THE AUSTRIAN SURRENDER

Taihape Daily Times, 5 November 1918, Page 4

THE AUSTRIAN SURRENDER

. CELEBRATIONS IN TAIHAPE. GREAT ENTHUSIASM DISPLAYED Yesterday, midday, as the news of the Austrian surrender to the Allies was notified the outward signs of inward jubilation exhibited on the previous Friday, when Turkey surrendered, were re-enacted on a vastly attenuated scale. The band of tin-cau-ners had grown from a modest dozen to quite a pretentious hundred or more. It bewildered one to know where so many derelict tins had been rescued from. This juvenile band composed of both sexes paraded the principal streets of the town preceded by the old Union Jack in adult keeping. There were no half-measures about the juvenile jubilation which became littl else than a challenge later on to the Brass Band, as to which could make the most noise.

At one o ’clock the Mayor and some Councillors met the jubilators at the B’and Rotunda, where a large crowd of townsmen had gathered. The Mayor ? in addressing the gathering said the news of the Austrian surrender had not come as a surprise. He had just received a telegram from the Prime Minister officially announcing that Austria had surrendered and that an armistice had been granted on terms similar to those of the Turkish surrender. The Prime Minister requested that all business should cease; that the remainder of the day should be observed as a holiday; that : the schools should close and the children given a holiday. He did not think they would have long to wait before a telegram was receiveTl to the- effect that an armistice had been concluded with Germany, and that that collapse would come before the present month was out. In that case they should have some of our soldiers home from the front before Christmas. He hoped Taihape would not forget the sacrifices the men had made and that some fitting commemoration of their brave deeds and great sacrifices would be established in the town. He would like to see a memorial raised, to those who had fought our battles, and there was no better time to raise the. funds than when people were. better inclined to subscribe in the flush of victory, We were now in the fifth, year of war; it had been a long way, and a dark way. - There had boon a menace to the Channel ports, but it. would not be long now before they would be able to celebrate the final victory of the Allies over the last of their enemies. He called for three cheers which were lustily and vigorously given,, vocally and per medium of the tin-can band.

A LATER-GATHERING,

AT THE TOWN HALL. After lunch people commenced to congregate in the streets 'and excited and enthusiastic discussions were taking place in various places, by various people till .about half past two, when the Brass,, Band made its, appearance at the Post Office. ~4 huge crowd was soon On the spot, and headed by the band it marched along the Main Street to the Town Hall. It halted there till the Mayor Rev Stent, Mr A. James and Mr made their appearance on the balcony. The Mayor said events were coming so fast one on top of the other that it seemed as though they were to continue till final victory was reached. They were coming so quickly that it was not easy to find something fresh to say after last Friday’s celebrations. The terms of Austria’s surrender were such as would allow the Allies to march into Germany from Austrian territory, Germany would then have more than she could do. The Mayor said he was not a prophet, but he thought they could expect peace before the end of the present year, peace must come during the year. When that peace does come they would not be content to celebrate by merely closing shops for a half holiday but would make up their minds to celebrate in accordance with the sacrifices their men had made. He intended to call a meeting of the people to decide what form the great commemoration of the great sacrifices should take. He asked them never to forget the sacrifices the returning soldiers had made for them, and the still greater sacrifices made by those who will never return. They had to bear in mind the unspeakable horrors the enemy were guilty of; let us be just, but let the perpetrators pay a just penalty. (Cheers.) '•< The Rev, W. F. Stent, in a brief speech said our sons had brought us out of danger for ever. This day was a great day of joy to them, greater to them than we could imagine; We ought not to forget the great power that is enabling our men to be victorious—never forget the great ruling providence and or whose care we are. He started singing the doxology, in which the gathering with uncovered heads joined. Mr. James said he could not help feeling that the feelings ofjhe community on that day were * somewhat mixed. To many it would bring back the sacrifices they had made. There were many who could have no joy

