his Excellency, when the Empire was in danger, the manhood of the Dominion made.a magnificent response to the call to arms,; and came forward in almost. greater .numbers than the manhood-of any other country under the Union Jack. Theii achievements would go down in imperishable glory to the name of New Zealand. Wherever they had' fought, in Gallipoli, Palestine, Flanders, and France, the story.was always the same —'the New Zealanders had done splendidly. On an occasion like the presentcontinued his' Excellency, two thoughts must be uppermost—pride in the men who had done so nobly, and sympathy for those who had lost their loved ones, and- for. the men who had come' back maimed and incapacitated. One thing that had struck him regarding these men was the cheerful spirit they all possessed.' It remained for those for whom the men had fought to carry on in a similar _ spirit, "and if I know New Zealand'," anid his Excellency — ''and'l think I do —I think that the samo Epirit will live as long as New Zealand endures,"

The following names are inscribed at the base of. the lych gates: —J. Baker, 11. W. Batchelor. A. Blain, E. Boyce, J. S. Boyce, H. C. Bristow, C. K. Dann, A. Eldcrton, J. Ford, G. Gadd, H. McM. Harrison, P. Hayes, TV. W. E. Johnstone, C. Jones, J. Lang, D. Lillev, J. W. McLean, A. TV. McMillan, J. S." McNeill, F.«W. Moore, J. J. Moekett, L. Poirell, J. G. Russell, J. E. Stanton, W. G. Stewart, G. W. Smith, A. J. Turner, R. L. Wilkie, J. J. Williams, L. J. "Winter, J. D. Wyllie. The Eangiora Silver Band played the National Anthem, and a young bugler sounded "The Last Post." A prayer -was also said by the Rev. Harold. His Excellency and a number of bereaved relatives subsequently placed wreaths beside the memorial. After inspecting the roll of honour In tSo Kowai County Council office, where the party were entertained at afternoon tea, hia Excellency left for Eangiora.

Ceremony at Eangiora. There was a large gathering around the ceremonial cenotaph when his Excellency arrived, including ths Mayor of the Borough (Mr W. A. Eowse), the depu.ty-chairman of the Eangiora County Council (Mr H. Tallott), the Hon. D. Buddo, MP., and Colonel E. Young, O.C. Southern Command. There was a parade of returned soldiers under Lieut. J. HorreH, Territorials under Lieut W. Smith, High School Cadets under Lieut. Bell, and Eangiora Cadets under Lieut. Brewster. The Eangiora Saver- Band, under Bandmaster Simpeon, played the music for • the special -hymns that were sung. The Ker.. TV. B. Scott, C.P., said a prayer. Tae Mayor, after welcoming their Excellencies to Bangiora, aaid the memorial was ereeted .to. the memory, of men of ths district ■ who had. mads tie

supreme saerihee in the Great War. Xo fewer than '459 men had gone away from the district, of whom SO had been killed. The memorial had been erected partly out of rates.from the borough and county, and partly from subscriptions, of which a certain amount was still required. Although. said Mr Eowse, iorni' adverse criticism had been made in respect of tho design of the memorial, it had been aDprored by the military authorities, by architects", and by other;. The memorial was a. cenotaph, and in choosing it a departure had been made from the cemetery or graveyard type. The memorial iti-elf, however-, meant nothing: it was the names it contained that were honoured.

Mr Tallott said it was sorrowful to think that so many fine boys had lost their lives, but lie hoped they had not died in vain. It behoved the living to do their best to help the Empire along, and when he looked round and saw so many tine young fellows present he knew there was nothing to fear in this connexion.

