WAR MEMORIAL

Northern Advocate, 19 May 1928, Page 8

WAR MEMORIAL

DEDICATED AT DARGAVILLE.

The dedication of Dargaville's war memorial band rotunda on Wednesday afternoon was attended by a large concourse of people. The North Auckland Bcgimental Band headed the parade of Territorials and. Boy Scouts to the reserve, where the Mayor (Mr F. A. Jones) Et. Hon J. G. Coates (Prime Minister) Mrs Coates and two daughters and leading people of the district were seated on the bandstand.

The Mayor stated that the Memorial, thanks to the efforts of the Musical Society and sporting tssociations, would be opened almost free of debt, and he hoped the deficit of £45 would be subscribed' that afternoon. ( The Prime Minister, in a stirring speech, described the magnitude of the Empire's war effort as shown by the number of casualties. In international affairs today, the attitude of New Zealand was to accept responsibility if consulted with other Dominions, but if, after that, Britain 'then made a decision, she could rest assured that we would stand alongside her, whatever happened. After Mrs Coates had unveiled the memorial stone, which bore the inscription "In honour of the men of Dargaville who made the supreme sacrifice, 1014-1918," the company stood to attention while Bugler Walker sounded the "Last- Post."

In accepting the, band totunda into the care and custody o| the Band, dedicated to the boys who went from Dargaville, it was their duty, said Mr R. H. Dunn, president of the North Auckland Regimental Band, to sec that the children would never forget them. It was the desire of the band to co-operate with the people of Dargaville in providing a lasting, memorial.