BEACONSFIELD AND THE WAR.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 3891, 5 December 1919, Page 2

BEACONSFIELD AND THE WAR.

ROLL OF HONOUR UNVEILED AT THE SCHOOL. The ceremony of unveiling the roll ot .honour in connection with the Bcaeonslield district was performed in the school yesterday afternoon bj the Mayor of FeiJding, who was accompanied by Cr. Masters. The members ol tlie School Committee present were Messrs W. L. Grice (Chairman), >-. hitehead, Witney, and RufhciTord. the children were on parade under Ihe teacher, Ur Morell, who' is a returned soldier ; and of course the mothers and other relatives wore present.

'J lie lollowing are the names of the old boys of the school whose names are printed on the Honour board, Die letters in brackets indicating those •hat wore killer! or wounded: R. Northcote, A. W. Corpe (w), F. E Haycock (10. W. ""Russell (k), T. Heaynes, W.lfeavnes (w), A.' Cunninghajn. K. Wilhefin (w), W. Fitton (k), G. Killon, I*. RiMiiarck. (w), H. f'h.vii (w). G. I'Jivn tv), E. Taylor, Ej Miers (k), E. Miers (w), H. Folic,!, (k), P. Eggcrs (w), R, Eggers (w). KjF. Scott, D. K. Scoff,, peter Uraik, who was the teacher iv charge when Inv enlisted. Other, names have yet l<7. be added.

In opening the proceedings, Mr Grice, said the occasion was the most solemn and the proudest in the history of the school. He -was to-day proud of the fact that he was one of the original pupils of tlie Beaconsfield School, and also of the fact that he had been Chairman of its Committee 12 years. This district had done as honourably by the war as any country district, for it had been cleaned up of its eligible men voluntarily with the beginning of the war. Some of its men had stayed behind—"and tiiese men of ours had laid down their lives that you and I," concluded Mr Grice. speaking to the children, "might continue lo have our freedom."

Mr Harford, who was greeted with rounds of cheers, said there was nothing finer in these days than to show svninathv towards and thankfulness for the men who went fo the war. On this occasion it was something for the scholars wlio were witnessing the unveiling ceremony to remember that the men wfiose names appeared on the Roll of Honour sat at the same desks they now occupied. These old boys of the Beaconsfield school had .jumped, promptly and voluntarily into the Great Adventure. -And but for them and tJio thousands of others like tlioni we should not' to-day be enjoying the freedom and good living that were the privileges of every hoy and girl in New Zealand. We should have been tlie slaves of Germany but for the men who went out and fought for us. The recoVxl of Beaconsfield was wonderful and worthy of congratulation. He liked to think, too, of the clean record of the New Zealanders abroad—they . conducted themselves in tho war like- gentlemen., (llcar, hear, and applause.)

A vote of than Its Mas carried by acclamation to Mr Harford, on whose (••all cheers were then <;iven for the mothers of the soldiers —women who had played their part nobly and with patience.

Afternoon tea was provided by ilie Indies of the district."