IN MEMORIAM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4691, 28 April 1924, Page 2

IN MEMORIAM.

PEESBYTERIAN CHURCH SERVICE. INVEILING OF TABLET, At the Presbyterian Church, Pa.roa, yesterday morning the ccremO'P of unveiling a memorial tablet was pei'foimed in the presence of a large congregation, which included His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall), Major C. Andrews, N.Z.S.C., officers of tlie Territorials, and a number of returned soldiers. Colonel R, C. Allen, D. 5.0.. performed the unveiling ceremony and delivered the addre'ss. The service opened with the .singing of the National Anthem, followed b’ a prayer by the Rev. R. Morgan; psalm, “Now may Israel Say, and that Truly” ; Old Testament reading , hymn, “O God pur help in ages past”, New Testament reading i hymn. During (he taking up of the offertory the choir rendered the anthem “What arc these” very effectively.

Commencing his address. Colonel Allen said he was proud of the honour that the Presbyterians had confcrre.l on him by asking him to unveil the momoiial tablet. Since peace was declared he had been called upon to officiate at a number of unveiling ceremonies, and lie always regarded the duty as a sad one indeed. As a result of the World War those who liad been spared had brought back many sad memories of the gallant dead, and of duty unaccomplished, and also, fortunately, happy memories of wonderful friendships that hail been wrought—friendships that no earthly ties could sever. Them also, there was the happy memory that tae enemy had been loft a wiser enemy,' and one beaten to its knee:. It necessary to pause frequently and think of the innumerable graves of the Fallen marked by the simple crosses, clearly denoting the enormous and splendid sacrifice that had been made in the cause of Righteousness. It was fitting and proper that a mem; orinl should be placed in a church where it could be seen Sunday afte.Sunday Speaking as a returned soldier, ne thought that all the talk of heroism of the men who went to the war wah inclined to be overdone. On Anzac Day people spoke of the men as heroes, which, he thought, was a lot of rubbish when one, compared the soldiers with the aged people who were unable to go, but were content to give their sons while they stayed home and worked and prayed. Tn the old days of tribal disturbances it Was always the young men who had been looked to to do the fighting and defend the home, and in the recent war history had only repeated itself. Those who had made the greatest sacrifice in the war were the women. They gave all they could and suffered untold anguish and anxiety, and to his mind were unquestionably the real heroines of the war. Looking back over the war period it was easy to classify those who went to the front gladly and gallantly, and those who went reluctantly. There were ns many deserters in our own land as iheic were in the army. He thought that 'ho women who would not let their menfolk go to the front were as great ciiminals as the deserters themsehe... Colonel Allen said that he cov.’.d not fairly disclaim all the beroisn cd those who fought, and .io thought that little New Zealand might well fee, moud of the number of gal hint fellows who left her shores ; ami it was a matter for congratulation the way the Dominion had equipped and inaiPia'neil her Expeditionary Force. The speaker said he was grateful for the opportunity of publicly expressing b>s ll ioiks, long overdue, to the people of Paeroa for the generous gifts that had been received by-him for the Hauraki Regiment. He believed that the Haurakis were better provided ler in gift ■ and money than any other portion of the battalion that he at '.hat time had the honour to commaml. He also wished to thank the Ohinemuri Jockey Club for its donation ot £lOO, which was received during midwinter in France. By the donation of that money it had been possible to provie a regular feed of hot soup, biscuits, and - other comforts for the boys,, -who at that lime were up in the front line. The people of Waihi, too, had been wonderfully generous co the Mprpetlis and their friends. Colonel Allen said'the sacrifices made during the war had taught many valuable lessons, and .the whole standard of vic- and sin had been completely revisco. Tn the army, as elsewhere, the drunkard was a curse, the licentious man .was an everlasting nuisance, but the selfish, jealous self seeking man was the worst of all. because he east a blight on everyone ami everything. A drunkard freqti' ntly turned out a good fighter, am] although often unreliable he was often good company and was infinitely better than the envious fellow who was continually on the “grouse.” Env.and jealously was far worse than th'.' drunkard in the line. Most returneti men could now understand how the Diety must, hate the proud and envious man. Men in the mass were strongly moved by the principle of self-intorost. A soldier was rarely a Socialist, and the speaker quoted instances showing bow trench warfare had taught lessons with regard to individual effort and. human nature. Mon might be idealists in their Innermost beings. ,bnt the war had disclosed that they were generally individiialists. Colonel Allen Said that many returned men had expressed disappointment as to the. result the war had on tbe world. They seemed to think tlrni the world would be completely changed as a result of their efforts in the war. Groat men had been carried away by their patriotism and had spoken of- making the world a fit place for heroes to live in, but such people were slowly grasping the old story, that God alone can perform such doings, and that men must learn to know and rely bn the word of God as the Supreme Being. T t was not what a man had done or what he lield or gained that counted for anything ; it was what a man is that mattered most of all. The real hero was the man who lived a noble, clean life ar.d helped in the establishment of the Kingdom of God. The world

coidd never be made better or beautiful by war. Individual effort on the part of men «as what was wanted, and what would count, most. To achieve this would no doubt mean all uphill fight, but it was well worth while. Colonel Allen then proceeded to the western wall of the church and sol cmnly unveiled the tablet to the glory of God and in memory of those woo fought and fell in the Great War, after which the' “Last Post’’ was sounded by Mr E. Martin. A prayer of dedication and thanks was then offered by the Rev .Morgan, and the impressive service concluded with the hymn “For all the Sainis who from their labours rest,” followed by “The Dead March in Saul,” played by Mis Cooke. The memorial is a handsome brass tablet mounted bn oak, and bears the following names : A Adolph. E. Evans, M M„ X. Evans, W. Hamilton (killedp N. Hamilton, C. Hamilton (killed), S. Hanna, A. Hanna (killed), 11. LittVejohn, W. Mahony, M.M.. K. McKee. E. A. -Poiritt, M.C., J. A. Reid, and R Wilson.