MERCER'S MEMORIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18077, 29 April 1922, Page 10

MERCER'S MEMORIAL.

UNVHILING CEREMONY. PERFORMED BY LORD JELLICOE. DISTRICT'S WAR RECORD. ;bt TEUG.'UPH.— own correspondent.] MERCER. Friday. Tho war memorial at Mercer was unfiled by tho Governor-General to-day. Hie weather was fine but cloudy, and iiero was a large attendance. Tho memorial is uniqi e, as tfbe base consists of a ,urret from the gunboat Pioneer, used in tho Maori War in 1863, and it is surmounted by a utone statue of a soldier in marching kit. A brass plate bears the names ol 20 men who mado the great sacrifice and of 59 others who served in the war. Another plate indicates bha', the turret was used on the Pioneer. lb** monument lias been erected on a bank aear the river. Lord and .Lady Jellicoe arrived by motor-car from Auckland at 3 p.m., and wore met by Mr. W. H. Oliver, chairman, mdMr. R. 11 lass, secretary, and memoers af Uie memorial committee. A welcome was also giua by a Maori woman. The Govornor-ijeiioral then inspected the guard of honour of territorials. After the singing of the National Anthem, the hymn, " O, God, Our Holp iii Ages Pwt," was sung; and was followed by pr.jyers. Lord Jellicoe then released tho Unit covering tho memorial and read the names of the fallen. Three volleys were then fired by the guard of honour. After the hymn, "tor Our Dead Heroes," had been sung, Mr. T, W. Rhodes, M.P., addressed the gathering. He said he was proud to take part in such a ceremony. As one who had lost a son himself, he extended his deepest sympathy to the relatives of those who had fallen. After referring to tbo base of the memorial, Mr. Rhodes said it was specially unique, because Mercer played an important part in the Maori War. and perhans on tnis account the people of the district had more of the martial Bpirit than prevailed in some districts. Lord Jellicoo expressed the great pleasure of himself and Her Excellency at bein" present, and extended their deepest sympathy to those who had lost their loved ones. Memorials, he said, were not only tributes to those who had died, but were also an emblem of New Zealand's splendid loyal efforts during the war. This particular memorial was unique, and he

felt as a sailor that it was an additional ' honour that he should be asked to unveil a memorial that canned with it memories of the sea. The top portion was a sign of the splendid and loyal co-opera-tion of the great Maori race with tho British race during the war. The lower portion brought to mind the chivalry which distinguished the fighting in tho Maori war. In conclusion, His Excellency said the district should be proud of what its men did in tie greatest crisis in the history of tho Empire. After tho ceremony, His Excellency chatted with a number of returned men, and subsequently the Vice-Regal party was taken' down the river by launch. Afternoon tea was served on board, and at an informal ceremony Mr. Glass, chairman of the Waikato River Board, thanked tho Governor-General for coming to Mercer. He mentioned that Mercer had sent more men to the front for its population than any other town in New Zealand. On the way up the river Lady Jellicoe inspected a flaxmill, in which she showed deep interest. The party tiien left for .Hamilton by train.