THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 17 September 1924, Page 9

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL

FARE WELL VISIT TO NEW PLYMOUTH.

CENOTAPH UNVEILED,

A most impressive ceremony marked the la re well visit or Ins Hxceileney tlie Governor - General and Ea<iv •Jpllicqe to tne town yesterday! Despite the. lace that r\ew Piymoutn was in its worst mood, and tnab heavy ram lell continuously, there was a large crowd of citizens and visitors from ail over the district present when the unveiling ceremony of tlie very fine oenotapn erected under tlie direction ot tlie \N ar Memorial Committee. At 2 o’'ciociv the stirring strains of military music were heard as the band ot tne Ist Battalion Taranaki Regiment- marched through Devon Street at the bead of the procession. As the procession went down Queen Street the flow of people to the vicinity of the cenotaph set in. The sight is one that will iremain impressed anon the memory’. Rain was still falling when the Governor-General and party arrived and the strains cf. the National 'Anthem marked tlie opening of the ceremony. His Excellency, who was accompanied by Lady jellicoe and the Hon nucy .Jellicoe, Major-General C. W. Melville, G .0.0. the New Zealand h orces, Colonel-Commandant C G Colonel Cox, Colonel Weston' Major Bremner, the Mayor (M,r F. E. Wilson) and Captains Southey and Curtis, personally greeted each member of the guard of honour, and then took ms position* on the cenotanh. A lament was played by the* Highland Pipe Band, and the then Mayor, in the name of the citizens of New Plymouth, asked * His Excellency to unveil the memorial erected by the people- to the memory of those citizens who died in defence o.f the- Empire. In reply, His Excellency said: —“I U| i •eciate very much indeed the fact that tins, my last visit to New Plymouth, should he associated with a ceremony which is to- do honour to the citizens cf New Plymouth who fell in the defence of .Ithe Empjire. Such ceremonies,”' he continued, “brought memories of the sacrifice of valuable lives, memories of lia.in and suffering, memories and thoughts c-f those who had lost their loved ones. But there was another side, The memorial was a monument to gallant men who displayed great courage, who made great sacrifice, indeed sacrificed their all, and who showed a devotion to duty which was -an example to- future generations. These men had also elevated the name cf New Zealand to such a pinnacle of glory that it was honoured, and ever would be honoured, throughout the Empire and, indeed throughout the whole civilised world. These thoughts, His Excellency said, brought to us great pride in those whose memory was being honoured that day. New Zealand, at the call'of the Empire when it was faced with the greatest crisis in its history, had respond- ''! quickly and magnificently, and the history of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was written in liqes of gold not only in the written books, but in the hearts cf the people of the Dominion, The memorial was a reminder of duty gallantly performed, and was a lasting tribute, la brave men. It was a reminder not only of its dead, hut of tho.-ie who came back, and sc many of wiiom it had been his privilege to meet that afternoon. It was also a sign of the unity of Empire. It was lor those-, who remained L> do their duty to those 'who fell and to live np to the great ideals for which they fought and to be worthy of the great sacrifice which they made.'

THE UNVEILING. Turning to the-, memorial, his. Excellency said : ' ‘To- the glory of God and in honoured memory of the men from this district who fell I unveil this memorial.” A pull on the ropes and the covering flags fell as the Last Post was sounded and the firing party came to the- present. While the Regimental Band played the funeral, dirge “Garland of Flowers,” a host of beautiful official and P'ivate wreaths were placed on the monument. His Excellency placed one from himself and Lady Jellicoe in which victory laurels, were predominant. Then followed the R.S.A. wreath, in which flowering shrubs from Gallipoli and France were mingled with the flowers and shrubs of New Zealand, the Women’s Patriotic Association, the New Plymouth Borough Council, the Taranaki County Council, the War Memorial Committee, the Victoria League, .of New Plymouth, the New Plymouth Harbour Hoard and all the New Plymouth schools.

it was altogether and in every way V most solemn and impressive scene that will live for. ever in the minds of all those who were oresent.