PATEA ANZAC CELEBRATIONS.

Patea Mail, Volume XLV, 26 April 1922, Page 2

PATEA ANZAC CELEBRATIONS.

Anzac Day in Patea broke cold and ■wet yet in spite of the weather there was a largo and representative attendance including the local troop of Boy Scouts under Scoutmaster Goertz,'at the United Memorial Service and unveiling ceremony -which was held oh the Domain at 11 a.m. yesterday. Owing to the inclement weather on. ly the unveiling coremany, the Last Post and the dedicatory prayer were undertaken at the gates the remainder of the programme being carried out in the grandstand under cover. ‘

Punctually at 11 o’clock, Mrs C. A. Larcombe, President of'the Ladies’ Patriotic League who was accompanied by Mesdames. J. J. Holtham, J. Kerrworthy L. T. Adams and E. F. Hemingway, members of the League, stopped for. ward and said, “To the Glory of God and in Memory of the Glorious Dead I unveil this Memorial,” afterwards pulling the cord and unveiling the memorial tablets. f M Bugler C, Carey then southed “Last Post” after which a prayer was offered up by Mr E. F.llemingway.

The gathering then adjourned to the grandstand where the hymn “ O God our Help in Ages Past,” was sung follow, ed by sentences from tha Burial Service read by the Rev. W. Watson, the Lord’s Prayer, and a scripture reading by Mr Garden, after which the-hymn “Let Saints on earth in Concert Sing” was sung.

His Worship the Mayor, Mr- .T. J. Holtham, then delivered a striking address, saying it was seven years ago that day since the Australian and New Zealand troops landed in Gallipoli and those present were gathered together to honour their memory. Our boys, ho said, had received a call from the’Motherlahd and right nobly had they responded. The Homeland was “homo" to each and every one of them. It was no 4 -" business or finance that , caused the nicu to answer the call. It was the sentiment that they must flock to the Motherland’s aid. j Men came from the snows of Canada and the far off isles of New Zealand. They made no bargain but j went cheerfully forward and un. grudgingly gave their all on their country's behalf. To-day the people of the Empire were reaping the benefit of the lives that were offered up on their behalf. One and all should honour the rames of those appearing on the giwaad they should see to it that their ibpendents should never want. He hope ! that the people of Patea would respond io the appeal for those- blinded iU the late war. It was a noble work that was being proposed to assist the afflicted ones and he trusted all would help. A? the years go by he hoped they would never forgot April 25th and would always honour those who had fallen on their behalf.

The Band then played the “Garland of Flowers," after which the Rev. H. B.' Goertz delivered a brief address in the course of which he said that if anyone had said when the unveiling ceremony was taking pldce “What mean ye by these atones?" they would have thought the questioner very dense. He recalled the story of the host marching across the river Jordan centuries ago when 12 men out of the mighty host of 120,000 stepped out and took 12 stones out of the river, the army being halted in the meanwhile. “What mean yo by these stones? That your children of the future may know the great things that God has wrought for you." That was the reply. The dear and honoured dead, were promoted to God. When the call came they were only too eager to go. These men did what they did because of their obedience to disci, plinc, law, order, duty and restraint. ' Mr Goertz next spoke of the tendency to condemn what was termed milL tarism and to belittle military pomp and ceremony. This should not be. They might say the New Testament told them to turn the other cheek but he asked them to read further tnd they would find the words “Blessed bo the Lord my Strength, who teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight." He hoped one and all would not throw cold water on the efforts of those who wanted to see- the army efficient and to foster the spirit that enabled our boys to go" forward and fight in the cause of righteousness. He hoped they would never forget the sacrifices that had been made and that they would honour the names of those who had laid down their lives for them. At the conclusion of Mr Goertz's address the hymn “For All the Saints” was sung and prayer offered by Rev. Watson the proceedings which throughout were of a most impressive nature®, concluding with the National Anthem sung by all and the Benediction pronounced by the Rev. Watson. Returned soldiers and cithers were then entertained at luncheon in a largo marquee by the Ladies Committee un. der the Mayoress, Mrs Holtham, a kindly act which was greatly appreciates.

