ROLL OF HONOUR AT MEREMERE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 3 May 1922, Page 4

ROLL OF HONOUR AT MEREMERE.

UNVEILING OF MONUMENT.

The picturesque spot at Meremere where stands the school, high above the surrounding plains and gorges—with a glorious view of the mountain to the north, the ranges to the east, ocean to the south —was the scene of a most interesting cremony on Tuesday afternoon. To mark the heroism of the young men and women of the district —many of them served in the war, ten giving their lives for the Empire—the people decided, as in other parts, to raise a monument as a lasting tribute to their action on behalf of the Empire and in the cause of right and justice. The unveiling ceremony was performed by Mr O. Hawken, M.P., in the presence of a numerous company of local people and visitors from other parts including a party of returned soldiers from Hawera. Punctually at half-past two, the children of the Meremere school, under Mrs Anthony, their popular mistress, were drawn up in a wedgeshaped triangle, making, as it were, a guard of honour to the distinguished visitors.

Mr D. J. Williams, the chairman of the gathering, said he had great pleasure in introducing Messrs O. Hawken and E. Dixon,M.P. 3s, and in asking Mr Hawken to unveil the memorial. Addressing the children specially, Mr Williams spoke of the men who, with the men of- the Old Country and other Dominions, took their stand with the Allies to prevent the possibility of this Empire becoming subject to the will of Germany. He pictured simply but v.ividly the great Empire upon which the sun never set, and compared this with the empires of long ago, held together by force of arms, whereas the British Empire, whose greatness was due to the inflexible justice of her laws and unbiassed fairness of their administration, was held together by the silken bonds of kinship and mutual interdependence. This, he said, was what made the nation shine in the world. He briefly showed the development of the Empire from the -time when Charles 11. lost his head and James 11. his throne because they tried t© act contrary to and in defiance of the law of the land, to the time when constitutional methods prevailed. In contrast with this he pictured the corruption of the East—Turkey, for instance—where bribery was rampant, a thing impossible in an English country. He emphasised the importance of the flag, typical of freedom, and spoke of the great act done by England eightyeight years ago in procuring the freedom of the slaves "'of the world, and" keeping a fleet for prevention of slavery in Africa and the adjoining high seas. He appealed to the children l always to reverence the Union" Jack and to cherish the traditions of the race which were so well upheld in the great war. Although it was possible, he added, in conclusion, that the people might be called on again to face the enemy, there was a strong enemy inside the Empire, and it was their duty to contend against all who are seeking to bring the Empire to naught. He then asked Mr 0. Hawken to perform the ceremony. Mr Hawken said he highly appreciated the honour conferred on him in asking him to unveil the monument to the memory of those who performed so great a-service. The fact that there were so many in this district showed ; that the district was behind the men. | This was a wonderful thing for so small a district, to have.so great a proportion of young men willing to go to uphold the cause of right. Few, he said, could have a better record than Meremere, and all should be proud of this fact. This stone, said Mr Hawken, will stand for centuries as a memorial, but it was only what might be expected of the descendants of men who in the early days took a worthy part in a protracted, difficult struggle. That so many should be^ prepared to pay the price of sacrifice for the Old Empire, of which everyone is so proud, was a : glorious tribute and one which would j be appreciated the more as the years went by. They worthily upheld the traditions of the race, and to them was high honour due. Mr Hawken^ said he was pleased to see some of the veterans present, men who had experience of the

troublous times of the past and saw them through to the bitter end. He ' appreciated and was\proud to see the medals worn by these veterans, who showed courage and pluck in the hour of trial, which has evidently been inherited by the younger generation, for inscribed on the monument might be ' seen the names of sons of old settlers. He would say again that Meremere had done a wonderful work at the front, i a/here so many honours had been se- < ared. They worthly upheld the reputation gained by New Zealanders in tLe fighting line and when on leave in the Old Land, and even still it was a passport to be known as a New Zealander. He appealed to the men to always maintain this deservedly h?gh repute, and then, in honour of the men who fought and died, he impressively unveiled the memorial thus: "I unveil this monument to the glory of God and to the credit of those who. fell in the fight for freedom.'' The Last Post was then sounded by Sergt.-Major Mahoney, all the com--1 pany standing bareheaded, while afterwards they sang the National Anthem. Mr E. Dixon, MJP., acknowledged the compliment paid him in being associated in the ceremony of unveiling. He paid a tribute to the men who went, the men of whom, it might be said: "We live in deeds, not years; In thoughts, not breaths.' 3 In feelings, not in figures on a dial, We should count time and heart throbs; He most lives who thinks most, Feels the noblest, acts the best.". He remembered the awful years— they never could be forgotten—of the war and all the suffering of the men, the anxiety of their friends. They remembered that day all who rallied to the call of Empire, not for wealth, not for commerce, not only for respect to the flag, but because they were to take part in the struggle for the small nations when the Empire stepped in and said to the arrogant: "Thus far shalt thou go and no further." "We honour," said the speaker, "the men who fought and fell, men of every class and profession, lawyers, doctors, farmers; men whose prospects were the brightest and who counted these as I nothing when duty called to service.'' Those who are left can never repay the debt they owe to these men, whose heroic spirit was one to admire, whose memory inspired one to emulation of their glorious deeds, done to make this world worth while. In conclusion, the speaker said he hoped the conference in the Old World would be strengthened to establish world-wide peace, and with this aim all could do a part in bringing together the peoples of the earth to settle all disputes. He hoped, he said, that this monument might be "for untold days a shrine of thanksgiving, a beacon of honour, a milestone, that shall take all peoples to

