PEACE CELEBRATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17008, 15 November 1918, Page 4

PEACE CELEBRATIONS.

REJOICINGS AT WELLINGTON

JOY AND THANKSGIVING.

MINISTERS ADDRESS CITIZENS.

[BY TELEGRAPH 'ON'IE.VT.J

WELLINGTON.. Hi

' Well'.' L'ton. one nf the lea>t dt-rni .nstra- ■ tive of New Zealand cities, nut Excepting Auckland. found itself on Tue.-div. With the corning of peace, the p»*>pV .discovered their voices. Th» ohfwng/f-l-nu'in:r. and jolly or >wds of . Tuesday were a revelation. The 311ns. which were-' to orbital the signing of the arnnst ice .!»•• mod from the f(.rts just after 9 a.m. 1 fie ;(ity "listened. It wanted to make sure this tune that the real thing had ome. And', then, pandemonium broke ■ loose—e\ cry. ; whistle, hooter, syren, anil, 111 fart, any noise pro ducing instrument within a ramus of 10 miles, shrieked o.it the downhill of the enemy Bunting Hew to the-tops of.flagpelts. and quickly draped . verandahs, windows, shipping and the clothing of young and old. i The first large public gathering was held around the steps of the old Parliament Building, some ten thousand people Hoiking to hear the Governor-) lenerd read the official t. legrams announcing the signing of the armistice, and containing the message,from the King. These . pioceedings were brief, and were followed .at 11. a.m. by the largest gathering 'of the day outside the Town Hall, . Fully 23,0.0 people, closely packed, j thronged 'he street in front of the hall, 1 from the first floor window of which the ' Mayor, Prime Minister, Minister for ; Finance, and the Minister for Defence I spoke. The crowd listened patiently ,to I'the speeches, but it was out to cheer';'-.'/' ; wave its 20,000 tlags, and to sing, .and it/:-', ■ did so at every opportunity given it. For'-, 'instance, at mid-day, in the midst-if | Sir Joseph Ward's address, the . guns '.- again boomed out, syrens and whistles , joined in, and were quickly followed by 1 the enthusiastic shouts and cheers of the laughing crowd. When the band struck up any well-known air the crowds forgot their normal fear of hearing their own voices, and sang the choruses rousintlv. The appearance of the two leader?, Mr . Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, were the signals for popular demontrations.

Prime Minister's Address. "Four years and threo months ago,". Raid the Prime Minister, " or. August 5. 1914, the Governor-General, speaking from the steps of the Parliamentary Buildings, told the people of Wellington, and through them the people of New Zealand, that. & state of war existed between Britain and Germany. We went away from that gathering impressed with the responsibility that as Bntiah citizens we were required to take up, but determined that, with the help of Almighty God, we would do our full share in seeing the war through to a successful conclusion. (Cheers.) To-day I want to of'er my thanks and your thanks to the Ru'er of the Universe for having girded and protected ub during four Years of the must awful war this world has ever experienced. This is a great day, a day of joy and gladness in every part of the British Empire and in every part of the civilised world. We have occasion to rejoice, because the news received to-day means that the monsters of iniquity, the men responi sible for all the horrorj and crimes of the | last four years, are beaten. Our boys ; have defended the honour and the dignity iof Britain, no matter what the cost, j (Cheers.) Thousands of them have made : the supreme sacrifice in the great cause. j They have Hied for us, for our liberty and 1 freedom, and we know to-day that their | sacrifice has not been in vain. Fifteen ; thousand of our New Zealand mengal- | lant lads, llie very pick of the country have died in this war. Their memory and the memory of tha sacrifice they made will never be forgotten. We can hope at a time like this that those who h>ve lost their dear ones will find consolation in the good fight the boys put up and in the victory that has crowned their efforts. (Cheers.)

Tribute to British Navy. Sir Joseph Ward said that the signing of the armistice lifted a load from the minds of at least 350,000 New Zealand people who had relatives at the front at the present time. The armistice meant that hostilities had ceased—(applause)—and that the soldiers would soon be returnirg to their homes. The war had moved very rapidly during recent weeks, and he believed that the collapse of the Germans was due largely to the efforts of the grand old British Navy. (Cheers.) It was a source of satisfaction to know that when tha German Navy recently was ordered to go out and meet the British Fleet the German sailors hoisted the red flag and arrested their own officers rather than, give battle to the waiting British warships. Democratic rule was going to be established throughout the world. Even in Germany the people were going to rule j themselves, ana never again would it be possible for autocratic rulers to send millions of men to death for the personal gratification and glory of ruling dynasties Sir .Tames Allen said the dominant note had already been struck, but he wanted to strike it again. " Thanks to the Almighty Father for His unspeakable mercies, for He has given us t ie victory," he said. "On behalf of those relatives and friends who have lost their dear ones during these four and a-half years, I may say that we rejoice, although our hearts aie heavy and sad. Unless we can learn soma lessons from this war then the war ! will not have served the purpose whi< ii the j Almighty desired that it should serve. 1 ! believe that from this war there will prow a sense of brotherhood, and I would rather strike the brotherhood note to-day thai any other note I can think of."

Glad Crowds In Streets. The excitement was not confined to the crowds, for the Ministers of the Crown, ■ one and all. demonstrated in their differ- . t-nt. ways. Most striking of them all was ; the appearance of the Minister for Public ; Health, Hon. 0. W. Russell, whose ap- | pearance m a large tricolour tie tempted | many folk to break into "The Red, White, and Blue." Mr. Russell explained proudly that the tie had a history, as it was the one he had worn on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee, ove 20 years ago. It looked it, too, but the Minister did not. ! careit was his particular method of deI monstrating that day. | The final organised demonstration of the I dav was held in the Basin Reserve in the j afternoon, when about 15,000 people at- ! tended a thanksgiving service of slightly j over half an hour's duration. This coneluded, the people found their way into | the principal streets of the city, many of 1 which, particularly Manners and Willis I Streets, were frequently impassable. I Men and women played children's pames | in the streets, others gave impromptu performances at the corners, while those whose need was met by simply making a noise, attached kerosene tins to red, white.

I and blue ribbons, and trailed them along; ' behind motor cars and bicycles, or : dragged them as they walked. Wellington will not fortjet Tuesday for many a , year. It wanted to make a joyful noise, i and it did so.