WAR ANNIVERSARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16921, 6 August 1918, Page 6

WAR ANNIVERSARY.

SUBURBAN COMMEMORATION! I 1( — !.< EMPIRE RESOLUTION C \RRIED. jj i 1 PuriLTO meetings to commemorate the 1 fourth anniversary of t-lic war wore hold ( ' at Devon port, Newmarket, Mount Eden, I, Mount Albert, Otahuhu, and other suburbs ' 1 yesterday. '1 lie Empire resolution wis carried, and patriotic speeches wee de- ( livcred by leading citizens. J The Newmarket commemoration, which | took placo in the Public Hall, was the j largest and most enthusiastic yet held in | the borough. The hal. was crowded. Ihej J loyal resolution was iroved by the Mayoi, Mr. C. Leek, seconded by the DeputyMayor, Mr. S. Donaldson, and supported by Staff-Captain Diiuii and tho Hov. J. ' W'rigley. The celebration at Mount Eden was held j in the Council Chamber. 1 lie Mayor, .Mr. ( C. Hudson, moved the jiatriotic resolution, which was seconded by the Deputy-.Mayor, , .Mr. J. W. Shackelford, and supported by Mr. 0. Nicholson. There was a large attendance of the public. The Devonport meeting was held in Marine Square, and was largely atleiv'sd. In tho absence of the Mayor and Deputy-1 Mayor, Mr. J. Woodail presided, and moved the resolution, which was seconded by Mr. W, J. Napier, and suported by Mr. F. J. Whittaker. The Garrison Band, under Lieutenant Cater, played patriotic airs. Contingents from the Maori camp, in charge of Major Peacock, and of tho Garrison Artillery, under Captain Kewish, were present. The Mount Albeit commemoration took placo in the Council Chamber, and tho resolution, proposed by the Mayor, Mr. T. B. Clay, and seconded by Mr. J. H. Bradney, was carried unanimously. A large number assembled in the Public Hall, Otahuhu. Tie loyal motion was submitted by the Mayor, Mr, ,A. McDonald, and seconded by the Rev. F. Soustor. ! The chairman of the Auckland Schools Committee, Mr. E. Lilly, yesterday addressed the pupils at the three city schools j on the subject of tho war. The National Anthem was heartily sung by the children at each school. I A well-attended meeting of residents 1 was held in the Warkworth Town Hall . on Sunday, when the Empire resolution' was enthusiastically carried. Mr. A. Warin, chairman of the Warkworth Town , Board, presided. ALLIED CONSULS ENTERTAINED. ' I GREAT BOND OF UNITY. A dinner was given to the Consular re- 1 presentatives of the Allied nations at, the Town Hall last evening by the Mayor and councillors of the City of Auckland as an instalment of the celebration of the ! fourth anniversary of the commencement of the war. The quests wero the ConsulGeneral of the United States (Mr. A. A. Winslow), the Vice-Consul fur Franco (M. Leon Hippean). the Vice-Consul-General for the United States (Mr. L. C. i Bachelder), and the conf ' representatives of Belgium (Mr. A. M. Ferguson), Italy (Mr. J. H. Pagni), Portugal (Mr. D. Nathan, jun.), the Trade Commissioner for Canada (Mr. W. A. Beddoe), Dr. A. W. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, Dr. H. W. Cleary, Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, the Rev. C. H. Laws, and Major Sir Robert Walker. /Qui Debt to Our Allies. The Mayor, in proposing the toast of " The Allies of Great Britain," dealt categorically with the position and the service in the war of each nation. He said that tho valiant French Army, reinforced with the youths of France, supported by . her womanhood in the field and in indus-' trial and professional life, had maintained glorious traditions of the opening davs of the war. In the closing month of the fourth year, General Foch, with that samo gallant army, had brought to bear h.s master-stroke, which had again driven ! the German hordes from the gates of , i I'aiis. We owed the French nation a i debt which wo could never repay, and ; the bonds of national endeavour and the j ties of friendship would never be severed. • It was Franco that saved Europe, saved , Britain, saved the world from German 1 I domination. Heroic Belgium, with her j I Belgian soldiers still on Belgian soil, had I | payed her part. We honoured Belgium - , and her heroic spirit. Next came Italy, 1 I who had foupht so valiantly, particularly | in the recovery during the present year. : I That this war was not a defensive j war on the part of Germany was' best proved by the single fact that one of the nations pledged to i support Germany had refused to do so. ! Russia had succumbed to enemy influences, ! but ho believed that yet the best elements' would rise and overthrow enemy domination. Portugal also had stood" side by side with Britain from the outset of the j war. Iho attitude of Zealanders and others towards the United States was to some extent unfair and ill-informed during the first two years of the war ; but the United States had had a very difficult role to play. They wero a pacific nation, practically without an army, and totally unprepared for war. The'present great American Army would bo the determining factor, and with the British and French armies would finally smash German savagery and aggression. Handwriting on the Wall, Canada had to the present time sent 390,000 troops to Europe. At the present rate of the reinforcements of tho United States to France, the army this time next year would total 4$ millions. If the Allies stood together nothing could disintegrate them, and Germany and Austria now realised that truth.'The handwriting was on the wall, and the Germans could read now that they were "weighed in the balance and found wanting. It would be a proud day for Britain and for her gallant allies when the peace treaty was signed, the terms of which would be so framed that, :.n the words of the President, of the United State?, "the world would be a sale placo to li\e in." Mr. A. A. Winslow, in responding on behalf of tho Consular Corps, expressed tho hope that after the war all the nations now combined against the enemy -if civilisation would livo in harmony and mutual confidence. It was evident that unless the war ended this year the enemy would in the next European spring fa*- a reorganised urmy on the western front, backed by three million we!l-tr;i"ied American soldiers. He did not yet despair of seeing tho conflict ended this year, if every ally put forth her best efi r'. Sir h an effort would mean a peace that would j rid the world of Imperialism fur all time. I Present-day conditions in the various theatres of tho war must soon convince the Central Powers that their pi'ititm was hopeless. Once this was brought about, Austria and Greater Germany would rise as Russia had done. , The Allies wtuld, he thought, join in Boeing that Germany was keijfr out of tho Pacific. The Allies wero With England whole-heartedly, and would ccntinue with her until the'brutal . German was driven back to Berlin or un- ; conditionally surrendered. ; During the evening instrumental item? ; were given by Eadv's orchestra, and vocal items by Messrs. Barrv Conev, R. Drake, and T. Ranis. Mr. L. Whittaker acted j as accompanist.