RICCARTON RECORDS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17527, 2 May 1925, Page 25

RICCARTON RECORDS

ss: 0 || EOROUGH NOTES AND NEWS If %<• •?*£

f* By Our Special Correspondent.

ANZAC MEMORIAL SERVICE. Iticcarton’s service in honoured memory of tile it iccar ton men who offered their lives in the service of their King during the Great War was held m front of tlie memorial gates erected at the Wharetmi School. On the gateposts, marble slubs recorded their names, and silently yet eloquently told of the supreme sacrifice made by" Some cl the old boys of the school. The memorial service tins year was held .7 iM i' ton Borough Council ami the Vharenui School Committee in conjunction, and the attendance of residents was good. The Mayor (Mr 1,,!' n . i‘. d hc Vas in char S e > a nd he biie fly told the story of the heroic struggle on the shores of Gallipoli and the success which attended the assault of the Australian and New Zea land troops upon a position that was believed impregnable. Mr George Witty, for the district, strongly emphasised the necessity ol impressing upon the rising generation the sacred g?*®. 8 °{ r An *ac Day. Mr H. S. S Kyle, Mayor-elect of Riccarton, said it was worth remembering that this school was but a stone’s throw from the ground where the Main Body was mobilised. He agreed with previous speakers that Anzac Day should be preserved as a national “Holy day,” and not given over to spprt. Rev Brian Kilroy, in the «dd"A oi l an . eloquent and impressive l t * tho . minds of h » Hears back to the eighteenth centurv when men talked of the coming per. rectation of the human race and a FW°“b ° f , Bt . r . ife - Tl le n came the French Revolution, with its prostitution of ideals, a reign of blood-lust and self-interest. Came, too, the Napoleonic wars, when the mad ambition of a Plunged Europe anew into a sea of blood. After the aftermath of turmoil, the world once more dreamed ?cn? ea «?' a ll1 ® 11 Came th * craeh of iyi4 the horrors of war. People fondly imagined that it would end m a few months, but the war went on for years, costing unbelievable millions of money, entailing awful sacrifice of human life, devastation of the home and the countryside, the crippling of industry, and disaster to the whole economic system. All these things they knew of but felt vaguely. But loss of dear ones, of schoolmates, had brought the war more closely home to us Each boy wounded or killed, was “somebody’s son,” as a dear old Scotch lady friend of his was wont to remark. It was but natural that the gaze of New Zealand was directed to Gallipoli, that epic of self-sacrifice in the history of nations, enacted by the friends of our schooldays, the lads with whom we hau played. ~W as it to be only a memory? Would it live only in song, in story in the annals of verse which children of this and future generations would recite? God forbid that it be forgotten ever! The generation from which these soldiers were drawn had lost some of its finest representatives. Some had come back shaken in body or nerve, some shaken in morals, some few of them improved. The generation of to-day was set the tremendous ta.sk of raising a new world on the ruins of the old. “These men summon you to the task of building a nation and a society which shall be free from the devastation and degradation of war.

Let us hear the call, the reveille that heralds the dawn of a new and a better day. Let us strive, and toil, and struggle to make the world what those bravo men would have it to be.” Bugler L. Bruee sounded “The Last Pest.” The scripture lesson was read by Rev H. N. Wright, and prayer was offered by the Rev B. J. James. Special hymns were sung, with Miss Owen as instrumentalist, and the National Anthem. The wreaths on the gates were beautiful, and numerous. RICCARTON COUNCIL ELECTION. Wednesday was polling day, and all day long the “fans” of tli© respective parties worked to bring Voters to the polling-booths. There was a clear-cut issue between the Riccarton Citizens’ Association and the Labour Party, but there was no outward manifestation of the differences of opinion. It was a most orderly sort of an election—a credit to the partisans of the candidates. The bare results of the election have been published, but many will be interested in the details of the voting, as given | below :

