PEACE CELEBRATIONS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16423, 17 January 1919, Page 7

PEACE CELEBRATIONS.

VISITS OF THE PRINCE OF WALES AND LORD JELLICOE. Matters connected with the celebration of peace, and the expected visits to tho Dominion of H.R.H. tho Prince of Wales and Lord Jellicoo, aro receiving attention from the Mayor (Mr H. Holland), who intends calling a meeting of citizens shortly, probably next vreeb, to sot up committees to arrange for the relebration of peace. Already a meeting has taken place between the City Electrical Engineer and representatives of tho olectrical firms in the city, nt which matters connected with tho illuminations for tho three cvonts niontioned were gone into. Another mertinc' is to be held to go into matters in detail. to "rue editor or "the tress." Sir. —A very impressive feature in the proposed arrangements for publicly celebrating the formal conclusion of the I'reaty of "Peace, would bo a mobilising, nt each provincial centre, of New Zealand troops who have returned from the "Ti-:U war, for a general review and welcome

!t would fill our hearts with pride to hnve an actual presentation before our eyes of our gallant boys drawn up in serricvl rank, as though still facing the (•ne:m\ and engaged in the terrible grim work which they ™ readily went away from homo to perform. It would afford us a vivid glimpse of the stern deadly reality of the task they ,;r>t themsf'lves to carry on until victory wji-« achieved. It would bring home to 'tic'very directly the inextinguishable debt we, every one of us, owe to tho splendid lads who gave themselves to the great sacrifice. To effectively and successfully carry out the above idea 1 offer the following suggestions:—All the Canterbury men who have returned from active service should be concentrated at Christchurch nt the time annointcd for the Peace Celebrations. "Every arm should be represented in strength—infantry, mounteds. artillerv, army service, medical corps, sicnalling, naval, etc.; every unit of a field force, with all details constitntin" a complete division or army Tbev should be assembled and marched to flagley park for review and march past. Every regiment, corps, and unit in its respective order, should be distinguished by banners bearing tVieir owir divisional numbers, to enable the spectators to recognise them. On this, the first day, the troops should be accoutred and armed in trim inspection order. There would be cavalry, the infantry with guns and limbers, and the naval contingent, followed by all the other sections, including hospital nuises and padres; and last, but tho more greatly annealing, the wounded veterans and disabled men in motor-cars. Tho review should be graced with the prepuce of his Excellency tho GovernorGeneral and tho Countess of Liverpool, the General Staff, District Headquarters. the Minister of Defence, and leading citizens. On tho following day we should have a moving snectacular exhibition, which would imprint itself on the minds of the beholders. The Vhole of the troops and services should be put into the field a« an army division in full equipment for battle. They could give a reproduction of artillery action and barrage. infantry advance and assaults, cavalry patrolling, trench -work, and ■going "over tho top"; mortar, Lewis gun and bombing attacks with blank charges; rescue and ambulance work, with field hospital activities ; and in the rear of the fighting lines, tho field service, with lorries ana the commissariat kitchens.

These stirring living pictures .would demonstrate to us something of tho gigantic work our boys have accomplished. and give effective point to our spnse of the undying obligation we are under to them for so unselfishly offering thoir brave young lives for our salvation. After witnessing all this, it would ho a fitting sequence to the second dny to hold a massed religious service at which the clergy of every Church should voice our united prayers of thanksgiving for the glorious triumph of our just cause. And I think wf*' would also realise the depth of our eratitude to those devoted men who have come back to Us. —Yours, otc., H.A.C. Christchurch, January 16th.