ARMISTICE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 14 November 1918, Page 9

ARMISTICE DAY

CELEBRATIONS' IN FEATIIEESTON. (Special Correspondent.) At 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning bells wero. rinijing gaily, procliiiming the glad tidings that the'world wnr hnd ljeen brought to a conclusion, happiljf consistent with the mission iijion which the Allied l'oices had fought. -Tlie-loenl proceedings liail beeii definitely- planned tho previous evening at a -well-attended meeting, but at the eleventh hour tho civic nutlioritica decided to discountenance ft fully-oi'giinisod procession of motor-cam arranged, for the occasion. This point;of view wis created by "(he military funeral in tho morning,' w'hon three soldiers were laid to rest, and in the afternoon at the hour appointed for the civic rejoicings another trio of.soldiers were accorded militiiry funeral honours, tho procession encircling tho square iii front of tlio Town Hal],, where the people had' assembled. Kain fell during- the ceremony. His Worship, the Mayor (Mr.. J. W. Card) recorded tho regret occasioned by the' affliction upon' the soldier nhd civilian community, and said that'it was inevitable that-such gloom would react upon tte public generally. Throughout tho wide world, however, thore would bo general' elation by reason of tlio good news'.received' that "day as to an armistice being signed and the Kaiser definitely removed from'the sphere of his former' aetivitie-3. The world would be, w-«ll rid of -the usurper, and the principles for which Britain and her Allies ihnd fought were on (he liigh road to. complete-'vindi-cation. ■ Militarism, -there-' was every reason to believe, was doomed,--and the admission of tho • ex-German Chancellor that Germany .had conquered herself and the , belief in might indicated' the dawn ef better-things.-even--for tho'defeated people. He concluded.-by paying a ■high tribute to those who-had fought and , bled for-.their country,, .and emphasised the . impgi-tar.es of the task boforo-the Allied peoples and the world— -dub attention :to ' problems, of-reconstruction. < . ■

Mr. A. -C< Holms voiced, as a provincial officer of the. order, the.ideals-of 200,000 Oddfellows, and the representatives- of other friendly societies .who'had shoul-. dered.thft burden of Empire on-the field .of .battle. They: had . Ijeen truly- linked in tho bonds- -of friendship, love, and truth wii.ii millioiig of- the soldiers ot tho. King, and the Allied millions,' in giving practical .effect, to. the teaching they had received. He believed - that. the dawn of tho perfect day as far as the democratiention. of. the world .was, concerned had arrived, aiid wo ehould be thankful to' John Bull. and.'.Company- for" having stood to -their : gmis. and won' a' victory for the. ideals: of'-justice'and truth. ■' '-It. was a dny for.tlmnkfulness;•remembrance, and-. joyfillness—tho ' beginning . . cit' ■ heavy . responsibilities., -for.v. those countrie? doterinined to make the : world brighter- and-- : better. ■ 'Specially! ehould we rouiember the gallant little Belgian Army—Kitchener's first hundred thousand, the British and l'Vencli heroes uf tbo'Marne, and their successors; also ■the:<iuty we owe-to our noble army'of A'ew Zealunders and their dependniiti. ';

Tlio Rev. J. G..S. Bartlott'epoke , of .the. great-, responsibility the victory achieved :had placed; upon British peoplo as the leaders of; the'forces'.arrayed on the sido of. liberty. Wo had to remein-. bor the duty devolving upon, us "in. training the-joungßr'.gericnitiou iilong paths : of discretion,-'in order -that they might be fully /.equipped for .the task before their day and:vgeneration. : To • the mothers. of' the Einpif o wo Were ■ deeply indobtedvfor tlio of brothor'hood and. unity inculcated, and ever should .we cherish the memory of • those who had"fallen'in' the grent-fight' for righteousness; . He felt—and ho believed they all-did-i-thit "\vo-should'accord tho Higher Power whose "loving hand had directed us heartfelt thanks for- the good foVtune vouchsafed us in the hour of trial. To onr Navy and Army—tim men in blue and'the men in khnki—-we should tender.bin , - gratitude for the gi'eat and glorious service they had rendered.- Eiic'lr and everyone had-a -sacj-pd <luty to perform in tho" guarding'of 'our national honour, and- spreading -the principles '/ lovo rind truth. '' . . •.'•'■'

Cheers for"the Navy'and Army, and the Allies, were- lustily, given, on the call of the Mayor, ■ wlio also moved \i hearty votes of .thanks to the .Military Band for rendering"tho ■ programme.of music for the ..gathering,, tho'vote 'being carried, by acclaiiiation. The following notional. 'iwd patriotic airs were played: "God Save the King," "Rule, Britannia/' ''Marseiiraise,' , ."iStiir-Spa'nglijd..Banner,-". "God Defend- New Zealand,"- '"British Grenadiers," and "Home, Sweet -Hojno:" With tho singing of .tho Doxplogy ■ the gathering dispersed; quietly. • : . •':