Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

ARMISTICE CELEBRATIONS.

PROCEEDINGS AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

i THE KING'S MESSAGE. Wellington, Tuesday. In tnc presence of an enormous and enthusiastic concourse of people which assembled in front of the Parliament library 6teps, the Governor-General at 10.30 to-day announced that the armistice between the Allies and Germany had been signed, and the ceremony, which was simplicity itself, was devoid of any elaborate features. It consisted of His Excellencv, who was accompanied by the Countess, and Ministers of the Crown. Proceeding to the steps His Excellency read the following cable from Mr Walter Long, Seerear? of State for the Colonics, dated November llth: "Tije armistice was signed at five o'clock this morning."

This was received with a wild outburst of cheering. His Excellency then read the following message from the King:

"At the moment when the armistice is signed, bringing, I trust, a final end to hostilities which have convulsed the whole world for more than four years, I desire to send a message of greeting and heartfelt gratitude to my overseas people, whose wonderful efforts and sacrifices have contributed so greatly to secure the victory which we have now won. Together we have borne this tremendous burden in the fight for justice and liberty. Together we can now rejoice at the realisation of those great aims for which we entered the struggle. The whole Empire pledged its word not to sheath, the sword until the end was achieved. That pledge is now redeemed.

The outbreak of war found the whole Empire united. I rejoice to think that the end of the struggle finds the Empire still move closely united by the common resolve to hold firm through all vicissitudes by a community of suffering and sacrifice, and by dangers and triumphs shared together. The hour is one for solemn thanksgiving and gratitude to God, whose Divine I'rovidence lias preserved us through all perils and crowned our arms with victory. Let us bear our triumph in the same spirit of fortitude and self-control with which we have borne our dangers.

(Signed) GEO. R.I. To this His Excellency stated he had sent the following reply: "New Zealand thanks Your Majesty for your gracious message. To-day this Dominion, in common with Your Majesty's whole .frmpiro and the Allies, rejoices at toe cessation of hostilities and feels that however great the sacrifices have been the issue leave? no doubt that they (have not been made in vain. New Zealand earnestly prays that by the blessing of Providence your Majesty might long be spared to reign over an Empire at peace and united not only for the good of its own people, but for the welfare of the whole world."—(Signed) LIVERPOOL, Governor-General.

Chcora were ti'ien called for by Hra Excellency for "Our Boys," after _ which a great crowd joined in the singing of the National Anthem, when more cheers wftr{' given ixiiu the crowd r3.pidlj dispersed to take part in tho city celebrati—a.

SPLENDID AH) IMPRESSIVE PROCESSION. ATMOSPHERE OF DBVOUI XHANiKiBGIVING. e tenor of the crowds which gath■yfr in >iew Plymouth yesterday to join in the continuation of the celebrations o£ the signing of the armistice by Germany seemed changed entirely from chat of the previous day. Whereas on Tuesday the occasion was one on which everybody appeared to he able to express their joyfnkiess, in no other way than by w much noise as possible. the proceedings yesterday were marked by an almost, entire absence of that element, and in lieu thereof a spirit of quiet thankfulness seemed to have taken hold of the people. The weather appeared to regard the occasion for a di-plav of its Itest behaviour, and the touch of summer in the atmosphere yesterday was an additional inducement to people to come out and join in the celebrations. It Wis early evident that a record cruifd would gather for the occasion, and when the time for the procession came there was, without doubt, the largest crowd that has ever assembled in the town, and well it might be. for the occasion was the. greatest that the community has ever had the privilege of celebrating. TIIE PROCESSION.

The procession was a, greater success than the most sanguino could have hoped for, and the committee and marshals are to be congratulated on the manner ra which it was organised and carried through, while the- citizens deserve praise for tho way in which they entered into the proceedings and responded to the invitation to take part in the display. All the units were assemhlcd as arranged, and it is to the great credit of the officials that the procession moved off exactly on lime. So great weTc the number of vehicles and organisations joining in that tho pre-arranged route, had to be lengthened in order to allow the tail of the procession to be moving 'before (lie head reached its destination. Accordingly, instead of turning up Liardot Street from Devon Street, the route was continued up as far as Eliot Street, then along Courtcnay Street to Liardet Street, and thence to the Park, the head of the procession reaching the intersection of Comtcnay and 0 overStreets before its tail had passed the Post Office. The procession was appropriately led by a. tableau, arranged by the Fire Brigade, representing Peace surrounded by tho Allies and a number of the various branches of the service, and this display evoked repeated applause Following the Citizens' Band, which was in full strength, came the veterans and returned soldiers, who also received ovations. The latter had a representation of a, sandbag redoubt from which protruded the muzzles of the machine-gun trophies recently presented to thejwrouffh. Then came the Women's Patriotic Committee and the Women's National Besom, civic and loo! tcdSn' representatives, ministers

