HIBERNIAN SOCIETY'

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 42

HIBERNIAN SOCIETY'

ROLL OF HONOUR UNVEILED. At a gathering of the St. Joseph's and St. Patrick's branches of the H.A.0.8.5. in St. Joseph's Hall on. the 2nd the ceremony of unveiling a roll of honour was performed by the Very Rev. Father J. Coffey, A.D.M. The tablet contains only the names of those men- who went to camp from the St. Joseph's branch> but the total list of names of soldiers from the two branches altogether totals 92. The hall was draped with the flags of the Allies, and the banner of the society was displayed at the back of the stage, flanked by duplicates of the motto "Faith, hope, 'and charity" on bannerettes. A number of returned men were included in. the audience. The chair was occupied by the District Deputy of the society, Mr J. J. Marlow. Mr Marlow explained the position with regard to tho tablet, ' The roll was of those members of thG St. Joseph's branch who took their share—and took it nobly—in the great war. They had heard question more than once of the part they took in the war, but he stood on the platform and doubted! whether there was a friendly society in Australasia that could compare with the record of St. Joseph's. They had, roughly, 250 members, and everyono knew that in such a society there was necessarily a large percentage beyond military age; yet they had sent 73 men away from St. Joseph's. Of these, 10 had made the supreme sacrifice, and 50 per cent, had been wounded, That showed not only that they .went to the front, but that they did their work -nobly and well. Br O'Neill, who spoke a little later, said that after the greatest war in history, and in those days of comparative peace, it was very meet and th?ir bounden duty to examine the work of the men who brought about tho victory, and in doing so they must bear in mind not only their sacrifices and their deeds, but the spirit that impelled them to take the course they did. They knew these men had no doubt where their duty lay. They had no illusion as to what lay before-them. Everyone knew the war was going to be a terrible one, and he was glad" to sav the members of their society had established a splendid record — one, as tho chairman had pointed out, that would be hard to bea*. The speaker made feeling reference to the men who had died and the burden of sorrow on those left behind, and proceeded to speak of how the returned man. and the disabled man, was being made to feel that he was still part of the economic system. He was sure the roll would form, "an inspiration to future generations of Hibernians, and that they would prove themselves worthy of the heritage. Father Coffey, after conveying his sympathy to the relatives of the departed, said the communion that had existed on earth was .not broken by death. They had left . their bodies on the field, but their spirits lived. He congratulated those who had returned. As Dr O'Neill had pointed out,, everv effort was being made by the community and Government to see that these men would still have the opportunity. of earning a livelihood and living a manly life. He hoped they would look back with memories not of sadness lo the war, memories that would give them .broader life and broader view than they would have had had they remained at home. They had learned one thing that would probably stick to them all their lives: the sympathy and help of their brother man. They had seen that success depended not on individual effort, but united effort. The best way to success was* to help others working with them and to work with the same spirit. He congratulated the society on the spirit its members had shown in volunteering for active service. Some who' had not returned went with the Main Body! Father Coffey reiterated what the chairman had said with regard to the way members of the society had responded to the call to service. But they had done nothing more than" the Church. When -the trumpet sound to arms was fivfet heard over 20 per cent, of the members that first left New Zealand belonged to the'" Church, and all the time during the war their oeople kept up a iust proportion The v had been accused; vilified, abused, and calumniated .during the last three or four vears. One mip.ht think, and justly, that in such a war, when every man was called upon to bear his share of the burden, there would be no person to condemn his ncigh'bour. Unfortunately that had not been so. They Wd been silent under these calumniations ; thev had gone on, saying not a wora, not even thinking it worth their while .to make a renly, as any person who read the papers or looked at the records could see their Church had borne a fair share, and even more than a fair share, in the burden of the great war. He trusted that the tablet he was about to unveil would prove ;an inspiration to young members—not a desire for war. but for that spirit and brotherhood nnd self-sacrifice to duty when duty called. Father Coffey then read the list of names, and after Specifying those who had paid the supreme sacrifice "The Last Post" was sounded by Bugler R. Hunter. Mr J. B. Callan (Captain Callan) also addressed \tiose present, his remarks being mainly reminiscent of France and Germany. The proceedings were closed by the singing of the National Anthem. During the evening solos were rendered by Messrs H. Poppelwell and J. M'Grath, and duets by Mr and Mrs Mee.