PEACE DEMONSTRATION

Gisborne Times, Volume LIX, Issue 9576, 30 July 1923, Page 4

PEACE DEMONSTRATION

MEETING AT CITY HALL. In connection with the rest of New Zealand, a Peace Demon.-iration was ! yesterday held in the City Hall, a ! large attendance being presided over • by the Mayor (Mr. Geo. Wildish). The I City Band attended and played acecm- ! piniments for the hymn-. Canon Pack*? spoke on the necessity for world peace, urging that war should be cembalo:! by reason. He moved the following resolution •• —'•That this meeting of the citizens of Gisborne urges upon the churches. Parliament, local bodies, schools, ar.d citizens genj eral'y, the necessity for educating pubi lie opinion through ail possible means . for the promotion of the real principles of international relationship whereby disarmament may becomepracticable and the peace cf the world be established. And this meeting further desires to impress upon the Government oi New Zealand that peace can only be based upon justice and consideration for others, and apreals to them to remember their responsibility before God and man.” Father Lane said that among all the evils that afflicted tho world, war stood out in bold relief as the most dreadful of teem all. It had been said that the Great Mar, in comparison with the wars or the past, was a civilised war. That was a contradiction of terms: ore might as well talk .of a heavenlv hell.

In liis? opinion it was a sad refl-vtion upon the vaunted civilisation or the -°th century that men should no: rind a more civilised way than that of war fare for settling international disputes. 1 ;.o wnnd s great need to-dav was a commonwealth of nations held’togetheb> mutual goodwill and justice. where differences would be settled without recourse to the sword. ITe had great pleasure in seconding the .'resolution. Mr. H. Kenway. representing the local branch of the League of Nations' Lnion, said that the League upon its inception was adhered to by IS nations. Lhat number had increased to date to of, and despite what had been said to ihe contrary, was performing a useful duty. Mrs. A. G. Walker, speaking as a representative of the women's organisations of Gisborne, said that the most pressing need-of to-day lay in international peace, and the only road to thar goal was universal disarmament by common consent. Mrs. Walker described the work being done throughout the world in the promotion of nonce and goodwill among the .nations. * The women had too long allowed the lives of (heir sons to be imperilled without having any say in the matter. Mi. D. W. Coleman, representing the Labor Party, said they had been" told that the last war was a war to end war. Thousands of young men had tone forward with that object in view, uni had suffered and laid down their wes for "fl:e principle—in vain. The I rent War had not ceased war—it had ired new conflicts. Wav could not end ear. Pre-war liberties had given way o censorship and Prussianism in it's i worst form. He was sure that if thev . desired peace and worked for it, they would attain peace. Now was the time to work for that end. Mr. Coleman referred to the recent war scare with Turkey, and said that when the call went out to the Dominions, the New Zealand Government was the only one willing to send hut the country’s sons again to be slaughtered. It should be made clear to the Government that war would not be tolerated by the people of New Zealand. The motion was carried.-