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CIVIC CELEBRATION

AT THE TOWN HALL

V AN ENORMOUS GATHERING

' The civic celebration was announced to | take place at the Town Hall at 11.30 a.m., iiuu as that hour approached an enormous crowd gathered in front of the municipal buildings. It extended from the bund rotunda right along to a point ■ beyond Wakefield Street. The people cheered, sang, and waved flags as they waited for tu'e official party, and tiicpe was (,-reat cheering when the Mayor,' with the Pi line Minister (the Right Hon. \t ■ I' 1 , Massey), Sir Joseph Ward, Sir James 'Alien, and others appeared on a balcouy. Thanks to God. "I want first to express my grateful thanks to 'Almighty God for tlie way m ■ which He has led tho British Army, the ' Navy, ana tht Allies in this great war, remarked the ilayor, amidst great cheering. "We must credit the great assist- I ance, tnc miraculous' escapes, to tho Divine Hand and tho guiding influence of Almighty God. (Hear, hear.) We are here to-day to celebrate the peace that will'sooL be signed. An armistice has been signed. (Loud cheers.) Hostilities have ceased. (Loud and prolonged cheers.) I wanr to express my appreciative thanks and grateful appreciation of all the great sacrifi(i;s that have been made, not only by the people of New Zealand, but by the people' constituting" the Allies with Great Britain during the war.' (Choci's.) Mr. Luke said' that although they all rejoiced they must feel full of sympathy to the relatives of those who would never return. Those who had felt the bitter hand and -tho catastrophe of the war would recognisc that their dear kith and kin had helped to make the world better and happier for all lime. (Hear, hear.) On the.call of the Mayor loud and prolonged cheers were given for the Navy, soldiers, sailors, nurses, doctors, and chaplains, as well as for the auxiliary forces of the air. "God bless tliem all,'" said the Mayor. "Tho victory has been achieved and good will come of it. Thero will be/a newer, a happier, and a more prosperous world, making for prosperity and happiness for cveyone. (Loud cheers.) Mr, Massey's Speech. "Pour years and three months ago," said the Prime Minister, "on August 5, 1914, the Governor-General, speaking from the steps of the Parliamentary Buildings, told' the people of Wellington, and through them the people of Nov." Zealand, that a state of war existed between Britain and Germany. Wo went away from that gathering impressed with tho responsibility that as British citizens we were required to tale up, but determined that, with the help of Almighty God, we would do our full share in seeing, the war through to a succcssful conclusion. (Cheers.) To-day I want to offer my thanks and your thanks to the Ruler of the Universe for having guided and protected ns during four years of the most awful war this world has fever experienced. This is a great day, a day of joy and gladness in every part of the British Empire and in every part of the civilised world; We have occasion to rejoice* because the news received to-day means that the monsters *of iniquity, the men responsible for all the horrors and crimes of the last four years, are beaten.. (Cheers,) They are on their knees. They have been compelled to sign an armistice which practically means. unconditional surrender. (Cheers.) They are criminals and they have thrown themselves on the mercy, of the court—the court of humanity—and the court will see that justice is done. Justice will be dono to the Germans and to the people who have been associated with them—the unspeakable -Turk, the treacherous Bulgarian, the wily Austrian. Ihey are all iroing to be held responsible for the crimes of which they have been •guilty during the last four years. 1 am glad to know that there are present here today. representatives of our Allies, repreecntatives of gullfint France (chcpr.s) of our kinsmen in the United States— (cheers)—of chivalrous Italy and the lesser nations. (Cheers.) The German Empire 'is broakin& up. • We must see to it that it is broken up. That is outduty. The submarines that are m the German ports to-'day and that have caused the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people during the last four years should be towed into deep water and sunk where they .will never come to the surface Again. We —and when I say wo I mean the. Allied nations—have got to see that the German surface-ships are handed over to-the Allies. We have got to see that the armies of Germany are de- ( mobilised, never again to be brought together ; that the German colonies' never , go back to Germany; and that tho German people make reparation to the last farthing of which they are capable for the injury and suffering they have inflicted, particularly upon the smaller nations. .There must be no half measures. This is a solemn duty, and we have to , discharge it thoroughly and completely. "Wo have said in the past that Britain always wins the last battle. Britain has won it again. (Cheers.) Germany • longed for the day and planned for the day. The dav has coipe, but it is our day. Germany, which intended, to humble Britain, smash the Empire and secure possession of British colonics. , is in the dust. That is the result of German plotting and German unscrupul- , ousness. More than four years ago, at, , the final conference where it was hoped to preserve peace, the German renresontative (old the British representative that, if Britain entered the war it would be at a terrible cost. • The British representative in reply used words that will never be' forgotten. _ He said that, where the honour of Britain was conMTiied the cost wa.s not to be counted. Wo have not counted the cost. Our hoys have (Wended the honour and the dimiity of Britain no matter what the cost. (f'lteers.) ! Thousands of . them lmve made th n sunreme sacrifice in the i jreat cause. Tliev have died for us, fnr our liberty end freedom, and we know to-day' that their sacrifice has not hepn in vain. Fifteen thousand of our Now 7-nalnnd men—gallant lads, the very pick of the country—h"ve died in this wnr. Tlic'v memory and the memory of the t.ierifi'ee they'made will never be forgotten. Mothers sent, their sons to th« front, wives sent their husbands, children parted proudly with their fathers,