the uplands of a finer life»" The monument spoke of duty and sacrifice, and impressed the need of loyalty to theflag, to the King, and to God, which was an ideal worth dying and livingfor. • &

"How can the world their deeds forget? In France white crosses everywhere lift pallid hands, Like silent sentinels with sword an<L lance, To keep their memory safe for other lands. \

What need have they for holysepulture? " Within the hearts of men is hallowed ground— A sanctuary where they rest secure, And love's immortality is crowned." The monument is a very fine piece of" work, and made by Messrs Jones Bros of Hawera, in the form of an obelisk' in red Scotch granite, about 12ft high, with a base of four tiers, and at each corner, joined by a chain, is a pillar of marS e* ,? n these Pillars> on inlet. marble slabs, are the names of thosewho left the district, from school and. country, while on the obelisk are the names of the fallen. Handsome wreath* were laid on the monument by ladies* of the district.

The inscriptions are as follow: OUR HEROES. Bugler G.-Bissett (Gallipoli). Sec-Lieut. M. G. Curry Private J. Close. Trooper M. Murphy (Gallipoli) Trooper R. A. Murphy (Gallipoli).. Rffleman P. Murphy. Private B. Monk (Gallipoli). Qr.-Sergt. S. Poole. Private G. Wallace." Rifleman 0. Woodford.

For those that have mourned then>_ there's this relief: ' That Glory sits by the side of Griefs Eereeted by relatives and friends to perpetuate the memory of our' heroes,, 1914-1918. ® First Pillar. School Roll—Flighf-Major H. i>. Williams, M.C., Dr. B. Mcßae, Nurse F^ Meßae, Sergt. W. Dunlop, Sergt, H^ McLean, Sergt. ,W. H. Olsen, Private.H. Allen, Private S. W. Birkett,. Trooper R. Chestnut, Trooper G. Hutchison, Trooper A. Williams, TrooperV. Gundeson.

Second Pillar. School Roll—Privates R. Patehell, F Dunlop, F. Kurth, G. Coles, A. Birchall., D. McLachlan. District Roll—S.M. H. Roberts, Sergt. V. Anderson, M.M_ Corporal P. H. Clee, Privates J. Rail-' ton, B. Audorson, A. Baldwin. Third Pillar. "' District Roll—Privates T. P. Culkeen,. S. Jeffries, J. Luinsden, J. Ross, E. Sanson, J. "W«?l3s. School Roll—Privates B^ Johns, F. Close, D. Carmichael, A. Catley, B .L. Williams, J. Wolfe, P. Gundeson. ; ! Fourth, Pillar. School Roll—Privates T. W. White J. Tolme, N. Goad, A. Nickel, A..Prentice, H. Coftd, L. Monk. School Roll Sec-Lieut. J. Murphy, Sec-Lieut. L^ Bassett, M.C., Sergt. H. Franklin, Privates C. Monk, E. Olliver, H. Telfer. There were sixty-two names altogether—ten fell in' the war, and or those who returned forty were on the* school records, and twelve on the district roll.

In-honour of the occasion the memorial was photographed with the re-' turned soldiers, to the number of aboutforty, and the veterans standing round the base. Thus ended a most impressive and interesting ceremony, one that, will live long in the memory of all who> were present, and which will be an., everlasting tribute from the people of Meremere. »

At the conclusion the company wereeiitertained at tea by the Meremereladies, a gracious attention which wasmuch appreciated by all.