PEACE CELEBRATIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 167, 9 April 1919, Page 7

PEACE CELEBRATIONS

NO DEFINITE' ARRANGEMENTS''' . MADE. _ Certain people in Wellington are becoming perturbed owing to the apparent lack of definite arrangements for the celebration here of peace. So far. little has been done in tho, direction of getting down to details in connection with the three peace days, and it is thought that it these days are to be made as momorablo as they should be, the time has arrived when a general committee should meet, and delegato special work to certain committees until tho .whole three, days' celebrations are ' correlated and dove-tailed. From Dunedin comes the news that a peace choir of 750. voices has been organised for tho event. At tho meeting of tho committee of tho Choral "Union on Monday'evening --the conductor (ilr...Temple AVhite).said, that In had not been approached, neither did he know of any musical arrangements for any of tho peace gatherings; Ho had communicated .with Mr. Robert Parker (who had offered to conduct a school children's choir', but Mr. Parker had staled that he had heard nothing further from nnyone. '■; Mr. W. E Caldow (secretary of the Choral Union) had' noticed tho news from Dunedin, and was surprised that something of the sort had not been organised in Wellington. If there was an occasion in our history that 6hould bo marked by a great musical performance it was surely the signing of peace. He was sure that if on appeal wore made something; worthy of the occasion and of Wellington could be arranged, oven nt this late dale. Another leading citizen, who is greatly interested in music, said that there appeared to bo no live-interest'in the peace celebrations in Wellington. Whether it was the referendum in combinaation with tho municipal elections that was the cause of it, ho' knew not, but it seemed to him that things were being left to chance. There were some people who believed that any occasion could bo covered by «■ speech or two. As a matter of fact I lip public were up against speeches, and the soldiers simply would not have them. Ho quoted the wonderful success of the reception to the Hornrala's men—all done by arranging a serenade of singing school children bef.'.ro the steamer berthed, and a girls' choir at, the wharf. Spectacle and music were what was required—not speeches by the same men, over and over again!