PARADE OF BOER WAR VETERANS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29525, 29 May 1961, Page 12

PARADE OF BOER WAR VETERANS

Wreaths Laid At Monument

Fifty-five veterans of the Boer War paraded before the memorial statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria square yesterday, to commemorate the signing of the South African Peace Treaty 59 years ago.

Wreaths from the South African War Veterans’ Association, the Christchurch City Council, the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association, and the New Zealand Home Servicemen's association were laid at the base of the monument

After the ceremony, the veterans marched behind the Band of the First Canterbury Regiment to the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association hall in Gloucester street. Among the marchers were three women veterans and representatives of the Regular Army and Air Force. The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning) told the gathering he was always pleased to see parades of this type because they kept alive and impressed on the minds of young people the accomplishments of the past generation.

The South African War had distinguished itself because it had changed the attitude of Britain toward her colonies. Mr Manning said. “The mother country’s first colonial empire—America— fought against her in 1786. Because of this the attitude toward colonies in the nineteenth century was very sceptical indeed.

“But when the Boer War broke out, offers to help the mother country came from New Zealand and many other parts of the colonial empire.”

The resultant change of attitude by Britain had led to the famous Balfour declaration on the independence of colonies that became statute law in 1931. he said. Mr Manning was welcomed by the association’s Dominion president (Mr R. Hayes) who said he was pleased to see •such a large gathering.