IN ROTORUA

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 515, 26 April 1933, Page 3

IN ROTORUA

DISTRICT CEREMONY CITIZENS PAY TRIBUTE TO HONOURjEI) DEAD} SERVICE AT CENOTAPH The memory of Anzac and all other ' fronts was fittingly celebrated at the cenotaph !in the Govelrnment Gardens yesterday when a large ^gath'ering of citizens, returned soldiers and school children assemhled to" do honour to the men who had passed on. . Tlie procession headed hy 'the Municipal band, assembled at the Railwiay Station and marched by way of Tutanekai Street and Arawa Street to the Government Gardens where the concourse formed up facinig the Cenotaph. The Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, hriefly addressed the gathering mentioning that, the purpose of the day was to do honour to those who had passed I dnto the Great Beyond and to impi-ess upon the younger generation the imI mensity of thei sacrifice of the men j who had died. Archdeaeon F. W. Chatterton conducted the service and the opening sentences were xead by Capt. Coxhead. The meeting was led in prayer by Rev. F. Bateup and Rev. T. Puha read the lesson from Micah. IV. 1-8. The hymns "Stand Up, Stand U.p for Jesus!", "O, God, Our Help in Ages Past," and "0' Vialiant Hearts" were sung, the Municipal Band leading. The Rev. J. C. Young, B.A., took for the text of his address the question asked by the young Hehrews of their elders "What mean ye by this service?" This, said the preacher, was the query addressed by the younger generation of Jews to their seniors in connectlon with the celebration of the Bassover and it was the' same question that the younger generation of New Zealanders was asking of their seniors to-day in connection with Anzac Day celebrations. They must be told that Anzac Day was held in sacred memory of all those who fell on Gallipoli and on every other front and every other place where New Zealanders lay. War memorials were not enouigh in themselves and it remained for all to cstablish permanent memorials hy perpetuating the ideals for which those who had passed on had spilt their blood. The greatest cdntribution that those who still -lived and for 'whose safety those men had died could give was not fo erect "war memorials but to follow out the ideals for which they had given their lives. "Anzac Day is a day on which we must renew the pledge to the men who have suffered," said the speaker. "You will all remember the rejoicing throughout New Zealand when'peace was declared land it is fitting that we should set aside some date and Anzac Day, April 25, is a fitting day. With the lapse of time, however, many people are apt to become indifferent and to forget iand do not seem to care what becomes of Anzac Day, They are inclined to relegate Anzac Day to the list of public holidays and to forget the dead who died for th'e ideals of Anzac. Shame on us if, we let this thing be !' Let these dead who speak not, yet speak the louidest, be the loudest heard." During the singing of the last hymn the wreathbearerS from the different units and sections of the community deposited their wreaths at the base of the Cenotaph and subsequently the procession marched past the Maori War Memorial and the Cenotaph payiiig the customary compliments. The parade marched up Fenton Street, Hinemoa Street and back to the station where it was dismissed. The order of the parade, under Major We-ir, was: Municipal Band, returned soldiers, volunteers, Hiigh School bugle band, High School cadets, High School girls, guides, scouts, etc. After the last hymn, a one minute silence was observed and the High School Bugle Band piayed the "Last Post." The service was very impressive and the attendance fully as large as that of last year.