of religion, Red Cross Society, Plunkef •Society, Pierrots, .High School Cadets, Senior Cadets, Piny Scouts, Girls' High •School, State schools, private schools, Salvation Army Hand, friendly societies, Maori group, Fire Brigade, railivay and tramway men, Labor representatives, trade and private motors and vehicle"'. AH the way along the route »vhich had been advertised there were dense crowds of people, the procession being a mosr impressive spectacle, and evoking spontaneous outbursts of applause as it passed along the streets.

; :: AT THE PARK. The scene at the Park was a 'brilliant one, and the proceedings there were made most impressive. Large numbers or people had gone early and secured position on the terraces, and when the procession entered the gates those on tha western and southern sides of the ground wero practically fully occupiedHere, again, the various sections of the procession were heartily cheered or applauded as the work which the various organisations represented touched the emotions of the people. Probably the most enthusiatie and the most spontaneous reception accorded to any section represented was that reserved by the returned soldiers for the hospital nurses and Red Cross workers. When the car with the nurses carao on to the ground the men, who were seated just inside the entrance, rose in a body and gave three cheers, which must have gladdened the hearts of all who heard them, when it was remembered how much the Bed Cross had meant to the men when sick and wounden. The leading sections of the procession circled roond the sports ground and wero then gradually marshalled up into previously-arranged positions, facing th? southern terraces- The High School boys formed up on the eastern side of the ground, and the children of the primary schools, of whom there were many hundreds, formed the northern side of the enclosure, whilst beyond them stood the_ representatives of trade and other organisations. A large motor lorry was placed in position for ft platform, from which the addresses were to he given, and the scene in the grounds from this position was a most inspiriting one—the vast crowd, the decorated vehicles, the many flags and banners, together with the natriotic favors worn by almost everybody, plus the smiling faces of a glad-hearted people, made a sight that will live long in th* memory of those privileged to see it.

A NOTE OF THANKSGIVING. When the various units of the procession had been marshalled into position, the proceedings commenced with thje ■singing of the National Anthem. The school children then, under command of Captain H. A. Stratford, salute'd the flag. The prayer of thanksgiving, which waa of a comprehensive and yet most humble and devout character, was impressively offered by the Ven, Areßdeacon Evans.

Cheers v/ere tlien given for the King and tho flag. THE MAYOR'S ADDRESS, The Mayor said lie did not intend to inflict a speech upon the crowd. It was his duty to announce officially the signing of the armistice by Germany, and he merely wanted to express thankfulness for the hope that peace would foilow within tbo next few months. The impressive procession through tho town was an indication of the feelings of thankfulness with wnich the people had received the news of the armistice 'having been signed. The previous day, the Mayor said, had been a day of joymaking, when everybody let themselves go, but to-day jvas an occasion of sober &nd serious thankskiving, and we could not yet realise how much the signup u: tho armistice ineam tu tho wholt v,v£'sl. Amongst all his work as Mayor, uie nardest had been tha monthly duty 01 saying farewell to tha men a» they left to go to camp, in had seemed like a mockery, when it was thought what they were going out to do. That was now all over, and hj« would be glad to join in welcoming the ■boys home again soon. (Applause.) It was good to realise that after this wai the children and their children's chit dren would never have to go through again what the world had suffered during the past four years. 'When we thought of France and Belgium and of Serbia, whose people would now be able to go back to their homes —no longer ex ilea from their own countries —it was, surely, cause for the most de : voupt thankfulness. It was to be hoped that our men would never again have to go out to fight for the defence of the Empire. Wo were glad now that we had heen able to send men to help the Mother Country. Tho enemy had thought us disloyal and ready to break away from the Empire, but we and the other Dominions had sent our men to uphold a cause based on right and justice. The Mayor said he believed, more than ever in the constitution of the British Empire, which could not be beaten. It was better and gave more liberty than all the republics- We wanted someone to look up to as a head, and there was no one to the British people at this time like tho King and Queen. He appealed to the young people and the children, and urged them to remember that the war had left them a legacy of duty—duty to see that the men who had been out to fight for them were not forgotten. Time was a healer of sorrows, so that it would be easy in years to come to forget the soldiers who fought and died in this great fight. "If future Governments do not do justice to the returned soldiers, then turn them out," said the Mayor. "If you don't, our ghosts will haunt you." Concluding, Mr. Burgess congratulated the community on the achievement of-the Allied forces, and, aftrfr expressing sympathy with those whoso homes had been saddened by the loss of loved ones, said he looked forward with joy to welcoming home the boys from the front. At the conclusion of the speech, cheers were given for the Mayor. PRESENTATION TO MAYORESS.

