IN MEMORIAM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5118, 27 April 1927, Page 2

IN MEMORIAM.

12TH ANZAC DAY ANNIVERSARY.

COMMEMORATION SERVICE.

The twelfth .anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’ landing on the beach at Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli Peninsula, was reverently and impressively observed at Paeroa on Monday. The ceremony differed from previous ones in that the citizens’ united commemoration service was held at the local domain, where under a bright sky and amidst pretty surroundings, approximately 1500 people assembled to pay a tribute to the Fallen and to perpetrate the immortal memory of the Anzacs,

The ceremony commenced with the assembling at the high school grounds at 2 p.m. of a large parade, comprising 12 returned soldiers under Lieut. W. Forrest, 20 territorials, 47 senior cadets, 45 boy scouts, 24 girl guides, 16 Brownies, 11 members of the Paeroa Volunteer Fire Brigade, and 11 of the Salvation Army Band. Major. E. A. Porritt, M.C., was in charge pf the parade, and was assisted by Lieuts. W. L. Lawrence, J. M. Fox, Staff Sergeant s-Major N. C. Busby and A. Steward. M.M. Other officers, on parade were Scoutmaster D. A. Vincent, Miss K. M. Emmott (Girl Guides), Miss V. Nathan (Brownies), and Supei intendent W. Moore (Fire Brigade). Shortly after 2 p.m. His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall), accompanied by Colonel E. W. Porritt, T.D., Brevet Lieut-Colpnel C. E. Andrews, 0.8. E., N.Z.S.C., Lieut. V. J. Innes, N.Z.S.C., borough councillors, and Mr W. T. Power (chairman of the School Committee), comprising the, official party, arrived at the school, and on behalf of the citizens of Paeroa the Mayor laid a beautiful wreath at the foot of tlie school Roll of Honour, after which many other wr.ea.ths were placed in position. At 2.20 p.m. the, parade moved off and, headed by the Salvation Army Band under Bandmaster E. Martin, marched to the domain via Victoria Street and Normanby Road, and entered the domain at the Mackay Street entrance, and proceeded to the lawn near the band rotunda. Here the parade drew up in hollow square formation, and the citizens either availed themselves of the limited seating accommodation or gathered round at the rear of the parade. The Mayor presided, and seated on the rotunda with him were the official party and representatives of the various Protestant denominations. The service opened with the National Anthem, followed by a brief address by the Mayor. THE MAYOR’S. ADDRESS. In addressing the gathering the Mayor said : “On this 12th anniversary of the first day on which men from New Zealand gave their lives in the Great War we. gather together to pay public homage to the memory of all the men from this land who made the supreme sacrifice during the years of the awful conflict. “By an Act of Parliament April 25 in New Zealand has been declared not a holiday but a holy day, for work and sport .alike are suspended in order that we may keep this day as a solemn period of remembrance. No law that is passed, even by the highest authority, can be really effective unless it is supported by the general public. Therefore, it is really by the will of the people that a proper observance of this day has become an established custom, .and the passage, of the years seems only to serve to strengthen the place it has claimed in our private and public life.

“Last Anzac Day our public Commemoration Service was so well attended that difficulty was found to accommodate all who wished to attend the service, so that this year we find ourselves in this domain, where all may find ample room to take part.

“Differences, of course, exist as to just what form this commemoration should take, and they must vary according to our experiences and outlook on life. In reality the manner of our doing matters not so much as tlie spirit of it, and the thoughts we "think. The feelings which stir us through our emotions to-day should be of the spirit, lifting us for a brief period above the material and the temporal things to those which are spiritual and eternal. It may assist us to this end if we consider for a moment the form of our commemoration and its possible significance. “We have flown our flags proudly from the mast-top, for a proud glory lies upon this, day—the glory of sacrifice, of great endeavour, of victory finally won, and of the seal of New Zealand’s partnership in the commonwealth of the British Empire. We lower the flags to half-mast for. a short period of time while this service is held and bow our heads in common sorrow in the. memory of common less, and the knowledge that this glory of which •we are proud came by much suffering, bloodshed, and death : and so with the use we make of our flags we. symbolise what has been our experience in previous years, that pride and sorrow are strangely mixed in our hearts this day.

