ANZAC DAY AUSTRALIA

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1934, Page 7

ANZAC DAY AUSTRALIA

CELEBRATIONS IN CITIES TWO PROFANE INSCRIPTIONS PAIN CAUSED TO RELATIVES MELBOURNE AND BRISBANE By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright. Sydney, April 26. The Anzac Day commemoration celebrations in Sydney were spoiled by ram, but the customary reverent ceremonies were carried out. Fifteen thousand people of all ages participated in the impressive service at the Cenotaph at dawn. Sixteen thousand Great War veterans took part in a spectacular march through the city in the morning to the domain united service, where 6V,00i) people were assembled. The New Zealand ex-service men were near lhe head of the procession. Maimed men were conveyed to the service in motor-cars. The Governor, Sir Philip Game, in mufti, took his place with the Imperial troops. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith was a prominent figure at the head of the Flying Corps. A pathetic sight was the presence of 38 blind Diggers marching with their old battalions. Five of their original number have died within the last, three months of last year. Mr. S. M. Bruce, Australian High Commissioner in London, and Mr. B. S. B. Stevens, New South Wales Premier, attended the domain service, which was led by Archbishop Mowli. The Cenotaph at Martin Place, Sydney, was almost hidden by wreaths and floral tributes, including those of General Sir lan Hamilton and the Commonwealth and State Governments. Appropriate services were held in the cathedral and in suburban and country churches. Dawn services were conducted at Melbourne at the Shrine of Remembrance, and by all soldiers’ institutes in provinces and cities of Victoria. Later the men of Anzac, 25,000 strong, marched through the city, preceded by 250 cars carrying war nurses and disabled soldiers, to the Cenotaph in front of Parliament House. Among the wreaths placed on the Cenotaph was one from the Victorian Council Against War inscribed, “In memory of fallen comrades.” The card attached to the wreath bore offensive words. Officers of the Returned Soldiers League erased the offending words and returned the_wreath to the Cenotaph.At Brisbane the main Anzac gathering was at the Toowong cemetery, at the Cross of Sacrifice and. Stone of Remembrance. The crowds were horrified to find the base smeared with red paint. Several profane inscriptions, which could pot be removed before the ceremony, were - a source of pain, particularly to relatives of the fallen.

INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL SERVICES HELD IN LONDON London, April 25. The Bishop of Adelaide, the Rt. Rev. A. N. Thomas, addressing St. Clement Dane’s Anzac Day congregation, urged the appropriateness of the occasion for dwelling on the necessity of converting the intense world-wide nationalism into international goodwill, of which the Roman centurion’s attitude •to the Jews was the essence. Sir James Parr, New Zealand High Commissioner, read the lesson. The church was filled, the congregation including Sir lan Hamilton, Sir William Birdwood, the agents-general and liaison officers. Nella Zalia, a New Zealander, sang Handel’s “Father in Heaven,” after which the clergy, choir, officials and ex-sol-diers formed a procession to the shrine, on which Sir James Parr placed a wreath. The Anzac hymn was sung. The Australians also participated in the British ceremony at the Cenotaph, on which Sir 'James Parr also placed a wreath, ENTERTAINMENT OF ANZACS. AUSTRALIA HOUSE REUNION. IE Rec. 5.5 p.m. - London, April 25. Lady Forster presided this afternoon at the Anzac Fellowship women’s reunion at Australia .House. General Sir lan Hamilton aroused applause by the declaration that he. would like to ask all Australians present to tea at Bondi Beach and would like to See all New Zealanders emerge as red as lobsters from their hot springs at beautiful Rotorua. Singers at the gathering included Miss Doris Symes, a New Zealander.