The Hon. P. Buddo, M.P.. said that although it had been hoped that ■ the Great "War would end all wars, the spectacle was still seen of nations glaring at each other. The gathering was not present with grief at their Ipsa so much as with reverence mingled* with pride at the achievements of the fallen. His Excellency said, he felt doubly honoured at being present at such 'a ceremony, lirst as the representative or His Majesty the King, who had so often expressed his gratitude at the deeds ■of Xew Zealand's , soldiers. and secondly as the, representative of the Royal Navy, .which had been associated with the New Zealand forces at Gallipoli. As a result of that association, the Xavy had formed an admiration for. Xew Zealanders which -would for ever remain. The troops of the Dominion had been praised by General Sir lan Hamilton, Earl Ha-ig, Admiral Sir John dc R'obcek, and others who had been associated with them for their magni'ieent courage and splendid discipline. . The gathering was worthy of the men who were being honoured, and the memorial was a monument to the unity of the Empire.' His Excellency then unveiled the memorial in the following words:—To the glory of God and in memory of the meu of thi3 county and borough who gave their lives in the Great War, I unveil tliis memorial. "The Last Post'' was sounded,-and his Excellency laid a wreath on the cenotaph, a number of others being subsequently placed beside it from • the U.S.A.. and relatives of tho fallen. The monument is erected in tho heart of the business portion of' the town, on a valuable site given for the purpose by Mr Charles Leech, and originally owned by his father, the late Mr G. J. Leech, who in 1852 was the first settler on the rural lands of the Itangiora district. Tho memorial is a cenotaph of Sydney sandstone, with stops of Melbourne "blucstono. . The steps cover a ground space of 21ft x 19ft, and the monument proper, measures 10ft x Sft at its base, and is 21ft in height. On inset tablets of black Swedish granite there arc engraved the names of men of the borough and county'who'fell'in the war. The in memoriam tablet bears the inscription:—"The Great War, 191-M9lB, To our heroic dead who by their valour and self-sacrifice upheld the honour, peace, and freedom of their country." Abovo 'the tablet and encircled by a wreath are the words: "Their name liveth for ever."

I The names inscribed on. the memorj ial arc as. follows:—A. D.Allen, G. I Allington, K. H. Araott, H. J. Baird, j W. J. Barber,' L. W. Bell, L. W. Blnnden, D. P. Boyd, A. A. Boyd, H. B. j Britain, B. Bunting, T. J. Chambers, IX Chinnery, A. F. Cormody, E. E. Orawshaw, G. •H. Cresswell, G. Cross, F. P. Cunningham, J. Curmock, L. D. M. Dickson, S. Doak, D. B. Doggett, H. . 33His;. Bv Ellmexs; F. S. Fendail, B.'-A. Fleming, A. F.. Foster,. A. D. Fraser, G. Garland, H. Gilchrist, B. Hawker, O. Hahn, H. Hbraka, G. Heney, J. F. Ingram, B. Jordan, A. Kingsbury, W. G. Kholies, W. N. Lace, G. K. Lander. F. Little, J. Lloyd, P. Luisetti, W. Manihiri, N. Maekay, W. G. Mcintosh, H. C. Manning, F. G. May, F. T. Mathews, G. B. Milne, N. Mokomoko, J. Moody, T. Moorfoot, M. O'Mcara, A. A.Pawsey, G. T. Pitiina, W. Plaskett, H. Pohio, J. Purdom, A. D. B. Eamsey, M. W. Eeiroa, F. Bobinson, H. ; Rnpenc, W. H. M. Seed, G. Gibbs Stanj ton, G. F. Stokes, J. Stringer, M. A. j Strong, J. K. Shepherd, P. Thirlwall, [P. Watson, A. A. Warner, W. Welshjman, B. Wesley, A. K. Whitan, E. Whitan, W. J. Wilson, F. Woodfield/A. C. Young, and E. McG. Young. The monument was designed by Mr V.' B. J. Hean, of Christehureh, and was erected by Messrs Mansfield and Sons. iTo complete the memorial it will be ' enclosed with a substantial and oma- : mental fence, and eventually as an effective; background it will have the Agricultural Hall, to be erected by tfco Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association on a site also generou6ly given by Mr C. Leech.