TWENTY-FIRST YEAR

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18974, 26 March 1936, Page 4

TWENTY-FIRST YEAR

ANNIVERSARY OF ANZAC G TSBORNE CELEBRATION POPPY DAY ON APRIL 24 On April 25, 1956, will fall the twenty-first, anniversary of the landing at Anzac, and the opening of a campaign in which the New Zealand Expeditionary Force won its first great laurels. The anniversary will have a peculiar significance this year, and preparations are being made to celebrate the occasion throughout New Zealand on a scale surpassing the observance of past years, though perhaps not rivalling the spectacular celebrations for which Australian cities have become notable.

Arrangements for the observance of Anzac Day in Gisborne were discussed at a meeting of the executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association held last evening, when the hope was expressed that the muster of ex-soldiers would be the strongest possible. The- observance will follow the usual lines, with a parade of available territorial and cadet units, veterans of the various wars of the past 40 years, and other organisations; and a special district commemoration service to be held at the War Memorial on the Kaiti esplanade, at which, public and private tributes to the memory of the fallen' will be paid, in speeches and floral emblems. RELIEF OF DISTRESS'• In connection with the anniversary ol the landing, there will, be the customary Poppy Day effort made to raise funds for' the relief of distress among ex-service men who have been economically handicapped by the effects of war service. Poppy Day sales are to take place on' Friday, April 2%, providing the necessary permission for street sales is given by the Gisborne Borough Council for that date, and steps are to be taken immediately to build up the selling organisation. All who are able to render assistance in the effort are asked to communicate with members of the Gisborne R.S-A. executive, or with the secretary, Mr. W. Oakden, at the association's office. A depot is to be established in Gladstone road, if premises are available, and the effort will be conducted from that depot, with the object of giving every business man and resident of the district an opportunity to contribute the value of at least one poppy. The immediate need of the association is for people who will undertake to make sales of the blooms of remembrance, either as members of the special Poppy Day organisation, or as individuals working in their own neighbourhoods.

This year will be notable for the issue of a special Anzac commemoration stamp, sales of which are to be the subject of a campaign extending from April 27 to June 20. The design of the stamp is unique, and the organisation of its sales will be on lines similar to those adopted for the health stamp campaign, recently concluded. It is emphasised that the Anzac stamp campaign is to be for the one ve»r only, and is being arranged specially in connection with the "coming of age" of the Anzac tradition.

A sub-committee of the executive of the Gisborne Returned Soldiers' Association was appointed, at last night's meeting of that body, to attend to the preliminary details of organisation, concerning which an announcement will be made at an early date.