NEWS OF VICTORY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 33, 2 November 1918, Page 8

NEWS OF VICTORY

HOW IT WAS RECEIVED CITY IN GALA GARB FUNCTION AT THE TOWN HALL SPEECHES BY LEADING. MINISTERS. Long will yesterday be remembered in the Empire City. It will stand out in the memory not only of adults, but of the children—the.citizens of the morrow —as one'of the-few joyous days of the past four years. As Mr. Mossey aptly remarked, it was the real dawn of what promised to bo a perfect day—the day of complete victory for the Allies, and the overthrow of the powers of outer darkness. The full significance of tho news of Turkey's surrender did not penetrate immediately upon its arrival. A recent cry of "Wolf!" when it was not even n fox hail evidently made the public wary of believing such great news, however imminent it appeared, so tor an hour after the posting of the news at the Post Offices-nothing happened to disturb tho equanimity of the workaday world. But gradually the true import of tho momentous intelligence,, got round; tho telephone began to ring with unwonted frequency; knots of.people gath T erod in the streets' to shake hands and pass along the glad tidings. rings were hoisted over the public and company buildings, then on.the shipping, and by 11.30 a.m. the city wn3 pltasurably ex- j cited. Before that time the Mayor ; (Mi\ J. P. Luke) invited the Prime- Minister | (Bight Hon. \V. 1?. Jiassey) to celebrate | tho event by the deliverance of speeches | at the Town Hall, and on this becoming known a big crowd assembled outside the Town Hall. Soon after noon the Primo Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, Sir James Allen. Sir Francis Bell, Sir William Eraser, and a number of members of Parliament arrived at.the Town Hall, and the appearance of the three first-named Ministers with tho Mayor (there was;not room for the others) on the little balcony on the, Cuba Street side of the. Council .1 Chamber : was tho signal for a burst of cheering of such heartiness as has not been head in the city for many a long, day. Very quickly the windows of the business houses opposite becanio blocked with eager faces;, flags fluttered gently in the light breeze, and a spirit of joyous thanksgiving pervaded the scene, lho whistles and steam BJrons of- steamers had blown a noisy symphony, and it was not until the clamour, died down that the speeches were made at tho' Town Hall. The Mayor gave a joyous lead. Ho told the crowd the good news, and that they, were there' to identify themselves with the momentous event.' Ho reminded them of tho sacrifices their boys had mado on the different front*,- and how they should be honoured for all time for the noble part they had played in tho winning of the war now so near comclusion. He then read the message received by tho' Governor-General that morning from the Secretary of State. ' At the call of His Worship cheers were given for the boys at the front and the Army and Navy, recalling again tho memorable campaign on Gallipoli, now so signally avenged. , •

Tho Final Break Up. ■ Tho Prime Minister, whose face reflected tho general joy, received a hearty welcome from the crowd. He said he need hardly express the pleasure he felt in being able to join with them in celebrating the groat ovents' which had come to pass within tho last twenty-four hours, or perhaps the last few days, ending with the armistice granted to Turkey. _ They must, however, remember that it wasonly an armistice, but one in which the terms were suoh that it amounted practically to an unconditional surrender. (Applause.) The armistice with Turkey •was not the only event of importance which had occurred, as within the last few hours news had been received of ,another great victory over the Austrians, indicating, to his mind at all events, that the final break-up of: the Austrian Empire was almost an accomplished fact, rhe armistice with .Turkey gave them ■ control of the Dardanelles and ■ the Bosphorus and tieforts commanding those important ■waterways which gavo entrance to the Black Sea. (Applause.) ■ It wns the most important event that had '■ happened since the war' broke out ;md for manyyears before. There was an old saying tha.t the hour before the dawn was ever the darkest.' They had 'had their dark hour, but the dawn had now , ■.broken, on what promised to 'be the jerfect day. (Applause.) None of them could. forget what had happened in March, April, and May last, when the armies of the Allies were driven back and back until even, Paris itself was endangered. It was even feared then that ihe Channel ports might be taken. Even that, however, would not have ended the war. Then the tide had turned, and x the forces of the Central Powers had been driven back and back. ('/' Beaten!" yelled an exultant voice.) They should remember now how gallantly their own eoldiors had borne themselves in front of the enemy. . None had done better. Their deeds had neve: , been excelled in history, abd seldom equalled. \Applause.)

Anzacs for the Dardanelles. Since the good news had arrived 1.0 had forwarded the following message to the Home authorities through His Excellency the Governoj-General. The language was official, but its meaning was quite clear. The message ran:— The Primo Minister presents his compliments, and desires, in .connec- • tion with the armistice which has been signed between the Allied Governments and Turkey, to request His Excellency to be so good is to send an urgent telegram to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, informing His Majesty's Government, that, • if it is found possible, it would give great satisfaction to the Government of New Zealand, and, Aβ Prime Minister believes, to the Government of -Australia, if Anzacs were sent to garrison the ?)ardanelles. ■ (Cheers.)