| Total 3 . 3822 €59 1154 2609—8444 i A PERSONAL EXPLANATION. Councillor T. M. Ford called on your representative with a view to explainI ing what led up to the Mayor’s castigation of him at Monday night's council meeting. Councillor Ford says that in the necessarily abbreviated reports of the incident published iu the morning newspapers his position in regard to the council’s balance-sheet had not been made clear. In the first place, he had told the council that, at the Labour Party’s meeting on the previous Wednesday one of the Labour candidates had directly addressed the councillors present asking, “Where is the council’s balance-sheet for 192324 p Why isn’t it available? Why is it being held back?” He (Councillor Ford) had taken it upon himself to answer that he, too, had asked several times in open council for its production, but had been told that it was in the hands of the Audit Department. Next morning, however, in consequence of something he heard, he had gone to the "Audit Inspector’fc cffioe, and had found out that the balance-sheet was not in the Department’s hands at all. He added that he knew that Councillor Fisher, chairman of the Finance Committee, had also unsuccessfully tried to get a copy of that balance-sheet. “Then,” said Councillor Ford, “the late Town Clerk (Mr Gee) gave the council his explanation of the delay

in having the balance-sheet passed, and when he had finished the Mayoi told me that I had exceeded my duties as a councillor when I went to the Audit Office, saying that I should hav«E» > gone to the chairman of the Finance Committee. I consider I was fully justified in what I did, and that any other councillor would have been justified in doing the same. In fact, I consider I only did my duty.” LABOUR PARTY’S EUCHRE AND DANCE. There was a good attendnace at the fortnightly euchre and dance controlled by the R.L.P.S.C., over 100 patrons participating. Splendid music was supplied by Mr Estall. A good Supper was dispensed by the young lady patrons. The ouclire, although keenly contested, was very enjoyable, tlie five minutes minimum at the Icing table having the desired effect of preventing “rushed” games. Among the new patrons were several Sumner residents, so the popularity of the socials is evidently spreading. Miss Withers svured the ladies first prize, after playing off with Mrs Dyer. Three ladies tied for third prize, Mrs Ansell winning the plnv off. Miss Beattie secured the ladies’ lucky number prize. Mr Crawford won tlie gents’ first prize, and Mr M’Pherson was second. Mr Hyland, after playing off with three others, secured the third prize, and Mr Eric Milne the luekv number prize. Jhe luekv spot waltz prize was awarded to Mrs Thompson and Mr Johnston. Miss Withers and Mr Crawford nave, qualified for the knock-out comjietition. Mr Stevens as MC. had a very busy evening, and controlled the function with every success. The next euchre and dance Will he held on Further particulars appear m this issue of the “Star.” UPPER RICCARTON SCHOOL. At the meeting of householders of Upper Riccarton held on Monday evening the action of the old committee in electing a member in place of one who retired during the year was questioned, the questioner declaring the committee should have taken the next man on the list at the last election. -After the chairman s explanation the householders approved of the committee’s action by placing the same gentleman second to the top of the poll. . The householders were very liberal in their donations for special prizes at the end of this year. The following were the donors:—Mr G. Witty. M.P., raodal, Mr Longley, special prize 10s 6d, Mr Rax worthy 10s, Mrs G Witty 10s <3d, Mrs Ridgen 10s, Mr Ridgen 10s, Mr Somerfield 10s, Mrs Buckley 7s 6d, Mr Thompson £l, Air Clements 10s, Mrs Cole 7s 6d, Mrs Sherwood 7s 6d. Mrs Barnett 7s 6d, Mr Barnett 7s 6d, Mrs King two at 10s 6d each, Mr Newnham IGs 6d, Mr Marsh 10s 6d. ri»PER riccarton phantom. TO THE EDITOR Sir, Have you ever been in the vicinity of Ham Road and Church corner about 7.30 on a Sunday evening? If you have you will find two men just as the people are coming out of church removing the nightsoil. Now Sir how much longer are we in Upper Riccarton going to put up with this? AVhat dl J r member on the Waimairi Council doing in not raising his voice against it? We know the work has to be done., but why so early, and on a Sunday evening too? Such a thing would not be tolerated one night in tne City, then why in Riccarton? Hoping some other pen will take the matter up and call a public meeting pro- - against such a disgusting method as at present.—l am. etc DISGUSTED.

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