THE BRADFORD MEMORIAL.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XIII, Issue 1101, 18 May 1903, Page 2

THE BRADFORD MEMORIAL.

THE UNVEILING CEREMONY.

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER.

The great event of the day was the unveiling of the Bradford Memorial Fountain on Kakaipo Hill. This function took place at half-past three o'clock in the afternoon. The arrangements, which were complete in every detail, had been made by Lieut.-Colonel Porrit, and no hitch occurred right through the proceedings. The volunteers assembled at the "Railway Station, and, headed by the Battalion Baud, under" Conductor Got'don, niarqheil to Kakaipo Hill. Major Kennck was \n " charge of the parade and the volunteers taking part were the Oliineniuri Rifles No 1, Hauraki Kifl.63, Thames Rifles. The School Cadets, under Captain Macgregor, were also present. Members of several of the contio^e,n|;s that wont tq South Africa were also present, amongst them being Troopeis Shaw, Hubbard, Mann, aijd Porritt (of the Eighth Contingent). The Battalion Oificevs present wereLjeut.-< Colonel Porritt, Adjutaut Sommerville, Quartermaster Brown, Sergeant Hesp, and Sergeant-Bugler Hannah. The officers commanding the oonipanies were as follows:—Captain Lucas and Lieutenant Le Fevre, Hauraki Rifles; Captaiu Shand and Lieutenant Bell, Thames Rifles; Captain McArthur and Lieutenants Nathan and Hubbard, Ohinemuri No. 1 Rifles. Sergeant-Major Cheater, of tho District Staff, was also on parade. On arrival at the top^f tfye, hill, the volunteers and cadets formed a hollow square round the fountain. The Premier's party arrived shortly afterwards, and as they approached, the band played, " For He's a Jolly Good Fellow.'? ".■'.■■! Lieut-Colonel Porritt ifye.n invited the Premier to perform the unveiling 1 ceremony. THE PREMIER'S SPEECH. The Promier, who pn rising was greeted with ringing cheers, said they were gathered together on a solemn and memorable occasion, to open a fountain erected as a proof of goodwill and appreciation of the services of Seigsaiit-Major Bradford. On this fountain were inscribed the words " a soldier and a man," and they were gathered together to do honour to " a soldier and a man." Far away in the Mother Country were <jhbse who loved th.c trooper who fell for King; and Empire, but what they were doing that day would to some extent soften the blow that had fallen on them. It must also be pleasing to the friend® of t^e late Trooper Bradford to know he wi,s nqt iqrgqtten. His cqmrades speak of him as aq enthusiastic volunteer. When trouble arose in. South Af riga, Ue was, pn.e of the first to volunteer fqy se,ryipe, and he was one of the first of those to. fall in South Africa. It was well on this occasion that they should do honour to him. He learnt that the late Ser-geant-Major Bradford was formerly a cprporal in the Grenadier Guards. He f joined the C)^.JQemuri Rifles No. 1 Company on. its formation, pn }6t]i June, 1897, and was subsequently appointed Color-sergeant of the company, and was afterwards promoted to be Sergeant-Major of * the Second J3a£talion Auckland (Hauraki) Infantry. 'He'was pn© of the first' New Zealanders to volunteer for service in. South Africa, and wag goon marked out for promotion. The contingent was sent direct to the front, and at the first fight at Jasfontein Bradford was shot and was picked up by the J3oers,.and died a few days later. On March 2.}, 19 ( ()1, a public meeting was held in Paeroa to decide steips should be taken to erect a memorial, and it was decided that a fountain would be erected on Kaikapo Hill, and handed over as a public work to the Ohinemuri Cpunty Council. It wa§ a work well begun, and was that day consummated. It was well that thie work had been commenced, and