Mr. W. A. Collis, on behalf of the Women's Patriotic Committee, then presented a beautiful decorated basket of rcscs to the Mayoress (Mrs. 0. H. Burgess, M.B.TC.), as an. expression of appreciation of the great work she had done in connection with patriotic matters- In making the presentation, Mr. Collis urged patient endurance .in the continuation of rais ; ng funds for the Red Cross, Y.M.C.A., and the patriotic committees, which would be urgently needed for many years yet-

Very hearty cheers were given for the Mayoress, wlio stepped forward and acknowledged the compliment with, "Women, I thank you all!"

lU:Y. W. 'A. SINCLAIR'S SPEECH, Tlie Eev. W. A. Sinclair said the day wa= a great one of joy and gladness and thanksgiving all over tlie world, with the exception of the enemy countries, and 5a them there must be a of

depression. And well there might be, for they had been led by the greatest criminal the world had ever 'known or would know. Pjut to-day was the golden day of peace. It was the greatest day iu the annals of the British Empire, and should be set in the high tide of the calendar. He spoke impressively to the children, who, he said, in these years had been learning history in a new way. When they were old they would tell the children of that day of the great years of 1914 to 191S, in which they had lived, when almost, the whole world hf.d united to overthrow the greatest military menace ever known. We at the present were living in the greatest time in history. Citizenship to-day meant responsibility—a duty to make the world a better place. The speaker said he had been deeply touched when, as the old veterans cama on the ground that day, they had been so heartily cheered by the young veterans—the returned soldiers. He had hcen a little ashamed at the lack of enthusiasm in the reception' given to the returned soldiers as they had paraded in the streets ,the day previous. In urging the children to be bravo and courageous, he hoped they would never have to be brave in the way those men had had to be in going out to fight as they had done. He hoped the last had been seen of world-war. ' The present was a time for full thanksgiving and rejoicing. We •should be thankful, not so much that God was on our side, but that He was on the side of right and that right hart triumped and had overthrown the greatest menace the world had ever known- They should keep in mind those who had given loved ones to die for our freedom, and we should give thanks for the golden day of peace—the day for which the whole world had been longing—a day from which ou\ land could go on to grow great and good and rich. (Applause.)

The whole assemblage then sang the Doxology. At Hie call of the Mayor, cheers were then given for the men at the front, and the National Anthem was again sung. Following the oflicial proceedings, the band struck up "Tipperary," and the crowd joined in the chorus and Tcpcated it several times over.

A group of Maoris who had taken part in the procession then came forward and gave a haka to the delight of all present, and they repeated their performance around the grounds so as to give those on all the terraces a chance to see.

The band played a- number of the national airs of the Allied countries, in some of which sections of the crowd joined in heartily, and for which the band was heartily cheered. The crowd then gradually dispersed. LAST NIGHT'S PROCESSION. The main street of ths town was agaia brilliantly illuminated last night, and the torchlight procession arranged by the committee attracted a large crowd of spectators, Devon Street being again the scene of a dense throng. The Jifficials got the procession off to time, and it turned into Devon Street at flie Post Office a few minutes after 8 o'clock. As was to be expected, the Fire Brigade took a prominent part in tho proceeding's, and their displays wero given pride of place, tho lighting elfects of the tableau being particularly good. A number of the brigade also marched behind the big engine carrying lighted torches. The band, of course, took an important part, and their revival of ''Tipperary''—the song which found such favor at the outbreak of the war—caught on, and was sung by the crowds in tho street. A large number of decorated cars followed, and they continued circuiting the route arranged for about an hour. Thereafter, the crowd gradually diminished, and people found their way home, mostly thoroughly tired after a day's celebration which will long remain in the memory of all present on the occasion-

PROCEEDINGS IN WELLINGTON. (Delayed in transmission)' By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Nov. 13. The air was electric with expectation yesterday morning. The people were confident the day would bring newn of German submission to the Allies' terms.

