PEACE CELEBRATIONS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 14 November 1918, Page 8

PEACE CELEBRATIONS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

ELTHAM'S REJOICINGS.

When it was suggested that the peace I celebrations bo extended to two days many persons thought that the interest would wane and the proceedings become flat. Such, however, was not the case, and the residents or Eltham and district will ever remember the gorgeous pageant of yesterday. Early in the morning the streets were filled with large and merry crowds dressed.. in the most pleasing, and in. some instances, the most fearfully and wonderfully conceived fantastic costumes ever worn. Between 10 and 11 a.m. Marshal Nuttall got 'to work on his procession, and such a procession it was too. Miss Wilson, on a white charger as the embodiment of peace, headed the procession. The Hibernians and-then Convent school children, beautifully attired and bearing banners with the words "Peace" and "Victory" followpd, then seven large motor lorries lent by the Eltiham County Council, E'.tham Dairy Co., and Mangatoki Dairy Co., the first of which bore the boys from the Boys' Home, attired in the dresses of all nations and bearing national flags, their officers appearing as Life Guardsmen. The Mangatoki school children occupied two lorries, and Britannia was impersonated by one of the girls. The Eltham school children were similarly arranged. The Oddfellows were in foroe, and the Druids, in their robes and beards of old, looked patriarchal. My lord the elephant also appeared on the scene, and dozens of gaily decorated motor cars followed on. Three charming little girls on palfreys, graduating in size, like themselves, wore alternately red, white and blue colors, as did their steeds, and presented a pretty sight. A Red Cross car with nurses looked splendid, as also did one of the Belgian Sewing Guild. Crowds of people, many of wihom were in fancy dress, followed on, and the seen© was enlivened by the funny antics of Pierrots. The day turned out a glorious one, and the Tauinata Park, to which the procession wend>ftd its way, was in beautiful order. The procession continued through the Park from the. lower gates to the Harrison Memorial gates, which His Worship the Mayor (Mr T. B. Crump) officially opened. The. procession was then drawn up in front of the grandstand, where the Mayor stated he had again to officially announce that <fehe armistice hiad ben signed and the war is over. (Cheers). He read telegrams from Sir Joseph Ward: "Glorious news fills us with joy," and from Mr'C. A, Wilkinson, M.P.: "Armistice witih Germany signed. Regret being unable to be present to-day. Join heartily with you in thought ait end of intolerable bugbear. Let us not forget those who have given their lives to secure bur freedom." The Mayor stated that he would not make a speech, but h© would remind them of the. great men who had helped to bring the war to a happy conclusion •—Kitchener, French. Haig, Townshend Allenby and Generalissimo Foch (Cheers.) He. also thought of the civilians—Presidents Wilson, M. Clemenceau and Mr Lloyd George. (Cheers). Sports were than freely indulged in. One of the features, of tlhe. afternoon was a splendid exhibition of, Swedish drill by #te Salvation Army Boys' Home, conducted by Adjutant Scotney Another very amusing episode was the Dark TownFFier c Brigade at work, and the irrepressible people who will not get at the right side of the. fence discovered that more water fell on them than on the fire. The Eltham band and the balvation Army band, both in the procession arid at the Park, enlivened jthe proceedings with many fine selecI tipnsl incidentally Bandmaste.r Beesley mentioned that h e had i received spontaneous and unsolicited gifts on tlhe ground of £8. 10s. in aid of the funds of the resuscitated Eltham band. A procession of. "kilties/ 1- head**! by Veteran -Piper McLeod and Paper Irons, also took place. ' The afternoon was thoroughly enjoyed and everybody went home feeling that JWthani and district had done its pari; m^U in the peace celebrations. The thanks are largely due to Mr Nuttall tor his splendid organisation and the energy he threw into the work. The fireworks not arriving, the evening programme was altered, and an impromptu concert was held from one of the lorries in Bridge street, when numerous items were put through notwithstanding fche noise and commotion ■ caused by tm can bauds, etc. The streets I were packed with people until a late hour.