They knew on the day of parting, though thoy kept cheerful faces, that the sacrifice might be great. They knew that a portion of the men would never como back, and it has proved to be a large portion. But we can hope at a time like this that thoso who have lost their dear ones will find consolation in tho good fight the boys put up and in tho victory that has crowned their efforts. We pray that peace when it comes—we are on the edge of it, indeed I believe we have reached it—will bring liberty, righteousness, and freedom to the whole of humanity." (Cheers.) Sir Joseph Ward. Sir Joseph Ward, who was received with cheers, said that the loDg night was over. The people of Wellington had gathered in their thousands that day for tho purpose of showing that "the heart speaketh through the mouth," and he did not doubt that joy and gratitude to tho Supreme Being for the peace that He . had brought to them was foremost ; in their minas. The monster who had been at the head of the bloodthirsty German war lords was now skulking iii Holland with the Crown Prince, That meant the end of the schemes'of world domination 6 that had been prepared during the last ■_ fifty years; it meant the destruction of the villainous doctrine that might was jj. right. The wholo world was rejoicing l' that dny at the triumph of right over ;, might- (Cheers.) The German Empire l ; ' was being shattered and the men responsible for the foul doctrines that had been disseminated by Germany, were goer ing down with the ruins, e At this Stage the town clock struck e twelve, and the Minister's voice was ~ drowned for some minutes by the whistles and syrens of the steamers in port. When he was able to resume, Sir J Joseph Ward said that the signing of the armistice lifted a load from the minds of at least 350,000 New Zealand people who had relatives at tlie front at the present time. The armistice meant tlint hostile 'ities had ceased—(applause)—and that the 1 soldiers would soon fie returning to their 1 homes. The war had moved very rapidly during recent weeks, and he believed that the collapse of tho Germans was due largely to tlie efforts of the grand old British Navy. (Cheers.) It was a source of satisfaction to know that when the German Navy recently was ordered to - go out and meet the British Fleet the German sailors hoisted the red flag and arrested their own officers rather .than give battle to the waiting British warships. British people to-day had a lot' to be thankful for, and he' was not surprised to see before him that dny tho most de- ! nionstrative gathering he had ever faced. The enthusiasm that was being displayed 1 that day meant that if the nation wero ' over threatened again, as it had been ; threatened by the Germans, it would rise to the occasion and fight as it had fought ' (J'li'ing the last four years. The people of the Empire, with the support of their Allies, had ensured that tho immutable I nrlnciplos of justice would be handed down io their children's children. Democratic rule was going to be established through- ■ out the world. Even in Germany the people were going to rule themselves, and never again would it be possible for autocratic rulers to send millions of men to death for the personal gratification and glory of ruling dynasties. He felt sure that the people of New Zealand were going to celebrate the great occasion worthily, and that they would be as proud of tlieir nation to-morrow as they were to At J the call of Sir Joseph Ward the crowd cheered enthusiastically for the mothers of the soldiprs and for the civil servants who were working that day in order that necessary public services might be maintained even during the armistice celebrations. The Defence Minister. Sir James Allen,- who was received with rapturous plaudits of delight, said the dominant note had already been struck, but ho wanted to strike it again. "Thanks to the Almighty Father for His unspeakable mercies, for He has given us the victory," no said. "On behalf of those relatives and friends who have lost their dear ones during these four and a half years, I may say that we rejoice, although our hearts are heavy and sad. AVc rejoice with the Motherland and its Navy and its people; they have proved themselves worthy of the men that went before them-r-worthj- of the traditions of the British Empire. rejoice with the people of Belgium—poor, desecrated, ravished Belgium. But' the time is near at hand when those who did the damage will have to repair that damage.. We rejoice with the great people of La Belle France. We are giad to know that the. Frenchmen found the Generalissimo who 'brought