ROLL OF HONOUR UNVEILED

Otago Witness, Issue 3346, 1 May 1918, Page 8

ROLL OF HONOUR UNVEILED

CEREMONY AT KAITANGATA. A very large gathering of the residents of Kaitangata was held in the local AthcnnDum on Thursday afternoon for tho purpose of unveiling-a very handsome roll of honour that has been presented to tho borough by the New Zealand Coal and Oil Company, it being felt that Anzac Day provided a suitable occasion for such a ceremony. Tho attedance included most of the members of the Borough Council. Tho memorial contains the names of 223 men from Kaitangata who have left New Zealand as members of the forces. 3-0 of whom are listed as having paid the supreme sacrifice. At present there remains to be added the name of Private Stanley Rutherford, news of whose desh has just been received— In addition to the names the board contains the following couplet:— On fame's eternal camping ground their siicnt tents are spread, And glory guards with solemn round tho bivouac of the dead. v

After the Mayor (Mr T. S. Cairns) had briefly explained tho object of the gathering, Mr W. Carson (manager of the Kaitangata Coal mine) formally unveiled tho roll of honour. He then read a letter from Mr, Robert Lee (general manager of tho company), who stated: that the number of names on the board was a record the district might well bo proud of. and .his directors felt it an honour to present it to tho borough of Kaitangata, feeling that it would serve as an incentive to the younger generation to follow in tho footsteps of thosa whose names were inscribed thereon. Mr Carson said Kaitangata had responded nobly to tho Empire's call, and the men had fought and, in some cases, given their lives in the sacred cause of liberty. He trusted their sacrifice would inspire one and all to noble lives and heroic acts.

Mr Cairns then formally accepted the honour' board on behalf of the citizens of Kaitang.ata. He said it would keep before their eyes for al! time the names of the men who had responded to the Umpire's' call in her time of need, and as the years went by it would increase in interest and » historic value. He desired to thank the Athenaeum Committee for permitting the, council to hang the handsome memorial in, , the Athenaeum, and he trusted the people of -Kaitangata would bestir themselves and erect a memorial hall.where future presents of that kind could be suitably housed. Mr W. Stephenson endorsed all that the Mayor said said, and a short prayer was then offered uo bv the Rev. R. M. G. \ M'Dowall. The gathering closed with the singing of a verse of the National Anthem.