ANZAC DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 180, 25 April 1919, Page 5

ANZAC DAY

MEMORIAL SERVICE AT TOWN HALL

TROOPS TO MARCH THROUGH CITY

Pour years ago to-day eons' of Australia And New Zealand, against terrific odds, but inspired with a spirit which defied comparison, landed on the inhospitable 6hores of Gallipoli, and scaled the almost perpendicular heights that thev might satisfy the caii66 of righteousness. It is to tho memory of those who made the great sacrifice in this glorious campaign that to-day is set aside as sacred.

Under the. auspices of the "Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association a memo, rial service will be, held in the Town Hall this afternoon at 3 o'clock, 'ihe service will include the following hymns: "Onward, Christian Soldiers," "O, God, Our Help in- Ages Past," and "Lead Kindly Light." Addresses will be deliver, ed by the Bey. J. G. "Wilson (C.F.), the Rev. H.' A. Bkiisley (C.F.),' Canon T. P. Taylor (C.F.),. and t : he Rev. A. Gray (C.F.). The organist will be Dr. W. Kington Fyffe. ' .♦ _ Those present will include the Hon. Si" James Allen, Minister of Defences the' Hon, 1). H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands; the Hon. J. A. Hanan,' Minister of Education; the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M^G.); Major-General Sir Alfred Robin, K.C.M.G.; Mnjor-General Hender. son; Colonel Morice; Major D. J. Sweetzer (Camp Commandant, Trentham),. Matron M'Lean- (in charge of the N.Z. Nursing Service), together with numerous other officers. • All returned soldiers will parade .in uniform at 2.15 p.m. in- Gro.y Street, opposite the Returned Soldiers' Club. Colonel J. G. Hughes, C.M.G., D.5.0., will be in charge of tho parade, ' and other returned officers will be posted to tho composite nnits. > The parade will move off at 2.30 p.m. along Lambton;Quay, Willis Street, Manners Street, and down Lower Cuba Street to the Torn Hall. The parade will he preceded by motor-cars containing thoso soldiers who are unable to march. There has been a liberal response to the appeal for motor-cars. The Tramwaya Band and other bands if available mill take part in the parade. It is specially requested that all returned soldiers be on parade iti uniform sharp at 2.15 p.m. . tinder the auspices of tho Wellington Returned Soldiers' Club-house Society a concert will be given in the Town Hall at 8 o'clock to-night. ■ . -j

THE DATE OF CELEBRATION RETURNED SOLDIERS' ATTITUDE. 'I'lie decision of some business people, including ■ the master drapers and the Wellington Harbour Board, not to grant a full holiday. to their employees for the celebration of Anzac Day, is the subject'- of adverse comment by representatives of the. Returned Soldiers' Association. The master drapers have 'suggested to-'the Government that in future (ho Sunday nearest to April 25 should bo declared, a day of commemoration for the heroes of Gallipoli. They state that if a. whole holiday is granted on ;r m-ek-day, the great majority of people do not take any part in the commemoration services and meetings, and - Anzac Day becomes a mere day of amusement. The Wellington Harbour Beard has arranged to grant a holiday today to members of its staff who are returned soldiers, and who, therefore, are likely to wish to take an active part in tlie i commemoration of Anzac Duy. But the secretary of the'board stated yesterday that it -was not proposed to grant a .general hojiday, which would involve closing down, the wharves_ foritlie c'.'.y. There had been many holidays alteady, and th'n' pressing of work on the whsrves was very great. ' • The secretary of the Wellington Rrlurn- 1 fid .Soldiers' Association (Mr. A. Curtayne) said, yesterday that lie was astonished at tlie attitude of the people who professed to see no reason for the special , observance of Auzaic Day. Tha returned' soldiers would not be satisfied with commemoration of the nearest Sunday. Tl.ey considered that Anaac Day itself. ( Jig anniversary of the 'landing- aii G.illipoli, ought to be regarded by the people of New Zealand as a great- national anniversary. They were going to press the Government to place the day on tha list of statutory _ holidays, .and he believed that this claim would have the .l;C-arty suppo'-'t of tha vast majority of f he peo-' pie of New Zealand. ] The assumption that Anzac Day, if observed on its'nroper date, would bectme' a. mere day of amusement could r.ot lie accepted as a sound argument for an alteration, added Mr. Cnrtayne. Tnere were tens of thousands of peoplo who wanted to celolirato Anzac Day ks a day sacred. to the memory of the gallant fellows who had died for the nation. To those people, April £5_ was a dav apart from other days._ Ministers of the Crown and other public men had stated that Anzac- Day-was! to !» New Zealand's great war' memorial day. and the returned soldiers were not prepared tn accept any deviation from tnat plan, lie hoped that the business people who-had-decided against the observance of Anzac 13 3 y as a general holiday would reconsider their determination.

An Anzac memorial service will be held in the Cambridge Terracp Congregational Church to-day, from 3 p.m. 'o 4 pmi. ,Tho Rev. J. R.'.Glasson will preside. A service ivill also be held in St. Petor's Church, Willis Street, at 7.30 o'clock this evening.