with us in our manner of rejoicing; hearts were to join in these outward on that day, should not forget the pain and anguish that so many have gone caused by people who had sinned against humanity, who have violated everything in humanity and Christianity, He had great admiration for Mr Havelock Wilson head of the British seamen, who declared that German brutality at sea should be met with extended refusal by British sailors to work with the Germans. British seamen should never go into a German port and Germans should not bo allowed in a British port till those horrible crimes had been expiated. Before very long, at quite an early date, and perhaps arrangements woke already in train for the return of our soldiers. Many of those men would not be fit to follow their old avocations. Wo have in the Taihape Patriotic Asociation an immense sum of money for purpose of assisting men yet to return. Very much had been done for men who returned, more than the public had any conception of. What the Association was doing in that respect was not published in the interests oftho men. The funds of that Association would have to be augmented; calls would have to be made for further funds if they were to do their duty by the men. They had not yet performed their obligations to the men; tho Patriotic Committee would again have to appeal for contributions and he hoped that appeal would reach their hearts.

The Mayor then introduced Mr. Barry, Mayor of Ohakune, who being absent from his town desired to say a *tew words. Mr. E. J. Barry thanked His Worship the Mayor for the opportunity given him of saying a few words on this historic occasion, since he was absent from his own town. For the past four years, dark though they were at times, he, in common with, others, always had faith that the dawn would come, and that victory would be given to our armies. His and their faith was now justified. The announcement of Austria’s withdrawal was the beginning of the end. He trusted that the peace which was imminent would not be an academic peace, but that it would ensure that ' our enemies 1 unspeakable crimes would be expiated, that justice to the - fulest measure would be meted out to the criminals, and that the world in 1 the-fullest sense'-would be made safe for democracy. He also added an appeal for liberal contributions to the district patriotic funds. The money would be now more than ever needed, when the men in their thousands would be returning. Our. clebt, he reminded his hearers, was great, and our payment should be in proportion. | He knew that the people of Ohakune j would respond, and he had the evidence of the past to speak for Taihape. great pleasure that ‘the religious aspect had been imported with the celebrations, because he had always, felt that, no matter how bad things were, we must win in the end, because God must be with the right, and our cause was right. His and their faith, event had proved, was justified, and the world, in his opinion, was on the eve of a permanent and great peace.

MEETING OF CITIZENS, FINAL VICTORY CELEBRATION A meeting of Taihape’s leading citizens was held in the Borough Council Chamber yesterday afternoon to consider what steps should bo taken arrange for a fitting demonstration when the last of the world’s enemies finally surrendered. The Mayor presided, and said he did not think it would be very long before Germany did surrender; ho also thought that Taihape would not be satisfied to celebrate that final victory with a band of kerosene tins. Such a band might be all right for the children, but they wanted something different. He would like to have an expression of opinion from those present. No doubt when final victory was declared, they would not want a day’s holiday but they would want four or five days. It might be necessary to establish a smalll fund for the purpose. The Rev. Mr. Stent thought ■all corporate bodies should be called together, a marshalled and disciplined s erowd with a band and the fire brigade. They should have some pre-iarranged assembling point, and all should understand that they would march from that assembling point to the Town Hall, and a pre-arranged programme should he carried out. Mr Dunhar said the band was an essential but at present there was organised hand. He thought the right course was to have some first then with that the affiier would come. Mr. Loader in reply to various enquiries why the band was not organised. said one trouble was the want of a suitable conductor.

The Mayor said the band was expected to organise itself, the Borough Council only subsidised it. Mr. Stent thought a small committee

of citizens might give considerable help. W < The Mayor said the band had always turned out. There should be no trouble in getting citizens to help the band ? if money was wanted they had only to ~ask to get it. Finally a committee was appointed consisting of the Mayor iand Messrs. Stent, Forrest, Eeid and Thurston, to make arangemonts for a fitting celebratipn of the day of final victory. The meeting then adjourned.