ONEWHERO'S TRIBUTE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 471, 10 October 1919, Page 2

ONEWHERO'S TRIBUTE.

To Returned Soldiers. Brilliant Banqueti Staff Ropresontative).

The residents of Onewhero and district welcomed the local returned soldiers, between fifty and sixty in number, in right royal fashion on Wednesday night, when a banquet was tendered in the Public Hall Besides the guests, there were approximately 350 people present, all of whom were catered for on an equality with the guests of the evening. The four tables running the length of the Hall were laden with such delicacies as ham and game, trifle, jellies, salad, and the hall was gorgeously beflagged and decorated with nikau palms, lilies and greenery, the effect being very striking and artistic. Without doubt, the whole function was one that any township might well feel proud of, and was certainly an eyeopener to Pukekohe and other visitors, who were lavish in their praises of the "spread" on the linen, and the function as a whole. With three counties to chronicle the local events of, the Times cannot spare space to do full justice to Onewhero's magnificent tribute to its returned soldiers, but a meed of praise is certainly due to Mesdames J. Logan H. Eyre, Raby, Pellow, L Allen, Keys, N. Cole Baker, Miss Rita Crawford and the ladies associated with them for their splendid and highly successful work in arranging the banquet and dispensing the same. Also, Mr S. H. Crawford (chairman), Mr L. Allen and the members of the Committee, on whose shoulders the bulk of the organising work fell, must be given credit for their untiring efforts and the successful results

Apologies for absence were received from Mr R. F. Bollard, M. P. for Raglan; Mr Campbell Johnstone, chairman Raglan County Council, and a number of clergymen. THE TOASTS. So great was the crowd that it was net until after the second sitting at the table that the toast list could be commenced. This was ledioff by the chairman (Mr 8. H. Crawford) proposing the usual loyal honour, after which all present stood in silence for one minnte as a tribute to the fallen, and as a mark of sympathy with the bereaved.

Mr Dynes Fulton enthusiastically proposed the toast of the Army and Navy. After dwelling on what the British Navy had accomplished in various seas, the speaker told a most interesting story of the Navy's protection of New Zealand soldiers. It was only after much trouble that the Admiralty sent the flagship Australia, the cruiser Sydney and other fighting craft to convoy our troops from these shores But the demaud for naval protection proved to be fully warranted, for the Sydney sank the Emden, which raider would otherwise surely have sunk all that convoy of transports—and doubtless there were some Onewhero lads in those drafts!

Referring to the Army, Mr Fulton paid an especial tribute to Sir John French, whom he had followed, in the South African war, from Cape Town to Pretoria and other places during the campaign, and he would say that Sir John—despite criticism —was the most brilliant of British cavalry leaders. (Applause'. It was hardly necessary to say much in regard to the Army, which, under the guidance of the late Earl Kitchener, had developed into a fighting machine of such superb power as to be more than a match for the German Army of years of training. And our own lads, he was glad to be able to say, had acquitted themselves as well as the best.

The principal toast of the evening, " Our Guests," was entrusted to the chairman Mr Crawford referred to the feats of heroism and endurance in a war unparalleled in the annals of human history. Tested on the rugged and forbidding shores of Gallipoli, 'mid all the trials and disease of a climate tropical at one time and freezingly cold at another, the sons of this Dominion proved themselves worthy scions of the good old British stock from whom they spraDg. And the same applied to the service of the Mounteds in Palestine. In the great central war zone, heroic France, whosj brave and intensely loyal people had risen to heights of superb self-sacrifice for their country's sake, the Dominion's soldiers had earned a doubly honourable name —for valour on the field and honourable conduct both on and off. (Loud applause.) Armentierres, Bailleul, Messines, the terrible Passchendaele, fpres sector, Colin Camps in Picardy, and Hebuterne, Mailly Mallet, Rosignol Wood, Grevilliers, Cambria, Baupaume, Metz, Esness, Beauvais and Fontaine, and finally the ancient stronghold of Le Quesnoy and other places were hallowed by the blood of our New Zealand soldiers. The Diggers had always been ranked as first class troops, amoug the Empire's nine super-divisions, and thereforo we had every right to be proud of them (Applause). The country owed them a debt of gratitude for the part they had played in saving our Empire from being crushed under the heel of the hate ful Hun. I."t the hosts, then, ehargo thoir glasses ami ilrink heartily to tlu«ir guests. —Musical honours.

