ANZAC DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1916, Page 4

ANZAC DAY.

IMPERIAL SERVICE AT THE ABBEY. AN IMPRESSIVE SERVICE TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HEROES. By Cabh.—Press Association—Copyright Received April 24, 9.10 p.m. London, April 23. A most impressive form of service has been arranged to take place in Westminster Abbey for the memorial on Ansae Day. It will begin with the hymn, ;'For All the Saints who from their Labors rest," the King's favorite hymn, which will be accompanied by the organ and Australian and New Zealand bands. There will follow the Easter collects, and Wesley's anthem, "Ascribe unto the Lord,"

The Dean will pronounce a special tribute to the Anzacs, saying, "Let us unite in praise and thanksgiving for those, our brothers, who died at Gallipoli for King and Empire in the high cause of freedom and honor. More especially so do we commemorate the names of the following troops who partook in the landing—Australians, First to Eight Infantry Btfigade, First to Sixteenth Light Horse Regiments, First to Third Artillery Brigades, together with the Engineers, Army Service, Veterinary, Ordnance, Naval, Bridging, and Medical corps; New Zealanders—Divisional and Infantry Brigade Headquarters, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago Battalions, together with Field Artillery, Engineers, and Army Service Medical Corps. "All these fought most valiantly, and their deeds will be remembered for ever more. Their memorial is already inscribed in men's hearts, and in future ages sons of the Ewplre will seek to emulate the imperishable renown of their daring and bravery. "We resolve, 'by God's gracious favor, that cur brothers shall not have laid down their lives in vain."

Received April 24, 8.50 p.m.

London, April 23. The' texts'will be taken from John 15 —l3, Deuteronomy 33—27, Isaiah 26—3, to be followed by the Doxology. The special prayers will be:" (lj Eternal Father, we humbly draw nigh to Thee amid the memories of Great Britain's most illustrious dead, and in the Church where Kings and Queens are crowned We dedicate this great and glorious memory of our dear brothers departed. We praise Thy Holy Name for the gift of their matchless courage. Crown, we beseech Thee, with Thy loving mercy the offering of their brave lives. Grant unto theni eternal peace, and unto- all mourners the blessing of Thy perfect comfort. (2) Grant, Oh, Lord, that we may be strengthened by Thy grace for the work of completing what remains over of our dear brothers' task. May wo ever serve Thee truly in the faith of Him who is the resurrection of the life, and fignt manfully unto our lives end in defence of the heritago of our liberty, and the triumph of our' righteous cause. (3) Almighty God, Heavenly Father, as we pray for further mercies, so now we render our thanksgiving for those already received, namely, unity of Empire, the, free-will offering of her sons and daughters, the courage and loyalty of .our soldiers and sailors, the affec-, tion and devotion between the Dominions overseas and the Mother Country, and the patient, self-denying earnestness of our people. The congregation will then sing Kipling's Recessional, which was chosen by the Australian soldiers. The benediction will bo followed by the National Anthem, and then sixteen Anzac buglers will sound the "Last Post" from the Triforium. MESSAGE FROM THE KING

THE GOVERNOR'S REPLY. By 'i'elegraph.—Press Association, Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister to-day handed' to the press a copy of the following communication from His Excellency the Governor, transmitting a message to the people of New Zealand from his Majesty the King. "His Excellency the Governor has been commanded to publish the following message, addressed by Ms Majesty the King to the'people of New Zeaiand:— "Tell my people of New Zealand that to-day I am joining with them in their solemn tribute to the memory of their heroes who died in Gallipoli. They gave their lives for a supreme cause, in gallant comradeship with the rest of my sailors and soldiers, who fought and died with them. Their valor and fortitude have shed fresh lustre on the British arms. May those who'mourn their loss find comfort in tile conviction that they did not die in vain, but that their sacrifice has drawn our peoples more closoIv together, nnd added strength and glory to the Empire. (Signed) GEORGE, R. I.

The following reply has been sent to his Majesty by the Governor:—"New Zealand, through me, thanks your Majesty for your most gracious message. The sacrifice has indeed been great, but the people of this Dominion hold to their inflexible determination that, come good or ill, they, in common with all your Majesty's subjects and gallant Allies will never falter or slacken in their efforts until an honorable and lasting peace has been achieved. (feigned) LIVERPOOL. CONGRATULATIONS TO GENERAL BIRDWOOD. Wellington, Last Night. Captain Donald Simeon, on behalf of all returned soldiers in New Zealand, cabled to-day to General Birdwood, congratulating him on the honors conferred on him by the King, and greetings on the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli, also asking General Birdwood to convey the New Zcalnnders' greetings to the Cape Hclles forces. Captain Simson also cabled to the Minister of Defence, at Sydney, as,follows:—"Greetings in comradeship and admiration to Australian Anzacs from New Zealand Anzacs."

