UNVEILING CEREMONY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 85, 27 June 1944, Page 6

UNVEILING CEREMONY

OMARUMUTU FUNCTION HEROES' OF HILL 209 A ceremony of exceptional interest took placc at the Omarumutu School on Friday,.. • .Tunc 16. The occasion was the Wiveiling of. a phonograph of 2nd Lieutenant Moana Akiwa Ngarimu. V.C. These photographs are presented to the schools which have, contributed so that, a Scholarship may be instituted in memory of 2nd Lieut. Ngarimu. Mr Thorby, headmaster, briefly explained the purpose of the gathering and paid tribute, to the fortitude and heroism displayed. He stressed the need for post-war reconstruction so that sucli sacrifices should not. be in vain; and that there should come into operation the four freedoms of the Atlantic Charter—Freedom of Speech, Freedom from want, Freedom from fear and Freedom of worship, everywhere in the world. The children sang in sympathetic yet spirited strain the action songs and liakas especially composed to honour him who was the first to win the V.C. among the Maori people. Then two senior pupils, Daphne Papuni and Claude Edwards,, recited an ode in Maori and in English, after which the scholars joined in the. lines "They shall not grow old." The Memorial was then unveiled by Mrs Edwardson, and the scholars were marched past on parade. L/Corporal Karatiana Teoliaere addressed the gathering and called on Mr Williams to lead the singing of "Maori Battalion." It was a remarkable, co-incidence that there should be present L/Cpl. Karatiana Heahaere, one of the four survivors of the engagement on Hill 209, and in graphic language he told the story of 2nd Lieutenant Ngarimu's .bravery and fortitude despite being twice wounded during the assault on and capture •of this position. Mr T. Fletcher, senior inspector, expressed his pleasure at being present to join in honouring the memory of such a valiant hero —"He being dead, yet spea'keth"—and hoped that the world of the future Avould achieve Avhat such men liad died for and our soldiers were still fighting to attain. He stated that the Scholarship was now an assured thing as £1100 had been raised and so amazingly speedily. The scholars then led the singing of the National Anthem in Maori and then in English and the serving of refreshments brought this memorable function to a close.