HIKURANGI MEMORIAL.

Northern Advocate, 7 August 1922, Page 7

HIKURANGI MEMORIAL.

I'N VEI LING C E REMON Y

SUCCKSSFUL FITXCTIOX

A large and representative gathering of people assembled on and around the concrete bridge at Hikurangi on |-'-:!furd:iy afternoon in order to take part. in the unveiling of the nienioriiil which had been erected to the fallen soldiers from the district. The memorial, which occupies a position on the north-western side of the bridge, is of Oamaru stone, supported on a base about eight feet wide, and reaches to a height of some seven or eight feet. The highest point of the sla.b is ornament ed bv an artistic light, while on either side and at a lower elevation stands a British lion behind a shield, one of which bears the date 1914, the other 1919. The central portion of the monument consists of a marble slab or. -which are inscribed the names of the fallen. The sculptured head of Lord Kitchener projects from the stone immediately above the marble slab, and on the right and left sides of the slab, cut into the stone, appear the names of those who returned from the war. A bubble fountain occupies the lower right hand side of the memorial ami a drinking trough for clogs projects from the base. In bold lettering over the figure head of Kitchener stand out in relief the words "Lest We Forget." The names of the fallen which appear on the marble slab are as follows: — H. Ball, Pi. Carter, G. Cox, J. Dobson, A. Frew, H. Hanltn, M. Healv, J. Johnston, A. Langford, P Leask, W. Little, J. D. McLcod, A. Olsen, B. Smith, B. Snowden, F. Yearbury. The names of the other 49 who took part in the hostilities are engraved on either side of the tablet. The general effect of the memorial is very pleasing indeed, and it reflects great credit upon tho community which thus honours its heroic dead and noble returned. No more conspicuous site could have been selected than that on which the memorial stands, while the solid concrete bridge upon which it is cemented gives it an atmosphere of permanent durability. No one passing over the .bridge can fail to see it and be reminded by its presence of the part played in the great war by the patriotic sons of the district. It iwsis before this memorial, shrouded as it was by the Union Jack, that a representative gathering assembled on A number of returned sol-

.lii'i'.s, 1:«."in!s >: 1 by t:!L' i iil-.iii'Uijyi- iiaiid, marched on to the bridge am] took up their positions immediately in front of l In* memorial. In opening the proceedings Mr A. M. Rust explained the object of the gathering and outlined how the people of the district raised tlie funds to erect the monument to their illustious dead. Four schemes had been suggested, but. the majority favoured the stone monument, and the whole of the money, wjt'-i a few pounds over had been subscribed to pay for it. They had not assembled to praise themselves for what they had had done, but ho believed the wishes of the 2»eople had been satisfactorily carried out. When the question of the unveiling ceremony was raised the returned sold.iers had expressed the wish that it be performed by Colonel C. E. li. Mackesy. He was very glad indee.i that Colonel Mackesv, whom he had known for very many years, was held in such high esteem by the soldiers, and he therefore had great, pleasure in calling upon him to perform the ceremony. Colonel Mackesy stated that he believed it only right that such ceremonies should bo of a partially religious nature, and he therefore asked the Rev. C. E. Nicholas to repeat the Lord's Prayer. Colonel Mackesy stated that he ha 1 been brought up to fear God, honour the King and speak the truth. They had shown their respect to God by repeating the Lord's Prayer; they would now honour the King, and the assembly joined in singing the National Anthem, led by the band. The Colonel then addressed the gathering at some length. He said that, sucli occasions as this always made him feel sad because tliey reminded him of the son he had lost, and he knew that other parents whose sons were left on the field of battle were similarly affected. They had occasion, however, to be wonderfully proud of the New Zealnnl soldiers because of the patriotic manner Lu which they went forth to do battle ■for their country's flag, find his great hope was that they who were left would face their Maker as cheerfully and as honourably as did their fallen sons. He was glad "that the district had decided to memorialise the names of its heroes bv inscribing them on a monument in •a" conspicuous place. There existed many differences of opinion as to what form memorials should take (some wanted schools, some halls, some swimming baths, etc.), but he prefered a monument such as that before them because it stood forth there to speak for itself and none need ask what was its purport. It was a splended thing, he believed, to have conspicuously before them at all times something that would be an inspiration to the children of all goner ations to come so that they would always be faced with the silent example of the fallen whom they that day were honouring. He did not believe for one minute that war was over. There were more armed men in Europe to-day than there had been in 1914 and he had known for many years prior to 1014 that that great conflict was to come. It had been predicted by Lord Roberts, who urged the nation to be prepared. Because he (the speaker) knew it was coming he and his sons had kept themselves fit and had prepared themselves to take a part in it. Colonel Mackesv then described how, after hearing that war had been declared, he immediately offered himself for active service. He had been in khaki for 5 years and 108 days after that.

