SUNSHINE AND POPPIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 3, 26 April 1939, Page 5

SUNSHINE AND POPPIES

ANZAC SERVICE WHAKATANE'S COMMEMORATION A SIMPLE CEREMONY Yesterday in sparkling sunshine} the citizens of Whakatane kept An'mk 2ae Day, honouring the dead in Simple and dignified manner, it was mot an elaborate service but just one link in the chain of commemoration forged in every centre in New Zea. Jand, yet its very homely simplicity "had an authentic New Zealand quality. Several hundred people attended attended .■ Territorials, returned men and scouts and % guides assembled at the memorial in the centre of the Strand shortly before 11 o'clock. Headed by the Whakatane Citizens' Band under Conductor H. Mayo the parade mov<ed down the Strand to the Grand Immediately after the band ■came a mixed party of Territorials consisting of Hauraki regiment infantrymen, Mounted Rifles and motor cyclists. Six of the new recruits marched in civilian clothes, and .. eight High §chooK cade ( ts followed. The strength of the territorials was two officers and 20 other ranks, the •officers being Major C. A. Le Lievre who commanded the parade and Sec-ond-Lieutenant P. M. Barclay. Behind the territorials came a solid party of bemedalled returned men headed by Mr H. N. McDonald, f I president of the Whakatane Branch of the Returned Soldiers Association, and then the Paroa, Poroporo, Whakatane, Onepu Scout troops, the Whakatane and Paroa cubs, pnd tho Paroa girl guide compmy followed «nder Scoutmasters S. Miller, S. Bosw'el'l, Watson, Assistant Scout, master Briggs and Guide Captain Clark. On the platform at the Grand The atre were the Mayor, Mr B. S. Balrry w Mr A. G. Hultquist M.P.. the Rev S. G; Caulton, 1 Rev Watson, and the Rev C. P. Lucas, Mr Mac Don. ald, Mr W. Sumner (Whakatane* Harbour Board) and Mr L.'W. Luxton (Whakatane County Council). MR CAULTON'S ADDRESS *b~-< . Mr Lucas r?ad the prayer, Mr Watson the lesson and Mr Canton •3' gave the address. There never had "been such an occasion as thp lie said. AM were impressed with th 1 urgency of the task wh'ch lav before mankind. It was the preservation of peace. All viewed the prospect of war with horror but all felt fielpless. The peace of the 'world was in the hands of a few men, and those men in a crisis acted on their own responsibility and that handful carried our whol£ civilisation's fate. * We who believed in democracy recog. nised that the gan between leaders and masse? was weakened on thp anftication of the principle of demo, cracv. Tf dur leader*? were high principled/the result was good but if of small vision added power would work more havoc. Jf HELPLESSNESS What could we do. There wa-s a feeing of helplessness. Was there nothing Avi; tould do ask-d the speaker. There' was one very imoortant thing we cap do he added. Tf we be. lieve in freedom -ind the value o." every single individual it, wt? our duty to see we Ave re valuable to our . country. Freedom carried the great responsibility of serious thought on the problems of the world. We - should not merely accept ideas second hand. » The "England exneet*' thq»:<*very man this day will do 'his dutv' had inspired men for 100 vear-; ho said and it is a .commnd wp shou'd heed todav. Evrv min should think for himself o^ : thr problem. Mn«t of us believe the Question war <ind his soni' 1 thing to do with Tha 1 meant something to do w'th Goi and his Sifts joy, peace, Brotherhood . and righteousness. ANSWER TO QUESTION We were Quite rght b-l'eving o* this. could anwe~ thp rmerstion or , ' r satisfactorily hv bringing it in "to rt r-ce. God' •method of obtaining jov nnd peac wras the method of unselfish **'*«•«, seK dico'nline and it was our duty to ««Itivqte t* Sp'rit of umelflshncss air 1 in the light of GodV j^truth, Mo?t, of us have ,npt the courage t r » 4.vy that.method, hut It oiirdutto n*"iv »r»d tM"l? about it. W' t'tnt pqnli In'Myidu-'* 1 4iid *ti d >f il t'> "O ■ *"ib'ifo t^ peace. . Wo may not influence on' 1 , "f critical moments. l»ut<ach> f .

of us can contribute to building up the body of public opinion. To have courage to live in the spirit of righteousness was the greatest contribution any of us could make to our country and mankind. CEREMONY AT HOCK Mr Caulton pronounced the blessing and the parade filed out. the audience following. The next portion of the ceremony was staged on, the green turf in front of the grey pile of Pohaturoa Rock. Here a cenotaph draped with the flag had been erected. Before it were two crosses and another cross was taped out on the turf. Motor cyclists stood cenotaph guard with reversed arms and two scouts were posted one on each side of the structure. The band plaved and a hymn was sung. Then the parade presented arms, the Last Post Ava-s sounded by Bandsman K. Jarrctt and the crowd stood in silence. Reveille was sounded bv Bandsman Parkes. The closing portion of the ceremony was the laying of wreaths by local body and other representatives and th? placing of poppies in the cross marked out on the turf.