this fight to a successful conclusion. (Loud cheers.) W.e rejoice with all our allies." Sir James went on to say that his heart wns too full to say all he wanted to say about the allies who 'had helped them on to victory. The United States was late in coming into tho war, but it did come in, and he was sure that the great people of the United States were rejoicing to-day just as much as the British people wore, for they realised that the freedom, the liberty, the -conscience of the world 'had been at stake, and it was their duty to join hands with those who were fighting for the exercise -of those principles. They rejoiced with the brave men who were still at the front. "Thanks be to them for what they have done' for us," remarked Sir James Allen. ''AVe have our duty yet to do to them, and I hope this cotintrv will do it. (Cheers.) We have gono through four and a half years of hell and purgatory and I think we shall come out of this hell purged and purified. Unless we can learn some lessons from this war then the war will not have served the purpose which the Almighty desired that it should serve. I believe that from this war there will grow a sense of brotherhood, and I would rather, strike the brotherhood note today than any other note I can think of." Ele hoped they would hold kindly feelings one to another, and kindly feelings to their Allies. Although they might havo had-a desire to .-break with : those who had been cruel and wicked, i yet there were among the German nation men and women who believed in Christ ■ and God, and who would like to see tho i brotherhood of man. (Cheers.) At this stage, the assemblage enthu- ] siastieally cheered Sir James Allen, and sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." < t The Returned Soldiers. I ( The next speaker was Mr. J. D. Har- ] per, chairman of the New Zealand lie- [ turned Soldiers' Association. He said 1 he was proud that day to be .able to f represent the Returned Soldiers' Asso- 1 ciacion, because it was a very glad day. ( (Cheers.) It was, too, a great day of t joy for the returned soldiers. Those men 1 who had gone' to the war had merely 1 carried out a simple duty. He trusted ■ that the dependants of those who had 11 given their lives and those who had been ; ( seriously incapacitated would be ade- 1 quntely looked after. Ho desired to ex- | press appreciation of the excellent work | which'the women of this country had | donol He had no hesitation in saying j from the experience lie had had of tho ( men .in tho firing-line, that they , thoroughly appreciated the generous and ] epnsiderate work of the women of - this < country. Referring to the spirit on, brotherhood which had been promoted ] by the war, and especially amongst the , men who had served together in tho j trenches, he felt that it would ultimate- ( ly have a great influence on the social life and progress of this Dominion. i Colonel -.T. G. Hughes, D.5.0., also t spoke briefly. ITe said that the British 1 people had started the war under a good King-and they had got that King ( still. (Applause.) The people of New ' Zealand had entered the war under their ' present Governor-General and Ministers, who lmd been represented at the front J by their own sous, and they had thoso • men with them still. ('Applause.) The 1 Prime Minister had mentioned the 15,000 dear boys who had "Gone West." ! Those boys must not be forgotten. New 3 Zealand should remember also on such rm occasion (he Commander of the New < Zealand Expeditionary Force, General j ftodley. and the officer enmmnndins; the < New Zealand Division, General Russell. fChcers.) The Dominion should remember the lioys who were comim: I'ome. Hie i British Army, and the gallant 29 th Division. (Cheers.) Tho gathering gave three tremendous cheers for the King and the Queen at < the call of the Mayor. >

The massed Iwmh then played Hip "Marseillaise," "Bu'n, Britannia." and the "Star-Spangled Banner" amid much flipcri"?. nnd great o,liners wove r»iv>n for Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig,

Admiral Sir David Beatty, and Marshal I Foch. The proceedings closed with the Doxology, in which the .crowd joined heartily. s,

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19181113.2.51

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 13 November 1918, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,632

CIVIC CELEBRATION Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 13 November 1918, Page 8

CIVIC CELEBRATION Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 13 November 1918, Page 8

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