AN HONOURS BOARD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 181, 20 April 1918, Page 9

AN HONOURS BOARD

. $ AT MOUNT COOK SCHOOL LORD LIVERPOOL'S ADVICE An honours board, commemorating (ho names of Mount Cook Old Boys who nave .akon part in the ,prei?.u war, was unveiled at the iwwfc Cook Boys' Scuool yesterday jar JZ.- Qovernor(jeaeral. Thoro was fi.UuSi attendance or scholars, present aad i>sl., including a epWiklinjr of fotera. und their relatives. Tho Mayor of Wellington (Sir. J. i. Luke, 0.M..U., M.P.) presided, ar.d tna Jion. A. M. Myers, Minister of ...ot!s, was .also present. The Mayor welcomed tho GovernorGeneral and tho other visitors. lie referred to the excellont military record of tho Mount Cook School, and said that the unvoiling of the honours board was an important event, since it set a standard of effort and devotion for other genorations to follow. Tho present scholars should never forget tho sacrifices that had been made by tho men who upheld tho I'lag in the great war. Tho chairman of <tho Miount Cook School Committee, Mr. •W. 1!. Fuller, also welcomed tho Governor-General on behalf of the committee, scholars and teachers of.the school. Ho said that lie was glad to seo present so many of the school's soldiers, both returned men and those about to proceed to the front. The honours board was the school's acknowledgment of the patriotism and solf-sacrifice of some 320 old boys who had fouglif in the present war. Of this number 43 have laid down theti lives, many had been wounded, and others had won various honours. Tho school was proud of Captain W. Hardham, V.C., Lieutenant W. H. Stainton, D.5.0., M.C., Limtenant L. Smith, M.C., and Private 'U. Parton, M.M. Tho list necessarily was not complete, but now names would be added as tho information came to hand. Mr. Fuller mentioned that the names on the honours board would be read to +.!>» colors ol Viie school 'on every anniversary of the unveiling.

Lord Liverpool said that tho people of the British Empire , had been passing through anxious time;.. But bo felt that they had absolute confidonco in the final result, and ho had been proud to notice that thero kid been no boas tin" and no hysteria. Nothing had been hidden from the people Tho facts regarding events on tho West front had been published in the newspapers day by day. Hβ did not think that a similar nolicy of frankness had been adopted by -the aneiny. Lord Liverpool added that the newspapers of Now Zealawl had faced tho crisis in a good spirit, neither concealing tho truth nor indulging in sensationalism. Tho placing of honours boards in the schools was a gor.-d idea, and he hoped that tho boards •Would servo to perpetuate tho memories of brave men who had served (heir country well. The people* at homo could help m tho present times of stress by keeping cheerful and confident, and by recognising tho heroic sacrifices that were being made by • tho men in tho field. Lord Liverpool then unveiled the board.

The Hon. A. M. Myers mentioned that he had been a scholar of tho Mount Cook School over 40 years ago. Before the war tho schools of New Zealand had possessed few traditions. The war was creating traditions for them, and he believed that the honours board would bp an inspiration to future generation!! of boys and girls. The determination of the British people to, cany this war to a successful conclusion was as firm ns it had been id. the early days of the struggle.

The nances of the Mount Cook- old boys wh'o had laid down their lives in the servico of the Empire were read by the headianstov of the school (Mr. C. Barry), and the "Last Post" was sounded by Bugler C. F. Hester, Senior Cadets.' During the afternoon tho pupils v of the school sang Kipling's "Eecessional" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." The proceedings closed with the National Anthem, and cheers'for the soldiers, the Governor-General, and the teachers.