Nursing Sister Koyos name was especially mentioned. With ' tlio modesty and brevity characteristic of tho soldier, Mr Wyn. Kutlurfonl replied, stating tlmt tho soldiers merely did what they considered to be their duty They could not forget the and loviug kindness of tho women of Mew Zealand who workod and saved in order tint they might supply the soldiers with delicacies and comforts that were valuable bey md price on tin l field. Without Liberty, life would not be worth living. 2300 years ago, Pericles, the golden orator of Athens, said: "Happiness is the fruit of Froedom, and Freedom of valour." That classical dictum was true to-day, and would bo true forever. The soldiers had been granted the glorious opportunity of presoiviug th..t liboity which uattas tho very breath of life to a froo-born Britishor, and this in itself WOT ample reward for them. Mr Ruther- (

ford concluded his reply by a highly humorous story. A certain Japanese officer was deputed to thank his British hosts for their hospitality. He could speak very little English, and his whole speech was a repetition of the words: "I thank you, gentlemen, for your beautiful feast" , Likewise, he would thank the resii dents of Onewhero and district just as emphatically for their "beautiful feast"—Laughter and loud applause. Coupled with the above names were those of Dr Campbell Bmith (Lieut Col.) and Cptn. Fife, of the Lower Waikato R B.A, both of whom spoke briefly on the desirability of all branches of the R.B.A. and individual soldiers joining up with the headquarters of this organization at Pukekohe, and also of the benefits to be derived. Both speakers obtained a distinctly cordial reception. The toast of "Our Allies" was proposed by Mr S. H Crawford, and responded to by Mr Vm. Keyes and Mr Syd Eyre, the latter, who has been connected with the Canadian forces, and served in Russia and elsewhere, remarking that he had previously been inclined to think the people of other nations superior to our own in many respects. But his experience had taught him that the Britisher, taking him all round, was easily the better man. His institutions were the most free and liberal, and he insisted on retaining his individual rignts of free speech, t and also the freedom of the press, which were the great bulwarks of our cherished Liberty —Applause The ladies were honoured by Mr L. L. Allan, and wittily replied for by Mr J. Pirret, of Tuakau. Mr N Cole Baker proposed "The Press," a representative of the Times responding. C imprehensive votes of thanks were passed to various individuals who assisted with the function, including Mr Revell, of Tuakau, for the supply of timber for the tables. Harmony was supplied as undermentioned. Every item was very acceptable, each contributor being heartily encored. Mrs Arnold Allen, the accompanist for the evening, gave very high satisfaction t# the vocalists, her work being executed with musicianly skill. Her playing was attuned in complete sympathy with each singer, and the time perfect, neither anticipating nor lagging. The Pukekohe party wish particularly to record their appreciation, and should their services be required at Onewhero on a future occasion, there will be no difficulty in securing them, especially if the same lady presides at the piano. The chairman made feeling refer ence to the illness of Mr Monty Wright, who was responsible for the organisation of the Pukekohe contributors, but whose serious illness placed him under the doctor's care. A special vote of thanks was passed to Mr Wright, and also to the entertainers. M» W. T. Jones ably undertook Mr Wright's responsibilities. The tirst-named lady is of Tuakau, and the other singers are of Pukekohe : Miss Hyde, " Spring is Here," accompanied by Miss Rita Crawford. Messrs W. T. Jones, " My Bonnie Barque," and encore, " King's Own "; accompanied by Mrs Arnold Allen; J. O'Malley, •' Look at me Now," and encore (original) and other humorous items; Albeit Oldham, " The Garden of Your Heart." and " The Rose of Picardy " ; " Pom " Watson, " P.C. 4D," and several (encores) monologues ; Luke Wilson, " There's a Land," and encore, " Joan of Arc.' Dancing followed, but as Dr Cimpbell-Smith, who kindly provided a soat in his car for the Times representative could not stay longer, we must trust to some obliging Onewhero citizen for a few notes on this p.irt of the function,