MR. MASSEY TO THE DAILY MAIL. Wellington, Last Night. At Hie request of tlio editor of the Daily Mail, London, the Prime Minister sent tlie following message:— "Strengthened by the heroism displayed by her noble sons, and fortified by the righteousness of the cause for which so many of her soldiers surrendered their lives at Anzac, New Zealand is more than ever determined to stand by Britain and her Allies In sacred cause'whieh they are championing asninst a ovuel

and merciless!} vindictive foe. WMla mourning, the loss of our gallant dead, -

we find consolation in the glorious deeds by which they and their brave British Indian and Australian comrades upheld on Gallipoli Peninsula the finest traditions of our Imperial forces. Inspired to-day by their true patriotic spirit and their imperishable actions, all New Zealand can do, at whatever sacrifice, will be done cheerfully to assist the Empire towards victory, which must come. (Signed), W. F. MASSEY, Prime Minister, CELEBRATION IN NEW PLYMOUTH. Anzac Day will be (fittingly commemmoratcd in New Plymouth to-day, when a half-holiday will be observed from 1 p.m. At 2:30 p.m. a public service .will be held in the Theatre Royal, at which returned wounded and inalidcd heroes from the peninsula will be present, whilst veterans, cadets, etc., and the Citizens' Band will also parade. Special hymns and psalms will be sung, the National Anthem will be rendered, and the proceedings will conclude with "The Last Post" by Bugler Walker. During the afternoon the Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. Allen) will address the gathering, while the Rev. A. B. Chappell will also speak. ' • In the evening a patriotic concert, arranged by the Mayoress, will be held ut the Theatre Royal. A splendid programme has been arranged, and a brief address will be given by the Minister of, Defence. A NEW ZEALAND ANTHES*. Hail! Great Creator! All wise sublime, To Thee our hymns we raise. / Zealandia through ever changing time Inspires our grateful praise. Zealandia's mounts and lakes agleam With wondrous beauties shine, The forests green, the deep ravine Proclaim Thy power divine.

Linked with the ancient Motherland, By everlasting ties, We in Thy eight united stand Till strife and warfare dies. All flail, great sovereign, kindly power, Who hath supreme command, Thy presence will in evil hour , Guard true our native land! -J. C. S THE MEN OF ANZAO. A VIVID TRIBUTE. >

The following tribute to the' men of Anzac is taken from a letter recently received frdm the Old Country r "But the rest do not grudge the palm to the Australians and New 1 Zealanders. They were fnrious and cool in the drive of fight, tremendous and triumphing in the hand-to-hand grapple, endlessly resourceful and helpful in trench and camp, irresistible in high spirits and humor, in comradeship hearty or; gentle at need, lovliig their friend in life and death, nor ashamed of the emotions repressed by a duller habit. They fought and killed or stood and died an the call or the chance came; they laughed and-sans as the mood cams or cursed with n wealth and riot o'f profanity to dumbfound the ribald of other nations; but when it was the padre's hour they were persnudqrt in relicion and moved to prayer and praise. They remembered what their mothers had taught, them, all the dearest and best they had known far away, and in Heaven's sight there was a sounder heart iiv many a sinner than ever has heat in many a cold bosom of the good. One, homely word rises to the lips of all of us in this country. We say: God hless th« men of Anzac, living and dead, for their part in the deathloss epic of the Dardanelles. W cannot express the debt this' country owes to our race 'down under.' Australia and New Zealand arc in di»t tance the furthest away from us of all peoples that are, out in spirit they »re with us shoulder to shoulder to flelit it to the end. Australia is raisin" her total to 300,000 men. New Zealand will not be second even to this 'sample. This, as we said, is not only a ease qf > faith come true, hut it is a fh'htiiig brotherhood full and complete beyond all that the prophets of the true Imperialism, 'the wider patriotism,' ever dared to dream. It is as great .for the Anzac dominions as for us and the common cause, Their deods at Gallipoli, like the morning light of fresh forces of freedom in the world, 'have been as much the battle-baptism of Australian and Now Zealand liberty as Marathon was of Greek."