ARMISTICE DAY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18228, 12 November 1924, Page 8

ARMISTICE DAY.

YESTERDAY'S OBSERVANCE

Yesterday, the fifth anniversary *of Armistice Bay. was appropriately observed in Christchurcli.

Owing to it being the day of the Now Zealand Trotting Cap, hundreds of people were about the Square when the hour of 11 struck. Immediately the busy centre became silent and stationary. Hats were removed and men stood respectfully still. Tramears stopped, the conductors and guards in charge of them alighted on the roads and remained bareheaded, while motorists showed equal regard to the solemnity of the occasion; that is with one or two exceptions. One such motorist, who evidently did not realise his position, attempted to go ahead, but received short shrift from Mr H. Mcintosh, City Motor Inspector. During these two minutes flags which had been flown at the full were lowered io hall' msist. The signal was given by Mr Mcintosh for traffic to resume, and in a moment the city had resumed its wonted bustle. The silence was most marked at the ceremony of opening the Bridge of Remembrance, where there vas. a gathering of several thousand people, toho stood reverentlv by until- the two minutes had elapsed. Special • sorvioes were held at the Cathedral in memory of the fallen.

OBSERVANCE IN < TIMARU.

SILENCE NOT FULLY RESPECTED. The observance of the two minutes' silence at Timaru yesterday, in commemoration of. Armistice Day,, was far from being all that could have been desired. There was a considerable amount of traffic in the main street at the time, and though many pedestrians either came to a halt of their own accord or were reminded to do &o by the actions of others, fully two-thirds of the people took no notice whatever of the silence, while most of the drivers of vehicles went on their way as unconcernedly as though there were no such thing as Armistioe Day observance. Work was more or less suspended in most of the shops, and the Post Office flag was half-masted. Railway traffic was stopped, and in numerous industrial establishments the power was shut off.

At the Boys' High School the pupils were lined up outside the building ; ancf the "Last Post" was sounded, while the singing of the National Anthem concluded the two minutes of silence. Each of the forms at the girls' school stood in silence at 11 o'clock. The ceremony of saluting the flag was gone through at the Main and Waimataitai schools, while these two and the South and West schools observed a two-min-utes' silence. Bells were tolled at the Church of the Sacred Heart.

• AT LYTTELTON.

CEREMONY ON H.M.S. DUNEDIN.

All work ceased on the waterfront at Lyttelton during the two mihutes' silence. The only teremony in port was that observed on H.M.S. Dunedin. The ship's company was paradied, and just before eleven o'clock the buglers sounded the "Last Post." This was followed by the two minutes' silence, during which officers and men stood rigidly at attention. Then the Reveille rang out, after which the parade dispersed.

iln commemoration of Armistice Bay. a two minutes' silence was observed at. 11 a.m. in the streets of Ashburton yesterday. All traffic stopped, and during the day bunting was flown from the various publio buildings and principal business houses.

IN OTHER PLACES.

(PUBSS ASSOCIATION TELBOHAM.) WELLINGTON, November 11. The Armistice Day ceremonies included a service in the Town Hall, which was attended by about 1000 people. It wa,s very impressive. On the waterfront the Salvation Army held a largely attended service, and services were held in several buildings, where many people are employed. In the streets and elsewhere the two minutes' silence was strictly observed.

LONDON THRONGED.

CROWDS VISIT CENOTAPH AND

ABBEY.

(keuter's tbleibaus.) (Beoeived November 11th, 7.35 p.m.) LONDON, November 10. London was unusually crowded today, not merely because of the Lord Mayor's Show, which linked up the thirteenth and twentieth conturies in a pageant of colour and costume, but in preparation for to-morrow's ceremony at the Cenotaph, in which thirteen thousand soldiers, sailors, and airmen will take part with the King, Prince of Wales, and Duke of York, as the principal figures in the demonstration of national mourning.

While workmen to-day were erecting barriers, thousands of people moved slowly round the memorial, adding tributes to the. ever-growing mound of flowers on the plinth. Crowds also visited Westminster Abbey, silently filing past the grave of the Unknown Warrier. Besides the services at the Cenotaph and in the Abbey to-morrow, there will be services in numerous churches in London. Silence will be observed throughout the country at 11 o'cloak in the morning, the signal for which in London will be given by the firing of a gun in Hyde Park simultaneously with the broadcasting of the first stroke of Big Ben.

OBSERVATION IN SYDNEY. (AUSTRALIA* AHD H.Z. CABU! ABSOHAHOI.)

(Beceived November 11th, 9.15 p.m.)

SYDNEY, November 11. The city was beflagged to-day in honour of Armistice Day. The usual two minutes' silence, with the cessation of all traffic, was observed at 11 o dock. There was a great gathering in Martin

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place, including the Governor and 1 his wife, and naval, jnilitary and political heads, who participated in an impressive ceremony ending with tKe sounding of "The Last Post" and the rehoisting of all flags which had been lowered in memory of tho fallen.