THE WAR MEMORIAL.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1399, 31 May 1923, Page 5

THE WAR MEMORIAL.

IMPRESSIVE UNVEILING CEREMONY. Performed by His Excellency the Governor-General. TE AWAMUTU AND DISTRICT EN FETE. The Te Awannitu and District War Memorial, a replica of which Is printed below, was officially unveiled yesterday afternoon by His Excellency the Governor-General, Viscount Jellicoe. The Memorial was dedicated by Chaplain-Captain G. T. Robson, M.C., in the following beautiful words: “Almighty and merciful God. of whose only gift it cometh that Thy faithful people do unto Thee true and laudable service, accept, we beseech Thee, this Memorial which we offer to Thy great glory and in memory of the men from this town and district who fell in the Great War; and grant of Thy mercy that we may so faithfully serve and please Thee in this life that in the world to come we may have life everlasting.”

Te Awamimi observed holiday yesterday for the most important. even: in its recent history. The town was en fete, and such ;; crowd as assembled in the streets early in the afternoon hrs perhap • not been equaDc' , for numbers in its long bistory. Hunting and flags wore displayed from practically every vantage point. The occasion was the unveiling of the yvar memorial to the town and district soldiers wlyj gave their lives in tiie Great War. The GovernorGenerai. Viscount Jellicoe of Seapa, G.G.8.. 0.M.. G.G.V.O . Admiral of the Fleet, and Gommander-in-Chiei' of the New Zealand Forces, paid his first official visit to the district especially to perform the unveiling ceremony. He was accompanied by Lady Jellicoe and their daughter, the Hon. Lucy Jellicoe while in attendance were the Governor-General's! private secretary, Captain Arthur R. W. Curtis, MiG., and his military secretary and aide-de-camp. Captain P. R. AT. Alundy D. 5.0., M.C. On arrival at St. t John’s (Anglican) Church, a short halt was made to enable the party to make an inspection of the church and grounds, being shown round hv the vicar, Rev. G. T. Robson, and church officers. At His Excellency's wish some of the history of the church was detailed to him, as under: — “On August 25th. 1834. Revs. W. Williams. A» X. Brown and Mr Morgan. of the Church Mission, landed on the_ bank of the Waipa river near Te Awannitu and formed a mission station amongst the natives. A few years later an isolated plot of land in the midst of native territory was alienated to the Crown for a mission station' and it is- upon portion of this land that the church stands to-day. A mission station. Otawhao. was lime Established and a native school erected. and in 1854 St. John's Church was built. The Waikato was, at. that time, under the jurisdiction of the Maori King and when, in 1.861. Sir JoJm Gorst was sent up as resident magistrate exception was taken to f.he action hv the natives, and the settlers who had followed the mission were molested and had on several occasions to ftv to the mission station for safety. In 1563 Sir John Gors! was withdrawn and from this time there were many feuds, culminating in the terrible war, and frequent engagements took place in and around Te Awamutu. In the church are memorials to those soldiers who fell, and in i h e churchyard can he seen a monument erected by the Colonial Government to the imperial and Colonial troops and friendly native troops. This church, next to the Bay of islands church and the church at Howiek. is ihe oldest church in New Zealand. The glass windows were sent out to Bishop Solwyn by Oueen gloria and donated by him to St. Awamutu.” After the inspection of Sti .John’s church vard. the Vice-Regal party motored to the Post Office where a short, halt was called to receive a greetin'! - from ihe native race, Mr peter B'-rt-'u. of Xgalruw addressing f\ brief speech of welcome, while sev oral naMvf--- of both seyes indulged in a hakn of welcome. The GovernorGeneral was then motored to the sit*' t f the mr ,M 'Viai. where •' butte crowd, numbering lea-t u, rce thoma.nd. .had assembled. The Boy Scouts Minder Scoutmaster Westhnrvl ’he 79th f'oy. Pen.ior Cadets, and Territorials funder 'ho d’ ,- ection of Staff-Ser-gean (.-.Major W. Gulley). Mounted Pities Minder Captain Pierce), and (he re'rrned soldiers (under Colonel

