A Wayside Cross.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XI, Issue 6, 1 December 1920, Page 333

A Wayside Cross.

A beautiful Cross was unveiled at the corner of Palmerston road and Derby street (m the grounds of Holy Trinity Church), Gisborne, on;Armistice^Day. The Cross is of mediaeval architecture, 20 feet high and made of Sydney sandstone. In a niche on the C?oss arm is a beautiful bronze figure of the Crucified Christ, with another bronze' figure below it of a mother and her soldier boy. The .figures are from the design of an eminent Royal Academician and worked by a famous Italian sculptor m London. We regret that space does not allow us to give a full description of the Cross/ but we believe that photographs of it are obtainable. The Cross has been' erected. by the efforts of the Holy Trinity Girls' Club m .memory of 500 from, the Poverty Bay district and all others who made the supreme sacrifice m the Great War. ' The church grounds were occupied by representatives of local bodies, Poverty Bay clergy, City Band, members of Holy Trinity Girls' Club (all dressed m white), and parents of deceased soldiers and, others with floral tributes. The thoroughfares m the

vicinity of the church were well filled with -people, while the children attending* the main school were assembled m the school-yarcl opposite to witness /the ceremony. The Cross was unveiled by MissEileen Davies, president of the Girls' Club. • A very large number of wreaths, were laid at the foot, including several from local bodies, from the members of the club and from bereaved relatives. Prior to the ceremony Mr (xi E. Darton, president of the local R.5.A.,. gave a fine, address arid after the unveiling the Rev. James Aitken, the Gisborrie Presbyterian minister,, gave a very impressive address oil the Significance- of the Cross, and, the .teaching* of such a wayside Cross as '.the..., one vthen unveiled. "We much regret that we can-, not find space -to publish .the whole of his sermon.- The Dedication service was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. H. Packe. Appropriate' hymns were sung accompanied by Gisborne Band. At the; conclusion of the service the bugler sounded the "Last Post," the National Anthem was sung and the Vicar pronounced the Bene- . diction; , r . . ■"" / Our Gisborne correspondent says the- service was most beautiful and impressive and one which could neverbe forgotten. The members of the Girls ' Club, fifty strong, dressed inwhite, marched to the Cross led by the two vice-presidents carrying an enormous Cross made -of scarlet geraniums: People were weepingarid- the passers by all bared their heads. The figures are/most beautifully done, and the figure of the- Christ especially. There is something very, ' appealing and 'beautiful about it all.