BULGARIA'S SURRENDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16970, 2 October 1918, Page 9

BULGARIA'S SURRENDER.

JUBILATION IN AUCKLAND. . PROPOSED THANKSGIVING. . The cabled announcement that, Bulgaria had unconditionally surrendered, which was circulated yesterday morning by means of a Herald extra to received with great enthusiasm in Auckland. In I accordance with a suggestion from the Acting-Prime Minister, received by tho -Mayor, flags were flown over Government offices, Town Hall and other public buildings, and over a great many business establishments. Flags also were flown in the suburbs. Vessels in r,he harbour dressed ship," and everywhere there was a feeling of keen satisfaction and jubilation. ■ The important news and its possible effect on the future course of the war formed the subject of animated discussion at street corners, on tramcars and, ferry-boats, and wherever people congregated.

Prior to the commencement of business at the morning call at tho Auckland Stock Exchange there was a patriotic demonstration when the chairman referred to the satisfactory tone of the war news. The members, sang two verses of tiio National Anthem, and enthusiastic cheers were given for the King and Great allies.

In a telegram received yesterday by the Deputy-Mayor of Auckland and by the chairmen of other local bodied, the ActingPrime Minister said:—" The unconditional surrender of Bulgaria, following so closelv upon General Allenby's splendid victories in Palestine, is an event of such far-reaching importance that I deem it fitting to ask you to hoist your flags. I now commend you to invito citizens to render thanks to Almighty God, Who in His merciful providence has guided us in the horrible drama of the last four years. Ask the people also to pray that the Father's. Hand may be with the Allied arras to protect' them and lead them to the successful and early completion of the immense work which humanity, in full oonfidence of the final result, has placed in their hands."

t No arrangements .in regard to thanksgiving services have been made yet by the heads of the Auckland city churches. The Devonport Borough Council, which met last evening, decided to consult the local clergy and ministers on the subject. At a meeting of the Northcote Borough Council it was stated that arrangements were being made for the holding of services at the local churches. . '' The object of this war is to end all wars.- said Dr. H. W. Cleary in the course of his lecture at the Grafton Library last evening. "And by to-day's glorious ( news, it seems that the end is! new, l, ne continued, amidst applause. uur hopes for ? permanent and early peace should soon be realised." -

. THE BEGINNING OP THE END. [BY TELEGRAPH.—press . association.] . "■ *' WELLINGTON, Tuesday; - Speaking at the public demonstration today to mark the receipt of the news of Bulgaria 8 surrender, the Acting-Prime Minuter, Sir James Allen, said the>C mg was celebrating what looked like the AhfflTT ° f /w 8 " d - Ifc was inconceivable to him that Turkey could hold out vL*T y raore t dß - Once the Balkan difficulty was settled, attention could be directed elsewhere > but all. were convinced that there waa only one possible end. He would auk the countiy not to bo led away by peace-feelers and pacificists. (Applause.) iney had gone through four* years of purgatory, many of the best of the young liveaof the-country had been given, and they would have to go on and fight to the end, not in a spirit of vindictiveness, tut m order to ensure that the world would ;be saved from such a thine OT a i" 1 h f e 110 '«■»• for the man, he aiMed, who can look on tho sacrifices which have been made and say : Let us make peaCe at any price.' " (Cheers.) ■. ,*.• ■ ' r What a relief it must have been, to the ♦ J 1 ? *i! ,ee \ g or four years to. find that they had turned the'cornor, and were marching on the road to victory. i-m WaS untl ' morning, when 'a little relief came, that he had realised the tension of the last four years. "We will see it through," he ' added, "if we are worth our salt.' If we are worthy of occupying this glorious little land we will see it through to the very -end, and ensure the removal of any menace to .these' shores. I congratulate you on the glorious • iiews, and, with you, look for even more glorious news in the near future." . {Cheers!) The Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, expressed the view that the occasion was an historio one, but said it would be necessary to . realise that there were "great difficulties to be met with even now, and it could not be expected that the war would be over very soon. There were enemies without to contend with, and also enemies _ within. _ Some ,of the. people of the British Empire did not seem to realise that an offence against humanity must be dealt with and punished.' feme seemed to think that if such an offence were committed, the day would como for it to be pardoned, -but if that view were taken t now there was no guarantee for future peace, or for the future of humanity. (Appalnse.) ;■ A crime such as had been committed, must be punished. _ Sneaking with much emotion, the Chief Justice made feeling reference to thoso ■who had fallen in the great struggle. Many of those present had lost their nearest and dearest, and tho loss would be more deeply felt if the loved ones were not to /be vindicated. Peace for the future was only obtainable by letting th p ßfl who had done B™' wrong know that tho day of payment must come. If it did not, there was no prospect of peace for the world, and no chance for the future of humanity. (Loud applause.) In all the schools the, headmasters assembled the pupils and delivered brief instructional lectures, the children being then granted a hnlf-holidav. The Patriotic Society's band paraded the streets, playing martial airs, and in the centre of the own the> Hon. T. M. Wilford delivered a stirring patriotio address, pointing out that the unconditional surrender of Bulgaria meant that Germany had lost for ever her dreams of domination of Middle Europe., Another feature was the isolation- of Turkey, with her possible surrender in the near future. The surrender of Bulgaria was celebrated throughout the Dominion yesterday. Telegraphic nessages state that patriotic speeches were delivered at Feilding,.where a holiday was observed, New Plymouth, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Timaru. At the last-named town business premises and the schools closed for the afternoon and in the evening a large bonfire was lit.