PIHAMA MEMORIAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 25 May 1922, Page 5

PIHAMA MEMORIAL.

UNVEILED BY MR. HAWKEN, M.P. An impressive little ceremony was held at Pihama yesterday, when the memorial to the soldiers who left the Pihama district and fell iv the great war was unveiled. The service opened with'the singing Df the National Anthem. ;: Mr. J. S. Tosland was the first speaker. He said that they all knew that the residents of the district: had subscribed to a counfy memorial, but they felt that some monument in: memory of the men who left Pihama and died in the execution of their duty was also necessary. He thought that .-■ no more fitting site could have been chosen than the school ground. It was at school that most of the men had received their early training. The Rev. Simister, of Opunake,: then said a few words, after which he read a portion of Scripture. The Rev. Harkness safd that the common definition of a memorial was "something^ that, enables us to remember something else/ and he said that the memorial which was about to be unveiled was the tangible evidence that would enable them to keep in memory the deeds done by those whom most of those present had known and loved. They had been told that the great war would be the end of wars, but he did ~ not think that the lesson had been properly learnt yet, and everyone should encourage every movement to foster the spirit of true peace and brotherhood. - Mr. M. O'Brien, chairman of the Egmont County Council, said that the memorial was their acknowledgment of the great debt which they owed to those brave soldiers who fell in the Great War. Mr. Hawken then spoke. As representing in the Parliament of the country those whom he was addressing, it seemed to him to be only fitting that he should unveil the memorial to the memories of those who had made the greatest sacrifice which anyone could make for their country. The manner in which the men had met the supreme test of citizenship showed that the Empire had sufficient life to keep her going for generations to come. They-*----had shown that the spirit was there :to the last sacrifice. There was always a certain amount of sadness about such ceremonies, but he thought there should also be a note of triumph. It wrfs wonderful to think that they who were so far away from the heart of the lanpire should be willing to pay the same sacrifices as any other Britisher. iT" Hawken referred to those pioneers who came to I\ Tew Zealand in the early j days. They had recognised a long time | ago that there was a future ahead of j New Zealand. Referring to the tree | British spirit that filled those men ; when they went to fight for their country, the speaker said that just so long as that spirit existed so long would the British Empire stand. , . Mr. Hawken then unveiled the memorial, and one of the returned soldiers present sounded the "Last Post " • Wreaths were then laid at the basement of the monument by school children and many others present. nor, G. Slater, W. £ Stere"son { Simpson. - • .