WAIMATE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18552, 26 April 1930, Page 18 (Supplement)

WAIMATE.

ANZAC DAY. The usual custom was followed yesterday. when a party of ex-servicemen journeyed by motor to Hook for the morning commemoration service for Anzac Day. The first portion of the service was held in the Hook School, when Messrs H. H. Myer (chairman of the Hook School Committee), and Mr J. Bitche sr, M.P.. gave addresses

suitable to the occasion. Mr J. A. Lash, president of the Waimate branch of the R.S.A.. raised the school flag, then lowered it to half-mast.

The conclusion of the morning ser- ! vice was held in the Hook Soldier’s Memorial Hall. when appropriate , hymns were sung, and Chaplain-Major Scott and the Rev. W. Nichol led in i prayer and gave scripture readings, i Stirring addresses were given by Mr A. [ E. Lewis after which the role was taken, :26 answering the call. The sounding j of the “Last Post” and “Reveille” conI eluded the ceremonies.

> At Waimate in the afternoon, a most j impressive observance was held under i the direction of the R.S.A. At 1.30 ; various units assembled in front of the ! Drill Hall. Captain G. H. O. Barclay ; being in command, the strength and i order of the parade being as follows: — j Returned soldiers (Captain Barclay) 77, Territorial Cadets (Sergeant Lumsden) | 37. School Cadets (Captain Ensor and Lieutenant Aitken) 34, Mounted Rifles (Lieutenant Harrison) 27. No. 1 Company Girl Guides (Captain Jones and Lieutenant Akhurst) 20, No. 2 Company Girl Guides (Captain Hertslett and Lieutenant Judge) 20, Life Saving Guards (Assistant E. Mills) 15, High School Girls (Miss Borrie) 26, High School Boys 20, Municipal body representatives 6, total 263.

The filing party, under Lieutenant Bennington consisted of Messrs E. Callander, A. Cameron, R. H. Kaan, C. j Corbis, A. N. O’Brien, J. Hunter, F. i Stirling. D. McDairmid, T. Riordan, S. j Lash and A. Williams. I Punctually to time the procession j moved off, the Waimate Silver Band j (Bandmaster H. F. Vincent), the Wai- | mate Highland Pipe Band (Drum- ! Major A. E. Segar), and the Salvation ! Army Band (Ensign Thomas), supplyj ing music at intervals along the route. I The parade formed up in a hollow ■ square. round the South African J Troopers’ Memorial, and wreaths were ; placed at the base of the monument. A ! salute was given by the firing party, | and Bugler L. V. Brenton sounded the I “Retreat.” | The procession reformed and proj ceeded along a densely thronged route i via Queen and High Streets to Olympia ! Hall, where, in the presence of about ! 700 people, a service was held. On the • platform were Mr J. A. Lash (president of the Waimate R.S.A.). who presided, j Chaplain-Major W. 3. Scott, Rev. | Canon Cocks. Rev. W. Nichol, Ensign ' C. Thomas, the Mayor of Waimate (Mr ; G. Dash), Mr J. Bitchener, M.P.. memi bers of the Waimate County and Waii mate Borough Councils, with a large ! body of returned soldiers, whilst Girl { Guides occupied seats at the back of the stage.

After the “Lord’s Prayer” and the hymn. “O God Our Help in Ages Past.” Mr Lash thanked the people for their attendance, and said that the large number present was an indication that

the people of Waimate maintained an interest in the solemn celebration of Anzac Day. He thanked all those who had assisted to make the sale of poppies this year a record for Waimate.

In his address Mr Lash said that in the town and district there had been err: ed various memorials to mark

st. '.ing events in national or local hi.-’ory. But not all these memorials had been erected to commemorate feats of arms or military achievement. Nor did they altogether serve for personal glorification, but rather as a reminder of deed performed and services rendered for the common weal. What was the keynote of them all? “It was duty and sacrifice.” These memorials were of a more or less local character, but there was one of wider applicatiens

