OUR HONOURED DEAD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 13 July 1921, Page 4

OUR HONOURED DEAD

MEMORIAL AT KOH ATE

IMPRESSIVE UNVEILING CEREMONY

BARGE AM) HEPK’KSENTATIVE

ASSEMBLY

A memorial to the men oi tin; Knliatu district wlm fell in the Groat Mar was unveiled yesterday by too bishop of Nelson in (lie presence of a huge and representative assembly. Unfortunately, during the ceremony, the weather was showery, ami the proreadings were shortened somewhat. Among llio.se who accepted the inyiI tat ion of (lie local committee to be I present, in addition to the Bishop, were : Kcv. Biamires, (V. P. Best (chairman of the Waimca County Council), Messrs 1 11. Atmore and R. I’. Ilnsdon, M.’sP-, 'A. Gilbert (president, of the Nelson Chamber of Commerce), Crs. G. Macmahon and Drummond (Wairuea County Council) and Messrs IV. C. Harley (vice-chairman) and C. S. Spear representing the Nelson braneh of the llc--1 timed Soldiers' Association. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs L. Mead (chairman of Hie War .Memorial Committee, (who was indisposed), R. M. King,. AV. B. North, K. , Goodall (president of the Farmers’ ' Union), McCullum. M. P. for the district. Major Robinson, and the Mayor of Nelson (Mr W. Lock). Many of the settlers present had travelled many miles to he present, and included in the assembly were a number of returu,ed soldiers and the children of the local school.

Gr. 11. Berryman, whose late son was one of the first to join up, was also present.

At eleven o’clock those, assembled slathered in the vicinity of the memorial.

Air J. Sehwass, ju the absence of Mi' G. L. Mead (chairman of the Comlaitlee) thanked the Bishop and others who had accepted the invitation to ho present. He went on to express pleasure at suen a large gathering assembling lu do honour to ttie bravo dead. The people of the district, said Air behwass, had fell that the men wiio had laid down, their Jives so nobly tor their King and Country should have something erected in their memory, and the memorial about Lu be unveiled was the ' tribute of the district to (hose wnosc names were engraved uicrcon.

Air V.. C. nancy, of the Kelson 11.A.A./. in me a Usenet; oi the chairman [Uf iv. I), money John siuiij on ■ bet ml t of tne Association, congratulated the district on the very line memorial. The people had set a very line example to nelson itself, who were still unable to make up uieir .mind regarding a memorial. "This memorial," went on Air Harley, "serves two purposes; lirstly, to remind you of taose men who luught for this country and the Empire, and for the great service which (hey rendered; and secondly, t tliniK memorials of this type should serve to remind the people ut to-day and of the future of liho principals for which these men fought." Concluding, Mr Harley said he thought; it was tm; duty of everybody to do their best to try and Jive up to the ideals for which those men fought. If we did that, he was sure the future of the country would he in a much more happier position than in the past. The hymn ‘‘o God, our help in ages past,” was sung, after which -Rev. Corncy read the 21st chapter of Revelations.

Tiie Bishop of Nelson then unveiled the memorial, and read as follows hum the inscription:

In grateful memory uf "hi. S. Berryman. "h.-Gpl. C. R. Arnold. "h.-Cpl. G. Naldcr. "Spr. 11. L. Ellis. "Pvt. F. Biggs. "Pvt. E. A. Coleman. "Pvt. W. I. Gibbs. "Pvi. G. S. Hooper. "Pvt. E. W. -L. Mead. "Pvt. R. S. Mead. "Pvt. N. H. Wilkinson. Who gdve their lives for The liberty and honour of the British Empire in the Great War. A.D., 1914-

