AT ELTHAM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 April 1928, Page 8

AT ELTHAM.

IMPRESSIVE SERVICE

An impressive and largely attended united memorial service \vas held in Eltham, where a representative procession was formed in York Street at 1.45 p.m., proceeding thence to the memorial gates at the Public School. The order of procession was: Xfoe Eltham Pipe Band, Eltham and Salvation Army Brass Bands, Returned Soldiers, Territorials, Brownies, Girl Guides and Boy Scouts. A marked feature of the parade was the splendid muster of 42 returned soldiers -under Captain TV AT. Ricketts. , ~ Many wreaths, -crosses and other floral tributes were placed upon and before the gates, including a beautiful one, in old-gold flowers and autumntinted leaves, from the Eltham. Borough Council. The singing of portion of " the hymn “0 God, our help m crps past’ * and a short pravor by xno Rev. W. W. Avery completed the ceremony at the gates, and the pio-coss-ion re-formed and paraded by way of High, Bridge and St-anners Streets to the Town Hall, where a united service, arranged by request of his Worship the Mayor (Mr. I. J. Bridger) was held. The densely packed dress circle and body of the hall was a fitting tribute to the occasion. The. stage was occupied by his Worship- the Mayor, the chairman of the Eltham Countv Council (Mr. C. J. Belcher). Revs'. W. W. Avery, J. A. R vlvurn. Commandant Calcott., and the Eltham Brass Band under Bandmaster A. Beesiey. The Rev. TV. TV. Avery tendered an apology for the unavoidable absence of the Rev. C. H. Isaacson. The service oironed with the hymn “0 God, our help in -ages past,” and a prayer by tlie Rev. J. A. Rybum, followed by" the hymn ‘ ‘Lead Thou me on.” Mrs. J. A. Rankin, accompanied- hv Miss Madden, sang the solo “Abide with Me” very impressively. A Scripture reading by Commandant Calcott was -succeeded bv an eloquent address by the Rev. W. W. Avery, who took' for Iris text portions of chapters- 32 and 34 of the- Book of Deuteronomy, and outlined- the- story of human life, drawing -a parallel between the journeyings of Moses, who died within sight of the Promised Land, and- the sacrifice of those New. Zealand heroes who fell in the* attainment of the desired goal. The speaker made feeling reference to those left behind on the battlefields of Europe and Egypt and to those fortunate enough to return, many with the scars of battle upon them, to each of whom all honour was due. The- remainder' of the service consisted of the hymn “Lest we forget,” lament “Flowers of the- Fore-st” (PipeSergeant- H. Morrison), “Garland of Flowers” (Eltham Brass- Band), the Last Post “Bugler Sergeant Harry Andrews), the- Benediction (pronounced by Rev. J. A. Ryburn), and the National Anthem. The singing of hymns by the massed congregation was accompanied by the Eltham -and Salvation Army Bands in turn, and Sergeant Andrews’s sounding of the Last Post was preceded by the- firing of three volleys by a party of territorials under Lieutenant A. E. Gilliver. On conclusion of the Town Hall service a. large party, including returned soldiers, the Maijor and borough coun'billors, paid a visit to the Eltham cemetery for the pm*pose- of placing wreaths- upon the graves of 10 victims of the Great- War who lie buried there.