STOP PRESS NEWS

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 April 1916, Page 3

STOP PRESS NEWS

AN2AC DAY. « OELEBR A'lK/JYJb IN .LEVIN. THE bi'EEuSr-S. 'i he celebration oi tiio nrst anniversary of Anzac Day tools piace in iine weather ana inthe presence ot a large ant,; representative gatnering. ine eei cinony was oi a benii-i nature, and the speeciies delivere.. were appiuciatiive in reierenee ana exhortatory in turn. speaker received an attentive hearing. Tiio arrangements far the iui.et.oa reflected great credit on the mayor antii town clerk of Levin, whose combined superintendence directed the eiforts oi 'no many willing helpers into most useful channels. Undier Major Bui'maon, the procession was arranged >.nu cai'ried out with pleasing promptitude and effect. Several hymns were sung, during the ceremony, by the combinocl church choirs of Levin, and aT"prayer was offered up by Captain-Gnapiain Abbey of the Methpdist Church The first address given was that of Mr Jjlenkhorn, mayor ot Levin, who began by remarking that in the great ngn, at Gallipoli our New Zealand soiuiers had borne their part as we iiad expects ed they would do. Tiie Gallipoli campaign had been described aa "a splendid failure"; but from that ie ditiered; the phrase was more striking than real; andi he believed thai, "ntt verdict ot history would be that -lie results achieved at Gallipoli fully justified the great sacrifices that wore made. Mr Blenkhorn went on to express his appreciation oi the native race; in this great game oi war they had been helped by the spirits of their ancestors, and they hadi fought bravely to assist our nation to whicli Ciiey now belonged, and we owed them our gratitude. He hoped that in the near future some statesman would arise who would devote himself to the Maoris' interests, and so legislate that they would be given the standing thoy deserved. Mr Blenkhorn trusted that on the next occasion wa were called upon to meet together it would be to celebrate that peace which we one and all urgently desired. The Rev. Bawdeti Harm gave a short address, appreciative of -he bravery and heroism of our men. Ha quoted Shakespeare's words from Henry V. (scene 3) descriptive of that

1 monarch'B addrees on St. Crispin i Day to the British soldiers at Har fleur, and remarked that with tn« single substitution of "Anzao' 101 "Harfleur," the word® would apply cc , all our men who iought at Gallipoli. I Mr W. H. Field, Ai,i. for Utaki j recalled that two methods of attaoi that were tried at Gallipoli, and tlial after the ineffectiveness ot the «ea bombardment came the newer tactics, in which the landing lorces achieved glory. In this connection we ought to remember that many British troope took part in the attack; it was noi only Australia and New Zealand thn gained the glory. And our valorous attacks did not go for nothing; they kept a large force busy and prevented them from being engaged on other battlefronts. Therefore our. men s live sliad not been thrown away; they had been well given lor the sake ox the empire. In the course of «■ reference to the heroism shown at Gallipoli by the Maoris, and by tho whites also. Mr Field remarked that it had been eaidi the British were a decadent race, but he thought this war and the Anglo-Boer war lormed an effective answer to that, and proved that the British soldier of to-day n vas as good a soldier as ever he was. ; )ur men in this war had fought and dieu for us; as much for us in Levin as f'or other parts ot the empire; and- we in Levin must bear our parts with tne rest in meeting every obligation to the soldiers, that the empire lay" under There still was much to be done towards achieving success for the empire. New Zealand'already Had «Aiit I 50,000 men to the front, besides a special corps of tunnellers, now *n England, but more men must Be raised. We needed 2500 men every | month, and either it had to lie done I'y voluntaryism or by conscription. He urged every eligible man to seriousiy consider his position. I'bose who ilui their duty to-day could in the future look proudly back, and say to their children and tlieir people "1 have dione my duty" (applause). But for 'ne other sort, there would be always Wie sentiment "Poor man, I am sorry lor him!" This great war had to be won by us and won handsomely ; there must be no stalemate possible; it j shouldi be won in such manner that the peace of the world would be well established. Therefore he urged on all to do their duty to-day. After aH the general opinion was that there wae no life like a soldier's life; he bad known young recruits who went into camp protesting they had no fighting spirit, and after a short experience o< tlie life and its conditions they hacome to regard it as tirst-rate. (Presure on our space prevents publication to-day ot any further notices of the speeches; but tlie whole of them will appear in both editions of to-m ir_ rmrfilirnrnVlfl.l