CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 December 1944, Page 4

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

THE KING’S BROADCAST “DARKNESS_GROWS LESS” RUGBY, December 25. The King in a Christmas Day broadcast on Monday afternoon said: — “Once more on Christmas Day I speak to millions of you scattered far and near across the world. As always I am greatly moved by the thought that so vast a friendly audience hears the words I speak in this room where the Queen and I, and our daughters are fortunate enough to be spending Christmas at home. I count n a nign privilege to be able to use these moments to send a Christmas message of goodwill to men and women of whatever creed or colour who may be listening to me throughout the Commonwealth and Empire, on the battlefield, on the high seas, or in foreign lands. , “At this Christmas time we think proudly and gratefully of our fighting men, wherever they may be. May God bless and protect them and bring them to victory. Our message goes to all who are wounded or sick in hospital and to the doctors and nurses in their labour of mercy. Our thoughts and prayers are also with our men who are prisoners of war, and with their relatives in their loneliness and anxiety. To children everywhere we wish all the happiness Christmas can bring. Among the deepest sorrows we have felt in these years of strife and one we feel most is the giiet of separation—families rent apart by the call of service, people sundered from people by calamities that have overwhelmed some, while others have been free to continue the fight. We rejoiced in the victories of this year not the least because they had .broken down some of the barriers between us and our friends, and brought nearer the time when we can all be together again with those we love, r or the moment we have a foretaste ot that joy as we enter into the fellowship of Christmas Day. “At this great festival more perhaps than any other season of the year we long for a new

BIRTH OF FREEDOM among all nations, so that a happiness concord may prevail and the scourge of war may be banished from our midst. Yet, though human ingenuity can show us no short cut to that universal charity which is the very heart of the Christmas message, the goal is still clear before us, and I, for one, believe these years of sacrifice and sorrow have brought us nearer to it. We do not know what awaits us when we open the door of 1945, but if we look back to those earlier Christmas Days of the war we can surely say that the darkness daily grows less and less. The lamps which the Germans put out all over Europe, first in 1914, and then in 1939, are being slowly rekindled. Already we see some of them beginning to shine through the fog of war that still shrouds so many lands. Anxiety is giving way to confidence, and let us hope that before next Christmas Day, God willing, the story of liberation and triumph will be complete. . “Throughout the Empire men and women, boys and girls, through hard work and much self-sacrifice have all helped to bring victory nearer. We shared many dangers and the common effort bound us together. Yet, labour, devotion, patience and tolerance will still be needed for the experiment of living as nations together in harmony. The defeat of Germany and Japan is only the first half of our task. is to create a world of free men untouched by tyranny. We have great Allies in this arduous enterprise of human spirit—man’s ‘unconquerable mind and freedom’s holy flame.’ I believe most surely that we shall achieve that goal. In the meantime, in the old words that never lose their force, I wish you from my heart a Happy Christmas and for the coming year a full measure of that courage and faith in God which alone enables us to bear old sorrows and face new trials, until the day when the Christmas message—peace on earth and good will towards men—finally comes true.” The King made his broadcast from a house in the country. For the first time the Queen and the two Princesses were in the same room to hear the King deliver his Christmas message. The King’s last broadcast was to the Home Guard on December 2 and before than he spoke to the Empire on the evening of D Day. LONDON TRANSPORT DISPUTE. (Rec. 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, December 25. This was probably London’s quietest Christmas Day as the underground railwaymen’s one-day strike forced people to stay at home. The strike arose from a claim by a section of the railwaymen for two days’ leave in lieu of Christmas Day. Special bus services enabled? good attendances at church services and buses also transported numbers of people to the West End for lunch at their favourite restaurants. _ The stoppage of the underground railways prevented many peoeven players, reaching the. football grounds. After 4 p.m. there was no transport at all for Londoners except taxis and skeleton bus services along some routes. The West End streets were emptier than for months. The majority of London hospitals reported plenty of turkey, and plum pudding and the usual Christmas extras, even toys, in the children’s wards.