“Anzac,” that word. compounded from t) first letters of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, represented a bond of union between the peoples of two self-governing countries, and a record of their first great feat of arms. Anzac Day had come to be looked upon as a national memorial. It was well that the Government had set aside this day as a holy day or day of remembrance. Could they for one day out of the many days of the year, lay aside all pleasures and pastimes, and turn their thoughts with affectionate pride to those who fought and died in distant lands? It was in no sense a day of mourning but a day of remembrance. If we allowed this day to become a mere holiday, the time would come and j all too soon, when ail thoughts and ■ actions would turn to individual pleasure, when the sacrifice of those they honoured would be forgotten, and , Anzac Day would lose its true signij ficance. They should not make this

a day of mourning. He believed those who had given their all (were it possible for them to communicate their thoughts to us), would not wish it. From the experiences of the past let us by every means available endeavour to outlaw war, and so eliminate the sacrifice that it inevitably demands;

let each one of us. both young and old. to follow the path of duty and service, to make our own sacrifices by being unselfish and charitable towards all those with whom we come into contact, and to live a noble and honourable life.”

Ensign Thomas read the 62nd Psalm and the Pipe Band played the lament, “Flowers o’ the Forest.”

Chaplain-Major Scott then delivered his address taking as his theme the need of “spiritual tenacity” in postwar days. After referring to the events that Anzac Day commerorated. he stated that it should be a day •of thanksgiving. The younger generation had no actual memory of the stirring days of the war, and in certain quarters there was a tendency to say “the war is over, let us forget it.” They dared not forget that which Anzac Day stood for. Past struggles for freedom of mind, of body, of coul, gave us lessons for the days of peace. Cool heads, undaunted hearts were still needed, along with a fearless disregard of self. These virtues came from a consideration of the facts of history, and not by blinding one’s eyes to the the facts of past years and of an older generation. Someone has said that the test of national greatness was spiritual tenacity. If that were true, then the speaker was afraid that we were in danger of losing. If we had an unforgiveable sin it was that of slackness. There was far too much shallowness and frivolity in post-war days, and multitudes were content to live on spiritual capital. It was thought good form to call the Puritans and Victorians killjoys, but it must be remembered that if they faced life with a long face they did make an attempt to solve life’s problems and not to dodge their responsibilities. To-day too much was being sacrificed in order to have a good time, with the result that, when notable exceptions had been allowed for, too many of the younger generation were content to jazz, scorch, or giggle out of hectic days. The complexity of modeen life was appalling. The war unset the puzzle of life leaving the job of fitting the pieces together again. One wondered sometimes whether the next generation would rise up to bless or curse us. What did our men die for? Christian ideals. Some laughed that to scorn, but it was agreed that the man. who gave his life for another lifted up his hands to the loftiest altar the world can build, and laid on it the choicest offering human nature can bestow. Everyone agreed that our men did that, and the Master of Men on one occasion said ‘Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend.’ So those who were prone to laugh most let the jeer die in their throats. Some of our men were hard-bitten soldiers, but they died like the sentinel at Pompeii. As they fought in the days of the war, so we must fight in the days of peace. It was easy to follow the line of least resistance, and the hosts of evil were clamouring for surrender. Our cry must be that of Rewi at Orakau in 1865: “We will fight on for ever and ever.” The speaker referred to a visit that he had paid to the graves of British troops in the old Symonds Street cemetery in Auckland. They came 12.000 miles to protect the early settlers from the Maoris. Our present prosperity was largely due to them and they lie, cut off in their prime, far from their native land. Nobody could do that but a soldier. A soldier’s grave represented great sacrifice. Our 17.000 men, who lie in foreign fields, that we might be free, made a tremendous sacrifice. Must they die in vain?

The hymn “Abide With Me” was sung, after which the Waimate Silver Band played “The Garland of Flowers.” the service concluding with Kipling’s "Recessional.” and the pronouncement of the Benediction by the Rev. Canon Cocks. The parade then marched to the Memorial Arch. Many beautiful wreaths were placed along the railing of the arch. Amongst the memorial floral tokens were several tributes from the Girl Guides to the memory of the Waimate nurses who lost their lives in the “Marquette.”

After reading the Roll of Honour, the Rev. Nichol said that sometimes words of the present day seemed inadequate to give expression to our feeling on momentous occasions. Modern language seeming inadequate, he felt that the reading of an extract from “Oration to Athenians” was appropriate. At the conclusion of the reading, volleys were fired, and the large assemblage dispersed on the sounding of the “Last Post.” We have a Client with £6OO cash wivj desires to purchase a Farm of about 175 Acres as a going concern. Reply to FORBES WALLACE. Box 47, Waimate.