BATTLE OF WAIREKA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 30 March 1914, Page 4

BATTLE OF WAIREKA.

WITV-JAjUimi A.Vm VEKSARY. %f

VETERANS' UllKui PAIIADi:

-Saturday was the fiitj-iourth anhivorwry of the Battle ol Wuueka, and t*« ■it sf u mvnm b M * "lurch parade 'nnnnffryr ry ' s Ullurcl ' ttfterfront of he i> rill Uall< under Co , oiiri[ he XI. Regiment Bunu, they marched, ua Devon Street, to the euurcu. They were fo lowed by a squad ot territorial. and cadets. lh e former, under Lieut. shepherd, mustered ten, all told. X'i* cadets, under Sergeant-Major Lister, mustered 30. There was a full muster ot the band, under Bandmaster Cumm™' . ...... n On amyal at the church, a short service was held by the Kev. A. H. Col vile, appropriate hymns being sung. The address «as given by the Ven. Archdeacon Evans, Chaplain-Major, who took lor his text I. Chron,, xii., 33- "01 Zebulon, such as went forth to battle. expert in war, with all instrument* of battle, fifty thousand, which could keep rank. They were not of double heart." The speaker laid special emphasis on the last portion of the text, " fifty thousand, which could keep rank." Thehistorian, he said, was ohroniding a wonderful review, that of the armies of all the peoples of Israel that had assembled to take part in the ceremony. The historian was impressed by the grandeur of the spectacle, but yet be could distinguish that Borne of th« armies gave evidence of greater discipline than others, They marched in step, and kept a splendid line of battle. Per- " sonally, the speaker knew of nothing more inspiring than the sight of a larga body of men moving together In perfect rhythm. The army, lie said, was only giving outward expression to the inward discipline that they were imbued with. Ifo impressed on his younger heatfaa the need for discipline. There eovfftfw no perfectly concerted action without the strictest discipline. Discipline meant obedience to the law, obedience to tka word of command, recognition of authority. It was not confined to military matters. AVc were circumscribed by lat in every part of our lives. In school, there were les3ons to learn ; in •port,' rules to abide by; and in business affairs, oertain great principles mult trt adhered to if success was to be achieved^ 5 The same obedience to law mustf be observed by those who were preparing protect their country. It was not possible to emphasise too much the need for the strictest discipline. Witkeut 't, the whole of national defence would be a hollow sham. Discipline, military tactics and movements, could not be iearnt in a few days. As it was necessary in football for consistent practice, in order to achieve the essential combination in matches, so practice was neceunrv in order to creat" steadiness in action. A well-disciplined army would easily overcome an undisciplined army, providing other things were equal, and that wa» win- the Romans nroved ail-confluering. Speaking to the territorials and cadets. he said if they were to form an effectiv* force for the protection of their country, they must bo disciplined, and the first essential was ,self-ili-cipl'me. The soul of discipline was loyalty, than which thcY*was no more beautiful or necossarv virtue. What better could there he than loyalty to one's country, and without hesitation to risk their lives in its defence, as these veterans had done Th* preacher paid a tribute to the veterans* grand and heroic exhibition of lovalty, 5+ years ago, at the Battle of Wuireka, when but a few men, faced hi fierea and powerful enemv, fought nobly to save their homes and families, and who, short of ammunition, after the Imperial forces had withdrawn, and with darkness coming on, pluekilv and determinedly gained a splendid and saved New Plymouth from gisault and their homes from [possible dfe straction. Theße men were "ettinsrlSp in number cadi year, and .he thoujrht we should show to those who remained that we still remembered their gallant conduct. Every lad should try to do a* well as his" grandfathers hid done. New Zcalanders were notedlv patriotic. "Xew Zealand for the New Zealandefs" was a fine motto, but if it wns to ewat the least we could do was to prove ourselves worth \- of it by preparing to lefend it if the need arose. When h* read that Taranaki men were proseI ented for not attending drill, it neemsd to him almost incredible that such a Idling could happen in a district whera | their forefathers had suffered, aye, nnl even died, to hand down to them MM"* a beautiful hind. ''Primus in Armis* was the veterans' motto when tKcv weft fighting side bv side with the fegul.lT forces, and to think that th4r grandsons were now being prosecuted for refusing to attend a few piltrv drills! At the conclusion of the addrea. Bugler Walker sounded the '"Last Post,'' in memory of comrades who ln.d passed away.