PRESIDENT’S BROADCAST WASHINGTON, December 25. Mr Roosevelt in a Christmas broadcast, said that he prayed that with victory would come “a new day of peace on earth, in which all the nations of the earth would join together for all time. We cannot say when victory will come. Our enemies still fight fanatically. They still have reserves of men and military power. But they know that they and their evil works are doomed. We may hasten the day of doom if we at home continue to do our full share.” MESSAGES TO N.Z. WELLINGTON, December 25. The following Christmas messages have been received by the Prime Minister’s Department: — . From General Smuts, Prime Minister of South Africa: “My colleagues and I send you and your colleagues our cordial greetings and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, which we pray may bring final victory to the United Nations.” From General Freyberg:—“Christmas, 1944, find us in Northern Italy, after a year of hard fighting in difficult conditions, country, and weather. Once again we will be in the field, and there will be little time of relaxation. However, Christmas parcels and the grant from the Patriotic Fund for Christmas fare will be enjoyed and appreciated to the full, as soon as the opportunity. occurs. Wherever we are on Christmas Day our thoughts will be of those at home in New Zealand. May I send to them, through you, greetings and best wishes from all ranks of the 2nd N.Z.E.F., and : nay 1945 bring us victory and peace.” From Mr. Stettinius, Secretary of : state in the United States Govern- ; nent:—“At this holiday season, I send I ny sincere good wishes for Christ- 1 nas and the New Year. I know that 1 ve may take increased courage from ( >ur common successes of recent : nonths, and that we may look for- ] vard to continued close co-operation ' n the future.” i From His Majesty’s Consul at Nou- £ tiea: “Governor Tallec has request-

ed me to convey the following message: ‘I thank you very warmly for your amicable message. On the occasion of Christmas and the New Year, I desire to express, as much in my personal name as in that of the French people of New Caledonia, my best wishes to you personally, as well as to the Government and people of New Zealand. The year which has just gone by has marked an essential stage towards victory. It has seen the liberation of French territory almost entirely, and brilliant feats of arms of the New Zealand forces. The future can only but draw closer the ties of friendship and cooperation which unite France ana New Zealand, for the maintenance ot the security of the Pacific.” ... From the Acting-Governor of Fiji and the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific:—“The Government and people of Fiji and the Western Pacific once again thank you all in New Zealand for your friendship and co-operation in the last year, wish you a happy Christmas and a New Year of fresh victories for your gallant fighting men.” GREYMOUTH OBSERVANCES holy trinity church. There were large congregations at all three services at Holy Trinity Church, vesterday, in celebration of the Feast of Christmas. The Vicar, Rev. P. Kirkham, officiated at Holy Communion services at 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., and at shortened matins, carols and Holy Communion at 10,30 a.m. He preached on the paradox of the Christmas message—that in the midst of war we can have peace in our hearts. MIDNIGHT MASS. Midnight Mass at St. Patrick’s Church was celebrated by Rev. Father Long before a packed congregation. Rev. Father McCarthy was Deacon, Rev. John Curnow sub-Deacon and Rev. Father Flaherty Master of Ceremonies. The choir, under the baton of Mr. J. J. Wood, and with Miss J. Walker at the organ, sang special Christmas music. Rev. Father Long referred to the significance of the Feast of Christmas and wished all parishioners a happy and a holy Christmas. He also referred to the work during the year of the Marist Brothers and Sisters of Mercy, the Choir, and Altar Society and other societies of the Church. There were large attendances at the three other Masses at St. Patrick’s Church, yesterday, and also at the two Masses at Cobden. ST. JOHN’S CHURCH At the Presbyterian Church on Sunday Christmas services were held. In the morning, Rev. T. G. Campbell preached from the text, Rom. 14, 5: “One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” If every day were of the spirit of Christinas, said Mr. Campbell, much better would it be for all—commerce, business, and the community. At the evening service the subject was: “The Christmas Message.” AT THE HOSPITAL. The usual celebrations were held at the Grey Hospital, including the Nurses’ Home and the Old Peoples’ Home, yesterday, Mr. O’Brien (Minister of Transport) and Mrs. O’Brien being present. All the wards were decorated with greenery and flowers, and the children’s ward was decorated as a ship, with the patients and some of the staff wearing sailor hats. There was a Christmas Tree in the children's ward and in the Nurses’ Home. Mr. L. D. McGlashan as Father Christmas and Jill Bluett as a fairy visited all the patients and presented gifts. Members of Rotary, Greymouth, distributed sweets to the children and also visited the other patients. Four members of the Greymouth Highland Pipe Band piped in the Christmas pudding at the hospital and also at the Nurses’ Home.