welcome accorded him and his party, saying the great gathering was an inspiring indication of appreciation ,of the great deeds that are commemorated by the war memorial which he was shortly to unveil. War memorials are studded throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion as tributes t,o the memory of the dead heroes. How regrettable were the circumstances that gave rise to the Great War and the consequent sacrifice of so many gallant lives. Nor can we forget those others who have returned home broken or incapacitated. The present is an occasion for deep sadness. The gallant men who ’laid down their lives performed an act of high devotion to duty, and they thus made us all proud to belong to the same race. They fought, a gallant and brave fight. New Zealanders on active service had made the country’s name known throughout the whole world, and it was remembered now with feelings of great pride throughout Ihe Empire and Allied lands. The New Zealanders went with their compatriots to fight so that Ihe name of Great Britain should no! he dishonoured. Their name will live for ever, for in their lives they set an example that was admirable: they had left behind them a great lesson. Wo who survive must profit by tlia.t lesson and live unselfish lives j work for the common good, he over j loyal and chivalrous, and determined i to hand down the welfare of our i great Empire as unsullied in repiita- \ ! lion for straight dealing as it had i come to us'. I Specially addressing Die children, i llie Governor-General asked them to i look at the mouumenl in future I years, remembering at all limes ib I real meaning. Ii stands for freedom ! and justice, they should remember i ! lie sacrifices made for them. ; Then, grasping the ropes binding ! the ITiion .Jack round Die memorial, Lord Jellicoe said: “To the greater i glory of God, m honored memory of Close men whose names are inscribed on the face of Ibis ntnnumcii!. and in the name of (be Father, the Son and the floiy Ghost, 1 unveil this tribune." The Hag fell away, leaving ea nosed ;o view the while marble tigon oi a soldier Manning m arms Chaplain-Captain Robson Mom read a >nofi and appropriate (lode a I ion of the memorial, after which the hymn, ' The Supreme Sacrifice." was sung by lit - assemblage, and a very large number of beautiful wreaths) 'Deluding one from Viscount and Lady Jeiiicoc) were laid round the monument. Ftmerai ''obeys were lin'd b\ a special tiring party, after winch Bands- ■ man Roy Xorih sounded "The Last Rost." Mr Deter Barton, representing Die Native race, was then afforded an opportunity of extending to the Cover- ! nor-Genera! a welcome to the district. Air Ilerlihy acting as interpreter. Air Barton opened with references to God and tin' King, and then referred to the great achievements of fail’d .leilicoo in Lhe Great War, his high position as Governor-General of this Dominion. and tiie part played by the people (both Native and European) of Te Awannitu and district in cooperating as units of the Empire. This district had sent away a large proportion of its fit men on active service. The .Maoris of the district were perhaps now only a small tribe, hut they were always ready to serve. That, great old chief and general, Rewi Maniapoto. had taught them the art of war and peace, and made them what they are to-day. Other leaders ; whom they revered in memory were j the late Major Kemp and Tawhiao, | and Ihe present day Maoris 1 ad fol- ' lowed their traditions. He himself had load three sons on active service. ; one of them joining the great majority, and his name is now enrolled on j the scroll at Lhe Kihikihi war me- | morial. He regretted not being af- 1 forded the privilege of speaking on 1 behalf of tiie native race at Kilii- 1 kihi on Auzae Day. but he appreciat- i ed the opportunity accorded him that j day. Continuing. Mr Barton wished j Viscount Jellicoe and his family all j prosperity and good health. He had \ lately participated at the unveiling J of a monument to Die late Te Hen Hen j Tukino at Taupo, where he had had j the privilege of meeting the Governor- j General, whom he now congratulated ! and greeted on behalf of his people, j He complimented the people of Te j Awamutu on erecting a handsome [ monument that would convey its j silent message for centuries, conclud- ; ing with “Kia ora katoa tatau.” Lord Jellicoe, acknowledging the i native welcome, said he very sincere- i ]y appreciated the sentiments con- : veyed. adding that no one could come to a district where memories of 'bygone days—days of peril and devot- ; ed sacrifice —are as insistent as they are to-day in Te Awamutu. In the : old days pakeha and some of tin | Maoris were not friends, but the Great War saw them unite and fight shoulder to shoulder against the common enemy. Equally both races , had paid the same sacrifice. Mr F. Hockly, M.P.% then stepped ; forward and on behalf of Mr Andrew \ Kav. of Parawera. one of the oldest, if not actually the oldest, settlers in ; the district, asked His Excellency’s acceptance of a very old and much i treasured battle axe as a memento of ; his first official visit to Te Awamutu j district. Lord Jellicoe. in accenting i it. said that he needed no reminder j of his visii to Te Awamutu, but he j accepted the gift and would treasure ; it for the kindly and loyal sentiments j that had prompted the donor. The Mayor said he hoped that, next j time the Governor-General came to | Te Awamutu lie would arrange for a j longer stay The town and district had many associations with the olden days of settlement. Within ,a few minutes’ drive of the town what were i practically the closing incidents of > the Maori War took place He re- t ferred to the epic battle of Orakau. while Paterangi and Rangiaohia. near by. also had figured very prominently.