A feature of the function was the splendid work of the local Baud under Bandmaster Finlayson, which, besides * playing .the. accompaniments to the 1 hymns, also rendered the “Garland of Flowers": in a fe'eling mariner.. * V, The. troop of Boy Scouts with their ( * staves and carrying a large Union Jack] ai: their head came in for. hearty com/ mendation, the boys presenting -a neat and soldierly- appearance. THE ALTON FUNCTION. The people of Alton and district assembled in large numbers at the school at 2.30 in the afternoon when the meument to the boys of the district who fell in the late war was unveiled by Mr E. Dixon M.P., Mr Jas. Gibbs, Chairman of the Patea County Council presiding over the gathering. A similar programme to that carried out at Patea in the morning was gone through, the Patea Municipal Band as. sisting as before. Before the monument was unveiled ' Mr Gibbs delivered a brief but mov- - ing address. He said the present was an occasion of sadness , and regret— regret that the world aWH

plunged into such, sadness to gratify the ambition of one man. But there was a certain amount of pride in the glorious deeds of our boys at the front. There was comfort too, in the knowledge that their boys had done so well. They had gone forward and fought nobly and well in the cause of justice, freedom and honour, aud they thanked God that they were able to obey the call. He felt sure the rising generation would be as ready to obey the call should it ever again come. Mr Dixon, in unveiling the memorial said they were there to pay tribute to the brave boys who had laid down their lives in the Great War. It was his privilege on occasions as Mayor of Hawera to bid farewell to those -who were going forward am} at times it was almost more than he could stand. Those men of whom they spoke went forth .counting not the cost, willing to do their part for King and Country. He hoped the time would never come when there would bo another war of such

bloodshed. There should be some better t way of settling international difficulties. * What are we going to do.” asked Mr “to show that we appreciate the sacrifices that have been made on our behalf. ” It was for one and all to do their best in the interests of humanity. The bereaved ones would have the satisfaction of knowing that their loved ones were not forgotten and that theif sacrifices were appreciated to the • ; full. ,

The v Rev. W. Watson next spoke and said they were present to do honour to the names of those on the monument that had been unveiled, and the thousands of others who had fallen in the Great War. Their boys' had gone forward in the cause of justice, freedom and honour, and they were proud to think that their sons were ready to go forward and save civilisation. They thanked God that the designs of the Kdiser were frustrated and that he was not able to force his Kultur on the world. The hearts of all went out to those whoi had lost their loved onos and they trusted the God of Battles would comfort them. He trusted peo. pic would endeavour to prove that the sacrifices that had been made for them had not been made in vain. He felt sure that the boys of the present day would be ready if the call came to offer their services on their country’s behalf. “Think God,” said Mr Watson in conclusion, “that wo had such noble men in our hour of need. Let us pray that the sacrifices will not'have been

made in vain.” The National Anthem played by the Band and sung by all, and the Bcnedic_ tion pronounced by the Rev. H. B. Gocrtz concluded a most impressive cer-

emony. The Band afterwards rendered a number of selections which w.ere great, ly appreciated by the large gathering. The memorial which was covered with a large number of splendid wreaths, contained the following names of Alton boys whe fell in the Great War: — Beeves Allen, G. H. L. AuJderson, H. Derriman, A. Gould, K. Grant M. J. Hodge, W. O. McDiarmid, G. Richards, M. G. Mitchell. E. E. *Scown, J. Penzer, G. Taylor, W. White.

The following were the names on the Patea Memorial:—

PATEA,

Lieut, Q. A. Robbie, Sorgfc A. Christiansen, Gorp. A. Christensen, Sergt. A. Eden, Gorp. F. Rulo } L-Corpl. C. Dunn, L-Cpl. H. L. C. Petersen, Dvr. J. Scott, Tpr. B. Deane, Tpr. K. Matheson, Rflm D, C. Williams, Pv. F. W. Willis, Pvt, J. Thacker, Pvt. O. Roberts, Pvt. D, Ryan, Pvt. R. H. McQueen, Pvt. C. Moyos, Pvt. S. L. Mercer, Pvt. I. E. Champion, Pvt. J. Carradus, Pvt. S. Floyd, Pvt. W. Butler. WHENUAKURA AND OPAKU. Gnr. C. Feagins, Efim. H. H. Southcombo } Pvts. F. Hurley, J. Mulcahy, A. Pym, N. A.*Pollard, G. Widdowson. MANUTAHI

Gnr. T Cameron, Dvr. G. Brower, Rflm. F. Furnival, Pvts. N. Wheeler, G. Richards, H. Rhoades, E. Smith, T. Harvio, W. Simpson, J. Ritchie, E. Lacey, T. Oldridge, *

KAKAEAMEA ALTON AND HUE. LEYVILLE.

Cpl. M. G. Mitchell, Gnr. S. A. W. Mylos > Tpr. A. Gould, Tpr. - F. Winks, Rflm. *T. Marshall, Pvts. H. Dorrimau, K. Grant/H. Hodge, J. Pcnzcr, E. R. Scown, C, Taylor, W. White, W. G. Ward, W. O. McDiarmid, F. H. Rogers, W. Tamarapa, J. Matthews.