The world had changed since tlie war was over and people were living und;>r entirely new conditions. He did not think the change was for the better. There was much more unrest now than over there had been in the pre-war davs. Nevertheless he was proud of Britain because the war to her wa-s a righteous one, as all her wars had been. Britain had pledged herself to observe the neutrality of Belgium and when she saw that country desecrated bv a foreign enemy the British Lion roare<!, and that meant war. For 40 years the invader had prepared for the great war, which was to make Germany master of the world. Britain was quite unready, but even so, when Germany heard that Britain was going to fight she knew that she would be defeated, because Britain had never 'previously been conquered. This the speaker averred was because all her wars had boon righteous and, although she was quite unprepared to meet a nation who had made preparation for 40 years, with Almighty God standing beside her she was able to meet her on equality in two years. When the clarion call went up and the British Lion roared all her cubs over the seas immediately responded. The enemy had thought that when Britain went to war the Dominions would break awav from her. They reckoned not that the tie which bound the Dominions to the Motherland was a sabred one. He had been on all the war fronts, and it filled his heart with pride when he found that the New Zealanders were the most

beloved of all the soidiers. lie lonud also that the lads from New Zealand were more intelligent and posseted more intitative than those trom the other Dominions. Furthermore, th» New Zealanders never disgraced themselves. The New Zealanders were the best thought of; then perhaps the solj diers of Great Britain came next. He was certain that the bond of blood coursing through the veins of British people would never break. The great war did not end until all the English speaking races, including America, were united in a righteous cause. Speaking again of the tvpe of men who enlisted from New Zealand, he asked if it was generally known why they were such splendid stock. In the early pioneering days New Zealand was a tremendously long way off from the Motherland, and only the pride of the Homeland would face the long sea journey and put up with the dangers and difficulties of carving out their homes in a wilderness .such as New Zealand was then. Only the most virile, the strong, the good ant those who desired to work faced those difficulties. Was it strange then that the lads of to-day should have proved themselves to be such splendid men, and that was why he was so awfully proud of them. Conditions were not so good now as before the war, but they should remember that Now Zealand was the iinest country in the world and that they were better off than most others. Before the war there were six great empires in Europe. Now there was onlyone, and that was Britain, and it was so .because of their loynlty -to theii King .and because of their perseverance, their pluck, their grit and their pride in work. He hoped New Zealanders would never lose their pride in work and their desire to excel in all they undertook. General Allenby had said to him there were three divisions which stood head and shoulders above r;ll the rest in the war. and one of them wrns the New Zealanders. He hoped their desire would now be to do as well in peace as they had done in wnr. What they wanted wis more and more production, but he was cfraid there was not that pride in work that there used to be. He did not think, it a right piinciple for a man to care about nothing so long as ho got his wages. He hoped the names which he would now unveil would be an inspiration to all and he thought the best way to honour the noble fallen was for each one to do his best to be a good citizen. With that he withdrew the flag of Britain and read out the names which are mentioned above. The Ep„v. W. H. Spcrr, who was called upon to say a few words, expressed pleasure at being present on such a memorable occasion, when they were , commemorating the greatest event in the history of their township, when they were commemorating the part played in the great war by the men from their own district.| The list of names on the stone before them showed that the district had played no unworthy part in the great struggle. The motive which impelled those men to participate in the war was not selfinterest like that of the enemy, but it was to protect the weak against the strong and to protcct -all that the} held dear. The memorial before them would stand for till time, and it. was an important thing for the children that | such an example of loyalty should stand out boldly for them to see. Hikurangi would one day be a city, and the people who walked the streets of this city fiftv years hence would unconsciously be affected by this memorial. Mr Speer then drew attention to the diiliculties and dangers which faced the civilian population every day of their Fives. Men took their lives in their hands in carrying* out the industries of the nation, and it was right that they should not be forgotten. ' In conclusion Mr Speer congratulated the people upon the memorial they had erected in honour of the fallen. The ceremony concluded with the Benediction, pronounced by the Rev. 0. E. Nicholas. Representatives of the various local bodies were present as follows: Hikurangi Town Board —Messrs E. Swann (chairman), R. C. Cherrie, F. Mcßeth and J. McKinnon (clerk); Chamber of Commerce —Messrs R. Lomas (president), .1. Rutherford and D. Young. The other societies and companies represented were the Peiry Company, the coal companies, the Bowling Club, the Friendly Societies and the Church •of England Ladies' Guild. The actual cost, of the monument was £250, and the actual amount subscribed was £236 2s <>d.