LODGE MEMORIAL

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 66, 15 September 1921, Page 9

LODGE MEMORIAL

SERVICE OF MEMBERS

THE UNVEILING CEREMONY.

A memorial to soldier members of the Loyai Britannia Lodge, Wellington District, M.U., 1.0.0. F., was unveiled at the Lodge room last night. All the lodges in the 1 Wellington district were represented, and there were representatives from Auckland, Otago, Westland, Hawkes Bay, and Queensland. Bro. A. G. Stoffenson, Grand Master of the Wellington district, presided. Among those present, besides Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor and the Mayor (Mr. R, A. Wright, M.P.), was Major W. J. Hardham, V.0., representing the Returned Soldiers' Association. The memorial, which is 9ft by 7ft, has a rimu base with oak panelling, the 82 names being lettered in gold. Eleven of the members lost their lives. The Chairman, in a brief speech, referred to tho sacrifice* made by the members of the order during the war, and to the part played by the local Lodge, not only in sending 80 of its 500 members to the front, 11 of whom were killed, but also in affording assistance to their dependents in their absence. Bro. Kershaw, Grand Secretary, mentioned that one-fourth of the member* throughout the world had served during the war, and that no 'ess. a sam thaJi two million pounds oi the funds of the society had been utilised for various war purposes. Of 3000 metubeii who wenL away with the New Zeal-tii'l forces,' 600 paid the supreme sacrih' :j The Lodgj had paid out during the war £2C,000 it) sick pay, and in keeping ir.eruUra' coi tributions up to date while thoy w«re away. . Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor said he deeply appreciated the-honour of being invited to unveil the memorial. IHe considered that ■ such memorials did a, great amount of good besides being of justifiable pride to those who set them up. He thought the memorials ought to be looked at as reminders of what the men who -went away gave up, and what they endured, and that would remind | those left of their duty to carry on | that for which the soldiers had fought. I There was a groat tendency when a war ended to look upon it from the point of view of history. The boys, who read the history could not Tealvse what it was, but if they could get a man who went to the war and experienced its horrors to tell them of it, no one would want war. War waa a terrible thing, and the more one saw of it the less one liked it. They should do every thing possible' to keep out of war, and, if it did come, to endeavour to keep it out of their own country. There was a worse thing than war, and that was to drift into a state to bring about another war. There was- ia way of keeping out of war. There was a by giving into every demand that other nations mig-ht make upon us. But trying to keep out of a quarrel by doing that would not be tolerated by our people. General Chaytor then unveiled the tablet as a record of the services of the 82 men and to the glorious memory of the 11 who gave their lives for their country. The Mayer and Major Hardham also addressed the gathering. Subsequently an appropriate programme of music wsfe given.