Anzac Day Services In Christchurch

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31661, 23 April 1968, Page 16

Anzac Day Services In Christchurch

The Anzac Day observance in Christchurch on Thursday will follow the pattern of past years with a dawn service, wreath-laying ceremonies, and a citizens’ commemoration service.

The afternoon will be a normal holiday, with theatre and sporting attractions, and hotel bars will be open from 1 p.m. until their usual closing hours. The services of remembrance will begin at 6 a.m. with the dawn service arranged by the Australian Imperial Forces’ Association in Christchurch. The parade will assemble on the west side of Cathedral Square and at 6.30 a.m. march to the Citizens’ War Memorial in the Cathedral grounds.

The Anzac dedication will be delivered by the president of the Australian Imperial Forces’ Association (Mr W. R J. Kelland). Wreaths will be laid by representatives of the association, the Returned Services’ Association and kindred bodies. The Government will be represented by the Minister of Transport (Mr Gordon). The Australian Government Trade Commissioner for the South Island (Mr H. M. G. Daniel) will represent his Government, and Mr J. R. Bolton, First Secretary in charge of the British High Commission office in Christchurch, will also attend. These representatives will all attend the citizens’ service, at which Mr Daniel will give the address. The president of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association (Mr J. Green) will dedicate the wreaths, and after this service the association will observe its field of remembrance ceremony at the Godley plot. Citizens’ Service The citizens’ service will be held in the King Edward Barracks after a wreath-laying ceremony at the Citizens’ War Memorial at 10.30 a.m. A major change in the service this year will be that only one clergyman—the Rev. L. N. Rawlings, of the St Albans Baptist Church —will officiate, instead of five representing various denominations. The change was suggested by the churches.

The Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt Rev. W. A. Pyatt), the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (the Most Rev. B. P. Ashby), the chairman of the North Canterbury Methodist District (the Rev. H. C. Matthews) and the Moderator of the Christchurch Presbytery (Mr G. W. Willis) will attend the service.

Returned servicemen and servicewomen will assemble outside the Avon Theatre at 10.15 a.m. and march to the War Memorial. After the dedication and laying of wreaths they will march to the barracks. Fourteen members of the 1968 Anzac delegation from Australia arrived at Christchurch airport on Saturday. Nine of them will take part in services in Otago and the others in services in Canterbury. Parades will alsp be held in Papanui, New Brighton, Sumner, Templeton and in many country centres.

Child Injured. —■ Linda Christensen, aged 41, the daughter of Mrs J. Christensen, of 118 Bamford Street, suffered head and chest injuries when a car struck her in Bamford Street about 9.20 a.m. She was admitted to Christchurch Hospital where her condition last evening was reported to be satisfactory.