R‘/d or) were Pawn up or. parade as a guard, of honour, with ihe Te Ariiiiftfll Ai:uiicip;;.l Band Minder Conductor Newsome i ai hand . i mjiply appropriate mu. ic. with die united cii'-irs also wai represented. Some m)ij school ••.>»••• rt ii were also assembled in orderly lines O.i (die plaM.irm. hanking the memorial. were C.e .Mayor (.Mr I . G ' i.isi i-ong 1 and Mayoress. Messrs F. Lye. J. A. Vniii; and F. F. Hockly. Al’s.P., and several other wc’-l k .own ’ownsmen, wh le there wa- also a oevy of Army Nursing Sisters. As the Vice-Regal party descended from fin ir cars and proceeded to the dais they were greeted with cheers. The .Mayor escorted the party to Ihe platform, and Mien extended a very cordial welcome, saying that it was many years since Te Awamutu was honoured by a visii from a GovernorGeneral of the Dominion. Xo more fitting occasion for a visit could possibly have been arranged than the inspiring ceremony that so many people had assembled to take part in that day. The-people of Te Awamutu and surrounding districts had assembled to do honour to the King’s representative and to the brave lads who had made the supreme sacrifice. It was the people’s desire to commemorate the memory of those solfliers who had conducted themselves so valorously in the Great War. Te Awamutu and district had many historic interests: it was abundantly blessed with a fertile soil and a splendid climate, and therefore was destined to take its place among the important towns of the Dominion. It was very appropriate, therefore, that a fitting memorial to the brave dead should he erected in so suitable a site. The design for ihe memorial had been carefully chosen, so that it would arrest, the attention of the most casual passer-by and serve to remind him r,f the deeds of glory performed in the years 1914 to 1918.' All owed a deep debt of gratitude for the sacrifices made, and he hoped the memorial would inspire us as a community to do the right thing by those soldiers’ dependants, and also by those who fought shoulder to shoulder. The memorial would, he hoped, also he-looked upon by mothers who are separated by such wide miles and leagues from their loved ones’ graves —some on Gallipoli and others near (he battlefields of that far flung hatt.le line. He invited those mothers to look unon the Te Awamutu memorial as their own. for if was intended to indicate to each that her son’s sacrifice is not forgotten. Proceeding, the Mayor welcomed Viscount Jellicoe, who had been a participant in the war. and also as Governor-General and Commander-in-Cliief of the Dominion of New Zealand. Lord Jellicoe held a very high office as representative of His Majesty the King, and had fought valiantly on behalf of the Empire of which we are so proud. Ail the inhabitants of this Dominion look to 'Mm confidently to carry out The responsibilities of Ids important office as nohlv and a.s well as he had carried ' tit the other important duties reposed in him in the years that are gone. After Ihe hymn. “0 God our Help" bed !, oen sung the Mayor read a message from Die Prime Minister expressing his inability ro he present, also rnojovies from the Minister for Defence (Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes) and the Mavor of Cambridge (Air C. IT. Priestley). ■chp Governor-General rose and thanked the authorities and the assemblage for the sincere and hearty

The Vice-Regal party was motored to the Borough Chambers to partake of afternoon tea with the Mayor and Alayoress. and about 4 p.m. they left . en route for AVaitomo Caves and Te Kuiti. His Excellency and party return to-day to Hamilton, where Lord I Jellicoe will pay an informal visit to , the Winter Show. Te Awamutu’s war memorial is a . most imposing and beautiful edifice, j being a monument, some 20 feet high, j

the top being the replica of an infantry soldier standing at ease. Round the base are inscribed the names of fifty-eight town and district soldiers I who gave their lives. On the front | panel are the words. “To the Glory of ; God. In memory of those soldiers J from this district who lost their lives i during the Great War, April 1914i 1918. Erected by the people of Te j Awamutu and surrounding districts, ! 1923.” The names inscribed are as follows:—W. R. Ahier, R. B. Aldridge. W. M. Alexander, F.. Barry, F. H. Bathurst, W. J. Bickerstaff, W. Brisco, A. C. B’luck, C. H. W. T. Campbell, J< Cowan, C. Halting, L. S. Davis, T. Deeney, D. W. Dunwoodie, F. De Ville, H. F. Edgecumbe, G. Fisher, N. i Gibson, P. C. Gibson. G. Gibson. F. A. j L. Hatwell, E. J. Harris, W. G. Hall, j G. Houghton, J. L. Houston, H. HanI sen. J. M. Hastie, W. Henderson, R. Hunter. E. Innes-Jones, K. C. John- ! ston, 1-1. J, Jemmett, A. J. Kay, W. H. : Johns, W. I). Kemp. A. W. Linton, R. ! C. Linton. A. Libeau, A. Livingstone, I T. Marshall, R. Maitland. A. E. Me* Conkey, T. A. MeConkey, H. L. Patou, ; L. G. Parlnne, E. E. Rushbrooke, A. E. | Sutherland, A. .). Scott, A Spraggs, F. ! W. Shepherd. P. F. J. Sheffield, J. F. Spear. G. A. Teasdale. 0. McM. Thompson. A. Templeton, E. 0. R. Vile. A. W. White. B. X. Willis.