1918.” . V , In the course of a brief address, tuo Bishop, (after apologising for the absence " of Rev. Dobson) on behalf of the religious community, convoyed to the relatives .and friends of those who had lost their dear ones, very sincere and heartfelt sympathy; the assurance of their prayers; that the fragrance of the lives of men who fell might j never fade; that their memories would ibe eberished by old and young; and I (hat; the children would grow up j worthy successors of those who gave their‘lives. “We are proud of the living”; concluded the speaker, “wo 'honour the memory of the dead; we i shall always pray that we may hvc j worthy of tho sacrifices which they made.” . ~ The hymn “Lord God of Hosts , was sung; after which, in a solemn stillness, many beautiful wreaths were placed at the foot of the memorial by the parents and relatives of the dear ones who had laid down their lives. Cr. P. Best, chairman of the Waunea County Council, in the course of a few remarks, extended sympathy to those who had lost their loved ones; and congratulated the ■ district on erecting, such a very fine memorial. Mr R. P- Hudson, M.P. for Motueka, joined with those who had congratulated the district on the erection ot such a magnificent, memorial. He must add to those congratulations the tact that tho people of the district had come forward spontaneously in t lie early stages of the erection of the memorial. Ho could not help feeling that the outlying districts deserved to he highly complimented on the manner in windi they were coming forward with memorials. In the early days of the war too, they had sent their best ami bravest —the cream ot the popu-lation--to defend us from a tyrannical enemy. The further back from civilisation.'and the more scattered the population. the more loyally the men appeared to come forward when the call came, and it was in this spirit that (he people wore coming forward in erecting memorials. The most, important part of the memorial, he said, was tho splendid example it set to the rising generations—an example ot loyalty and'of that splendid spirit ot (lie men. who came prepared (~ lav. down their lives. .Going on to refer'lo the present world-wide unrest. Mr Hudson asked could wc conceive what tho position would be to-day l| wo sunk our petty differences and stood shoulder to shoulder and followed the example of those splendid men who answered their country’s call: it would he a very different world from what it was to-day. “Yon have engraved on that stone,” concluded Mr Hudson, “the names of . those gallant boys. Long may those, names stand as an example of loyalty and splendid valour; as an incentive to the present genera(ion. For this alone it will he justi*'Mr H. Atmore. M.P. for Nelson, said he was pleased to he. present on behalf of (he. City and other, portions of hi" electorate, le nay his tributo _ of respect to the dead who were being . honoured that day. Mr Afcraoro pro-

ceeclccl to deplore the “damnable lunacy of war” which made a country send - the best and fittest of its men to kill one another. The total cost of the war would not be paid for years. We must, he said, have a different outlook in life. “Those men, gave all tln*v bad". said Mr Atrnore, referring (o the names on the memorial, “and’ I want their parents and relatives and friends to remember that for men like (his there is no death. There could he no death for the men who lived in the hearts of those they left behind.” The Empire, went on the speaker, had done more than any other nation to promote pence, and had been built up' mi sacrifice. After quoting ' some verses from Kipling, Mr Atmore said he wished to point out that there was hardly a borne in New Zealand that had not to mourn someone, and they had the sympathy of all present. Those who had fallen were the heroes of their district; a greater sacrifice no man could make. Mr Atmore in a few further remarks, said he had been asked to say something about the memorial. The total cost, was £I3OO. hut* £SO or £6O were still wanted. The people of the district had set an example to the larger centres. Ho agreed with Mr Hudson that it was in the small places where loyalty seemed.. almost pre-eminent! “You are keeping your faith with the dead when you told them when they went away that they would not be forgotten.” ' “Tim “Last Post” was then sounded bv Trumpeter Whitwell, tlio National Anthem sung, and the impressive ceremony concluded.

The memorial, -which is efccted at the junction of the Motupiko, Tapawera and Tadmor roads, consists of a column of polished English granite on a concrete foundation. It was supplied bv €. AV. j. Par-ms, of Christchurch, and erected bv Messrs Tibbie and Leighton, of Nelson. The site chosen is a good one, and the memorial can be easily seen by travellers passing through Tfie district. The Committee, are to be, congratulated on their efforts in Greeting such a very .fine memorial, A small sum is still required to he raised, hut no doubt it will bo readilv forthcoming. It is; the intention of the Committee to place a fence around the memorial. The names of the Commitee are as follow Messrs 0. L. Mead (chairman), J. Schwass, N. G. Cole (secretary), W. B. North, E. I/. Newport, and D. Kerr. (