"It is an honour due to the Anzacs," eaid the Prime Minister, "to the boys brought up under the Southern Cross, the boys of Australia, New Zealand, and tho islands of the Pacific, and I hope that the authorities will see their way to grant what I think is a reosonablo request of the Government of New Zealand. Our boys on Gallipoli bore the heat an-i burden of the day. ' The remains of many of them will lie on thoso bleak hills until the last trumpet sounds, but they will ■ never be forgotten'." When he and tho Minister of Finance were in England they had reminded tho Britisli authorities of the great part played in the Gallipoli campaign by the Dominions, and tho number who lay buried there, and they hud asked'that when the terms of peace came to bo nrranged that an earnest endeavour should be mado to have the Peninsula placed under British control. He could not say whether that would Iμ possible, to arrange, but ho hoped it would. (Applause.) : . An Unlocked Gate.

"Referring to the unofficial report, which he believed to be correct, that tho British Navy had passed, through, the Dardanelles—(wild applause aad cheers)— the Prime Minister said that they wero unlocking another of the enemy e Rates. "I cannot tell you whether the -Dardanelles will remain in possession of tho Allies, but the gate that has been opened this morning will never again; be closed internationally, and we, us Britishers, arc proud thai the British flag has been carried through it." The war was not over, but there was no doubt that tho end was now in sight, and the boys would soon bo returning. Much as they desired their return, and wished for peace, they would not have a pence without honour and the dealing out of even-handed justice, no riiore than that, to tho barbarians who had been responsible for all tho horrors, atrocities, and crimes of the last four yearn. (Applause.) Thoro had been a long struggle, and New Zealand had played her part just as well as Britain hersolf, mid in yeaTS to conm would receive full credit for it. (Cheers.)

Minister of Finance Speaks, Sir Joseph Ward said that the most significant item in the tonne of the ar-

inistico with Turkoy was tho opening of tho Dardanelles.to thus British i''lcet mill tho faitips of the Allies. "Let wo tull you what it menus," fiaid Sir Joseph Ward. ''It means tho freeing of Palatine from the wars which have taken place thore; it means tho freeing of our lorces in Mesopotamia; and it .means the freeing of the Black Sen. 51 ore than that, it menus tho freeing of Jit- least ono ami a quarter millions of British troops, who are available, if their services nre"rcn.uu'od, to march with other British troops iuto Berlin." (Cheers.) The capitulation of Turkey was n messago to the Kaiser ami his associates that they, too, would lmve to capitulate and allow the British troops and thoso of tho Allies to march to Berlin. Picture tho scene at Mudros during tho im few days, with the British fleet assembling and waiting for the psychological moment when it could pass through tho Dardanelles, making it an open intwiiutional highway for all the years to come. Let them stop aud nay tribute to the grand old British fleet, without whose aid they would not be colebrating this great and glorious victory. (Cheers for the Fleet.) The- good news would make many realise tho personal sacrifices they had made, and those of their sons on tho shores of Gallipoli. Jt would recall the dark days on tlio Peninsular, but at the same timo they woujd be heartened and gratified to know that the fruits of those sacrifices had now ripened. Retention of Gallipoli.

Sir Joseph Ward said that ho hoped that Gallipoi would Iμ obtained and jetained by the British Empiro for all I time, so ■ that tho parents of the boys who had given up their lives might visit the graves, and that the graves of those heroes might be properly ■ attended to. He informed the crowd of the good news received from tho Italian front (against Austria). He believed that in a few ; days they would hear of tho abdication lof that monster, the Kuiser. (A voice: I "The Beast of Berlin.") If he did not I abdicate it would not be inhuman or unI.human to hope that he would be removi ed—in some other way. (Cheers.) There must, bo retribution—an eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth!. (Cheers.) ' Sir Joseph Ward eulogised the work that had been so well done by Sir James Allen. (Applause.) New Zealand soldiers ranked among the best in the worldmen who never funked or shirked >their duties. Eofeiring to the terms bf-final peace, ho expressed the hope that there would bo no morbid sentimentality -in dealing with an empiro which had shown itself such an arch enemy of civilisation. (Cheers.)

No "Silly Sentimentality." At tl/e invitation of tho Mayor Ithreo cheers were given for Sir .Tames Allen, Minister of fjefonco. Sir James Allen stated that the news of Turkey's surrender meant very much more thau tho capitulation of Bulgaria. That day they were able to justify the sacrifices mndo on Gallipoli and tho sacrifices of tho parents of tho brave boys who had gone. Ho thought they should semi a message to the Neiv Zealand troops now in the war zones telling them of the meeting, letting them know that they had not been forgotten and that all New Zealand was proud of tho excellent work they had done and were doing. ■ Tho British nation had blood to it in true Anglo-Saxon style, and New Zealand had stood, to it as well; perhnps quite as well as Britain. He hoped , that no silly sentimentality would influence tho leaders of the nation when the time for making a final and lasting peaco arrived, and that tho peace would bo one securing tho happiness and contentment of tho world for years to come. (Applause.) "let us givo our heartfelt thanks to the Almighty for the , way in which He has stood by our men and helped them. (AjjTilause.) Lot us hope that the ..Great Directing Hand will guide them surely and safoly.to tho end." (Cheers.) ; " • ' The crowd then sang the National Anthem, and there was a great deal more cheering before it dispersed.