The Hawera Star. TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1924. CITIZENS WHO GAVE UP EVERYTHING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 July 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1924. CITIZENS WHO GAVE UP EVERYTHING.

Delivered esary evening t>y 6 o’clock in Sawere, Manaia, Nqrmanby. Oltaiawa, Eltham, Mangatcki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeuc Manutahi, Alton, Harley ville, Patett, Waverley, Mokoia, Wbakamara, Obangai, Merecaere. Fraeer Road, and

Wa have received from the Minister of Defence a copy of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Roll of Honour, containing the names of the members who were killed in action, wounds inflicted, accident occurring, or disease contracted while on active service; list of those Avho died after discharge from the New Zealand Expeditionary Farces from wounds inflicted or disease contracted while on active service; list of those who died from, accident occurring, or disease contracted, while training with or attached to the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces in New Zealand. As one opens the book one feels that, it. is sacred. There in cold print are set down the records of what the war cost this Dominion in human life. “ During the Great War New Zealand raised for service overseas in the eause of freedom 110,368 troops, of which number. 100,444 actually proceeded overseas for service. ’ ’ In that statement alone there is food for much deep thought, but a little later we read: “The number of deaths overseas was 16,697, or 16.62 per cent, of the number embarked; the number of deaths, including those who died after discharge from disabilities due to or aggravated by war service (up to December 31, 1923), was 17,661, or 17.58 per cent, of those embarked; while the total deaths, including those who died while undergoing training in New Zealand, was 18,166, or 16.46 per cent, of the total troops enlisted for overseas service.” Such sacrifice should make everyone pause and think. One recalls the days of anxiety and suffering, when the cables brought almost daily their casualty lists. One remembers the stirring accounts of the doings of one’s friends and neighbours in distant lands, in Egypt, Gallipoli, Palestine, France and Belgium. v One recalls the farewelling and the welcoming home of •troops, but this Roll of Honour tells in silence of those great men who will never return, men who gave all that they had that we might be free and live under the British system of democracy. The King during his pilgrimage to France in May, 1922, delivered a message to the people of the Empire, in which he said: “For here, in their last quarters, lie sons of every portion of that Empire, across, as it were, the threshold of the Mother Island which they guarded that Freedom might be saved in the uttermost ends of the earth.” The King finished his message with these words: “I fervently pray that, both as nations and individuals we may so order our lives after the ideals for which our brethren died that we may be able to meet their gallant souls once more, humbly but unashamed.” As one looks through the New Zealand Roll of Honour, one thinks of the wonderful sacrifice which the book officially records, and one thinks ' almost immediately—Was it worth while? The men who served and died in the war certainly thought that the Freedom and Justice which they went out to defend were worth the sacrifice. It is no fault of theirs that the record of post-war effort is largely a record of failure. They helped to save the Empire and gave their lives for it. More than that they could not do, but surely those whom they saved from Prussianism can do whatever is required to restore the nation and give it such power and influence that war will be much less likely in the future. The Roll of Honour with its pages of names of men who gave their lives to the Empire may be summed up in one work —Service. But it is a different kind of service from that which is rendered only when reward is sure. The soldiers’ reward was not measured by a golden rod, but their sacrifices have been in vain only if those who come after them fail to do their part in upholding at all times those British principles of honour, freedom and justice for which in the history of the race so many thousands of lives have been given. In war time the need for service in the defence of the nation is so obvious that only those of poor courage refuse to recognise it, but in peace time, we believe, there are almost as many opportunities for service if people will think of the nation and of the part which the individual can take in helping it to prosper. The Roll of Honour, which no doubt many people will treasure in memory of those wdio died in the service of the Empire, places on record for all time the sacrifices New Zealanders made. The long

lists of names bring feelings of sadness and make one reflect on the hideousness and horror of Avar, but with it all one feels proud that in its years of trial great armies of British citizens in every part of the world Avere AA’illing to give up everything for the cause of democracy and to defend civilisation from the evils of military dictatorship. Upon those to Avhom has been handed doAvn the safe keeping of the Empire rests the serious duty of doing their part by trying to build up and improve the nation and protecting it from people avlio may seek to injure it.