LOCAL CELEBRATIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 96, 24 April 1916, Page 7

LOCAL CELEBRATIONS

AFTERNOON MEMORIAL SERVICE.

To-morrow, "Anzac Day," the anniversary of the famous landing by the Australian and New Zealand troops on Gallipoli Peninsula, will be celebrated by ihe observance of a general halfholiday, ■ the holding of a special memorial service in the Town Hall in the afternoon, and a' patriotic meeting in the Town Hall at night. The memorial service, which will be the principal observance, will be specially impressive, being conducted by the representatives of the various churches and the Salvation Army. The order of the service will be as follows; — Hymn, "0 God, Our Help in Ages Jfast;" lesson. Psalm xc, Rev: John Dawson (Methodist); prayer, Bey. A. M. Johnson, M.A. (Anglican); hymn, "Lead, Kindly Light;" lesson, 1 Corinthians xv., 36—58 Colonel Powley (Salvation Army); prayer, lntercessional and Lord's Prayer. Rev. J. Reed Glasson (Congregational); hymn, "Lord God of Hosts, Whose Mighty .Hand;" organ solo. Dead March in "Saul," Mr. H. S. Claughton; address, Bey. James Gib,b, D.D. (Presbyterian); National Anthem; Benediction, Rev. W. j H. Hinton (Baptist). ■ A special feature will be the presence of a large body of returned soldiers, some of whom participated in the landing, who will occupy the post of honour. Returned soldiers' relatives and other ticket-holders will be admitted by the i

main entrance, Cuba-street .extension, and the general public by the Wake-field-street entrance-. The service will commence at 3 p.m. ; The patriotic meeting which will i>e held in the Town Hall in the evening, ■will likewise be . a very impressive gathering. The Mayor will preside, and the speakers for the evening will be the Prime Minister (the Right. Hon. W F Masaey), the Minister for Finance • (the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward), and Captain D. Simson. During the evening,' the Mayor will mova a motion, which will be seconded by the Hon. T. W. Hislop, and supported by Mr. A. E. Atkinson. The New Zealand ensign will be flown on all public buildings throughout the day in honour of the occasion, and the hope is expressed that the shipping in the harbour and various business premises will be decorated by a plentiful display of bunting.' CEREMONY AT PETONE. In the afternoon a unique ceremony will be held opposite the Petone Railway Station, taking the form of the unfurling of the flag of the Commonwealth of Australia. This was presented to the New Zealand Railways by the Hornsby railway staff, New South Walee, and a reciprocal ceremony will be held at Hornsby at the same time in the unfurling of a New Zealand flag presented by the men of the Petoho Workshops. For the'Petone ceremony a special flagpole has been erected by the workshops' staff outside the station. The Commonwealth (lag, which arrived last weak, is a ■ fine specimen. Two other flags will also be used at the ceremony—a New Zealand flag presented by the Railways Department, and »■ Union Jack by the officers of the workshops, railway station, and Petono Stores Department. The flags are each 20ft by 10ft. They have been made' by Messrs. Tregear aud King, of theworkshops trimmer*', department, and are notable examples oJ good workmanship. Invitations have been accepted by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, the Hon. W. 11. Herries, and other members of the Cabinet. Mr. T. M. Wilford. M.P., Mr. Hiley (General Manager, N.Z.R.), the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke), and councillors, the Mayor- of Petone (Mr. J. -W. ME wan) and councillors, and the Mayor of Lower, Hutt (Mr. H. Baldwin) and councillors, and their lady friends have also been invited to attend tht ceremony, which takes place at 3.30 p.m. Returned "Auzacs" nre also heartily invited. The Petono School children, to" the number of 1100, under the direction of Mr. Foster, head master of the District High School, will take a prominent part in the function. • ; The Prime Minister (Right Hob. W F. Massey) to-morrow is to address the patriotic gathering to be held .in :;.the Commercial Travellers' Club at 11 a.m. ; he will speak at the Petone function at 3.30 p.m., and in. the evening will "address the gathering in the Town Hall. , The Hon. W. Fraser, Minister of Pub,lic Works, leaves for the South to-night to represent the Ministry at. the .Anzac Day function at Ashburton. The managers of all the. picture theatres in the city have decided' that the theatres will be closed to-morrow until 4.30 in the afternoon. '