pleasing that it had been co well completed. | THE CONTINGENTSTHAT WEKT TO SOUTH AFRICA. The Premier went on to say that it was well to refer, to the past, and said that if future historions do New Zealand justice, our history, of the past three years will be golden tinged. When the bugle sounded the call for service in South Africa, there was a response froro. one end of New Zealand to the other, and thi difficulty was in refusing those who volunteered to fight. In October, 1899, the first contingent was despatched, and in April, 1902, the tenth contingent was sent from our shores. He said then, and he repeat- j ed it now, that if ten more contingents had been required the people of New Zealand would have sent them to help to maintain the Empire and the grand old flag that waves over us. The colony had sent nearly 7000 officers and men to South Africa; the New Zealanders were the first contingent to leave the colonies and the first to land in South, Africa; and it is to our honour that a New Zealander was the first to fall. - If Australia had sent men to the war in the same proportion as had New Zealand she would have needed to sent 23,000; Canada would have needed 60,000; and England Scotland, and Ireland would have required to send 300,000. The Mother Country comes nearest in proportion to us. The Hon. J. Chamberlain, the Secretary of State, gave the place of honour to New Zealand. It was not to be wondered at that th 9 desire to go to battle should have come to the sons of New Zealand. They were the offspring of those who had fought for their country in this colony. With reference to what had been said about him sending away the contingents, the Premier said h«t had only been the mouthpece in carrying out the will of the people. ' MORE MEMORIALS WANTED. Continuing,' the Premier said he regretted that he, or some one else, had not been called upon to perform similar ceremonies to the one that day throughout the colony. In almost every centre of population they had suffered loss through the war, and although they could not visit the graves in S,puth Africa, still they could erect similar monuments tq the one they were opening th/at day. EJe wished to see move of this,,for if it was not taken up now the deeds of their sons might be forgotten. He hoped th,e other parts of the..' colony would follow ttye examples of Paeroa, All through the cqlotiy. men ' had fallen fighting for the colony^ but where were th.c monuments to perpetuate tho memory qf their brave deeds? Efe thought aou^ething should be done to keep in memory those who had fallen in New Zealand in the Maori wars, and also those brave foes who had also fallen. He was paiued to learn that the graves of those who had fallen in this colony had not been attended to* as they should have been. THE CASUALTIES IK SOUTH AFRICA. It would not be out of. place to mention the, casualties in South Africa, which were as follows:— Killed in action, 60 5 died of wounds, TO; died from results] of accidents, 26; died of disease, 131; a total on I the scroll of honour of 236. THE MEMORIAL A? HOKITIKA. His next function of a similar nature f;q the one that day would be to open a inqnument to the fallen at Hokitika. Th\e mining CQinjmuuiti.es had taken a good lead in these matters and he hoped that soon other places wqu|4 fqjjotf their example. WHAT OTHERS BA¥ OF NE.W- ZBAXANp,«R3. The speakef^went on to say that Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener spoke in the highest terms of praise of the bravery and good oonduct of New Zealand's sons. The King himself, when speaking to him, and expressing appreciation of the physique of the Corination Contingent, all of whom had fought in South Africa, wound up by saying, "New South Africa, and Heel under a'deo^rdebf'ol gratitude to them." The premier went on to say that they DID THEIR DUTY as soldiers and as men. He saw no danger fjiom the jnyasion iv this country o{ any "foreign f"o'p. There was no naiiqn extant that could laud a fqree that could sj;and iv J^eW 2»ealand/foy tw^nty-fqur U'uavj. THE SCHOOL CADET >FOVKMfiNT was a move in the rig] it direction. The boyswere trained in tlfe school corps for. the, volunteevs, and when they got too old for drill they joined the rifle clubs, and kopt up their shqqtjiig, TITe "bby who was drilled leaxntmßojpli'no,Van4 hr ? also benefitted physically:- 'The Prince, of Wales, when on a visit to this colony, expres'sei pleasuro at the boys''corps he saw at Christchurch. TRAINING SHIP. Britain Was th.c mistress of the seas, and it was necessary "that she should retain that position, or otherwise the country might be crippled Arrangements had therefore been nude for strengthening the squadron in Australasia,- for the protection of' Australian rind^ew Zealand pomnjerc§, He'had asked the Imperial Government iov a .^ini'n'g 1 Jship' for the colony, and' he was happy'to say that request had been granted by the British' government. They would thus have an opportunity 1 of getting their boys trained for the Bquadrbi£ It went without saying that what they

were doing tl at day would belp to keep up the military spirit. If they wished to . HONOXTR THE DEAD, they could do as they were doing that day. In course of time the domain on which they stood would be made beautiful, and when tha children asked who Sergeant-Major Bradford was, they would be told he was "a soldier and a man." He. hoped that on the anniversary of Sergeant Major Bradford's -death, wreaths would be laid on the fountain, and this would commemorate the fall of their first son He felt sure the fountain, would be well maintained, and when they had here a thickly-populated district the people would know that Paeroa's sons did their duty nobly and well. > The Premier concluded hie speech amidst cheering, and the water at the i fountain was then turned on. The band then played "The Dead March," and the men present bared their heads. SPEECH BY MR WITHEBFORD. Mr J. Witherford, M.H.R., then addressed a few words to those ! present, and expressed a hope that the returned troopers would be well looked after. He called for three choers for the Bradford Memorial Committee, and these were given heartily. Continuing, Mr Witherford said he was greatly pleased with the Premier, who was one of the greatest hearted men in the world. He hoped the Government would help all those who had come back from the war alive. Ho asked the Government to-provide land for the landless troopers, and he hoped the land would soon be studied with [ creamieres. Referring to the cadets, the speaker said those cadets before him were fine specimens of hnmanity, and he hoped the Premier would provide them with uniforms. He concluded by calling for three cheers for the Premier, and these were given splendidly. THE COUNCIL ACCEPTS THE MEMORIAL. Mr H Poland, Chairman of- the County Council, said he had much pleasure in accepting the fountain in trust for the people. Hp called for cheers for the band, which had come from the Thames at its own expense. On behalf of the Bradford Memorial Committee he thanked the Premier for coming to rjerform the ceremony that day. The Committee were fertunate in obtaining such an able man as the Premier to perform the ceremony. He called for cheers for Mrs Seddon and family. THE PREMIER REPLIES, After the cheers had been given, the Premier returned thanks for their kind reception. Ho was under the obligation, and not them. He promised that when any other similar memorial was to be opened in the colony, he would go to it, no matter where it was. His heart was with the troopers. Ai Minister of Defence, he thanked the Colonel and officers and men he saw before him. He was sure they still had men who would lay down their lives for their country if the occasion arose. He knew the memory of that day would last as long as they lived. This concluded the ceremony, and the gathering dispersed, many of thoso present having a closer look at the fountain before leaving. The Premier then visited the school and drill shed, and inspected the cadet corps, aferwards, receiving several deputations. [Particulars of the «c will appear in our next issue."]