“Our young men and the boys and girls stood in honour on parade, guarding as it were the sweetest and best things won for us at tremendous cost, while we placed a garland of flowers beneath the Roll of Honour at the High School as a tribute and witness to the love we still cherish in our hearts for those who have died. The march in fitting order through tlie streets was. public acknowledgment of the debt we owe and can never repay. We met here with the religious, military, and civic leaders, and various organisations, that, led by Christian ministers, we may stand humbly before Almighty God, in Whose hands are the issues of life and death and to Whom we instinctively turn in the hour of need. After all, what better than this could "we do. For those, who mourn afresh today with the reawakening of sad memories we hope that this service will be a comfort, and that the sincerity of the tribute which we. pay will be some small consolation. “With the past anniversaries that have come and gone we have spoken

again and again of the facts of the historic landing and the, high endeavours of our men on thej famous fields of war between the first Anzac Day and the close of the struggle, . and we need not repeat this. We should remind ourselves, however, that those whose memory we honour and cherish to-day proved themselves men in the sternest test, that they upheld the highest traditions of our. race, and by the gift of their all made possible, the freedom and heritage we enjoy, preserving for all men the truly good things of life. These things we cannot and should not forget, and while we stand here in chastened mood we might well remind ourselves of our obligations and pledge ourselves afresh to do everything possible to prove deserving of our heritage. We are as yet too close, to this stupendous event to understand its purpose in the scheme of things, but if we think of the great changes that are taking place in society and In the relationships existing between human beings, may it not have been that the Great War was the. travail of humanity in the birth throes of a new er.a which will ultimately bring greater happiness to men and women ? If we do think a little along these lines, then the remembrance of this day will create within us a strong desire to be accounted worthy to follow where the sacrifice of those whom ,we remember to-day has illuminated the way.” At the conclusion of the Mayor’s remarks the hymn “O God, our help in ages past” was sung, followed by prayers by the Rev. W. G. H. Weadon. A selection, “Land of Hope and Glory.” was rendered by the Salvation Army Band, followed by a Scriptural reading by the Rev. Weadon. After the hymn “God of our Fathers, known of old,” an address was delivered by Captain A. G. Grove. (Salvation Army) as follows : “We are assembled to commemorate the 12th anniversary of that great event in which our men demonstrated in a single magnificent effort that they were soldiers of whom any country might well be proud. They went forth to defend our liberty. We honour their memory to-day for the heroic deeds and noble sacrifices that defeated a felon stroke at civilisation. Twelve years have passed by since the landing, but the glory of their achievement will never be effaced from history. Therefore, tlie obligation rests upon us not only to commemorate the day, but to continue in our daily life that spirit of service, - and of sacrifice, in which so many of our men freely gave themselves. Courage, sacrifice, and combined effort accomplished a tremendous result, but above all we owe a great debt of gratitude to God for his over ruling providence. “Recollections of the past summon us to survey the. conditions of to-day. And what do we see ? Chaos, a welter of confusion, and the clash of opposing interests. On every side the human race is riven with deep-seated prejudices, deadly antagonisms, and far-reaching cleavages. The nations are distracted and the world is dismembered through conflicting idealsThe attitude of the nations is one of caution, of suspicion and distrust. Shall we look with unconcern such world conditions? It is our' bounden duty to those, who have already sacrificed all to our own race and for the good of all mankind to exert our utmost endeavours against every injustice that makes for strife between man and states and nations. This can only come through our putting first things first, and man’s first duty is to get right with God. ‘Right-, eousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.’ When Christ is given His rightful place at the council tables of the. nations, and tlie Glory of God and not selfish national interests is the first consideration of the world’s leaders and their subjects, then shall peace reign ; then shall fade and vanish away the clash of deadly armaments, and on the horizon shall sink the fires of war.” The concluding prayer was pronounced by the Rev. J. Lowden followed by the hymn “Rock of Ages cleft for. me.” The sounding of the Last Post and the Reveille by Bandmaster E. Martin concluded one of the most impressive and reverential Anzac services yet held in Paeroa.