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PEACE CELEBRATIONS

FIXING OF DAYS

NEED FOE MOKE NOTICE

SUGGESTION TO THE GOVERNMENT

Now that tho decision has been made that tho New Zealand" peace celebrations arc to take placo on the signing of tho Peace Preliminaries, and not on the conclusion of the final treaty between the groups of belligerents, it lias occurred to tho committee in charge of the preparations for the proper marking of tho occasion that there may not be sufficient time allowed to make the celebrations a success. Tho suggestion made by tho Government to all tho local authorities is that the proceedings should be spread over three day*-tho Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday after tho signing of tho preliminaries. A deputation representing tho committee waited on the ActingPrime Minister yesterday to suggest to him that the arrangement should bo varied, 60 as to give the committees more time in which to make their preparations. Tho reasons for the suggested post, poncment of the celebrations were explained by the Mayor and others members of the committee. It was pointed .out that if the occasion were to be worthily celebrated considerable preparations would have to be made. There were proposals for the entertainment of children, and for the decoration of the streets with bunting and greenery. These decorations could not bo put in place until it was known with certainty when the gala days were to be, nnd it would not be possible in these times when labour was 6carce to do the work in a day or two. The suggestion was that there should be an interval of, say, ten days between tho receipt of the news and the celebrations. In the event of the news coming late in the week, it was suggeseit that tho oeteoratious be not postponed over two Sundays, but that they commence, in any event, not on the. Sunday after tho signing, but on the second Sunday after tho signing. Sir James Allen said that tho Government had had a great deal of difficulty about coming to a decision iu regard to the date of the celebrations. Pirst of all they had thought it necessary to ask the Imperial Government whether it was proposed that the celebrations should be held after the conclusion of the final peace, or after the signing of the prelimaries. Tho New Zealand Government had three times communicated with the Imperial Government on this point, but had not yet received a reply In view of the urgency about coming to some decision soon, the Government had decided to celebrate after tho signing of the preliminaries. He had no more information than was open to everybody as to when that would be. The Government had. through the Minister of Internal Affairs, circulated suggestions to the local authorities as to tho celebrations, but the Government had issued no directions, anil it was open now o any city or town to vary tho' arrangements in any way thought desirable. At first the Government had thought that the spirit of tho people would impel them to celebrate immediately on receipt of the news, decorations or no decorations, but at length the decision of the Government had been that some time ought to be allowed to got the cities and towns into gala array. It was now asked that tho Government should issuo not suggestions but directions altering the date for tho celebrations. If it did this the decision would bind all the local authorities in tho country. ■ lie could certainly not m.ike a promise on the subject, but he would bring the matter before Cabinet the following . day. He pointed out, I however, that under tho present arj raugement it was open to any city _ to choose its own time. The only objection to this would bo that all places might not celebrate on the same da* He did not think that Cabinet would be willing to issue any directions. He was inclined to think that tho question would be left for the individual decision of the local bodies concerned. Mr. Luke said that this would leave the position very difficult. Mr. J. Lewis suggested that tho Wellington Committee get into touch wiih the committees in the other centres, and that the renlies from these centres might be a anide fov the Government. Sir James Allen approved of this course, and the Mayor drafted and dispatched the following telegram lo the Mayors of Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin :— "Deputation of citizens interviewed Sir James Allen, urging that ten days should elapse between the reception of news of signing peace and New Zealand celebrations, to enable worthy decorations to be completed for the occasion. Please wire urgent if you are iu accord."

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190429.2.39

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 183, 29 April 1919, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
779

PEACE CELEBRATIONS Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 183, 29 April 1919, Page 6

PEACE CELEBRATIONS Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 183, 29 April 1919, Page 6

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