When the signal guns iboomed at 9 o'clooK the meaning was at once gi'aspad. Work ceased, and the people flocked into the streets, tuough the effects of the presence of the influenza plague were apparent in the earlier stages by reason of the fact that the crowds' demonstrations of joy were subduedShips' sirens added to the clamor in announcing the good news, and the vessels and public buildings and streets were soon dressed with bunting. After the official announcement by the Governor-General, the dense crowds packed the vicinity of the Town Hall, where, after the singing of the 'National Anthem, the Mayor briefly referred to the valor of the New Zealand troops, and to the grief of the relatives of men who had died, concluding by calling for

c.heer3 for t'ao toys who were carrying on. Speeches by the Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, and Sir James Alltn evoked gteat enthusiasm.

A thanksgiving service was held on ths Basin Reserve in the afternoon-

Work on the waterfront was stopped all day, and will not be resumed till Thursday. ,

THE CITY CELERRATESJ noise, bVnting, AND SPEECHES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Nov. I], Scarcely -had. the first gun in the prearranged signal from the forts 'boomed out the glad tidings of the signing of the armistice before 'Wellington gave itself over to noise, bunting, and speeches in celebration of the day for which the Empire liad been waiting through four long, weary years. Flags and streamers had been bedecking many of the buildings in the city since the premature announcement on Friday, but when the news came in official guise—in very truth, as those in authority had to assure scores of eager inquirers before the telephones were cut off —flags, wreaths of color, floral decorations, national emblems, sprang up everywhere, and every instrument, every sounding piece of metal, every raucous voice blared forth its welcome to the dawn of peace. In ten minutes, coming from whence no one eould say, the streets were crowded with happy, flag-waving crowds, gaily decorated vehicles, quaintly dressed entertainers, women, children, and men, all intent upon going mad on this one occasion to their hearts'content. The drift was first towards the grounds and thoroughfares in front of 'Parliament House, where, at hall-past 10, in the presence of 10,000 or 12,000 people, his Excellency the flovernor-General, attended by his 'Ministers and other privileged folk, read the message from tha King telling of what had happened yesterday and the message his Excellency had despatched in reply. These were ttio formal proceedings, but they were made impressive by the tense interest of the multitude and ibv the rolling cheers with which thpy were greetedFrom Parliament. Buildings (lie vast crowd, gathering volume as it went, made its way through the whole length of Lambton Quay and Willis Street' to the. Town Hall to listen to speeches from Ministers. The streets in front of the big building were densely packed by thousands of laughing, singing, jubilating people, and the side streets carried the overflow for half their length. Mr. Massey, as he appeared at a balcony on the first floor, was received witn tumultuous applause and vigorous flagwaving. He congratulated the people of New Zealand and the people oi the Empire on • having reached a day for which the Germans had prayed and which they were now getting in a way they had not expected. Instead of satisfying their dreams of Cunquest and domination, they were now on their knees, humbled to the dust and suing for peace. The cause of right and justice had triumphed over the forces of militarism and barbarity, and 'he prayed thai; New Zealand and the Empire, civilisation at large, in fact, would so profit by the bitter experieaces of the war that a recurrence of its, horrore would remain for all time impossible. Sir Joseph W."d, who also was warmly applauded on coming forward to speak, said the day was one for heartfelt gratitude and satisfaction. The German power for evil hail been broken for ever, and a new era of peace and righteous prosperity was dawning upon the world. He had faith in the British people, and ho <believed they would so read the lessons of the war that the causes which led to national quarrels and social misunderstandings would be removed, and tl'.at the men who had laid down their lives for the Empire would not have made the supreme sacrifice in vain.

Sir James Allen received an ovation on following his colleagues and was greeted with the singing of "He's a Jolly Good Fellow" at the conclusion of his ramarks. His uppermost feeling, he said, was one of profound gratitude to the God of Battles for having given victory to the cause of righteousness. iiivs heart went out in sympathy to those who had lost their loved one 3 in. tho struggle for freedom and civilisation, but they had tho consolation of knowing their' sacrifice had saved the world foj hotter and higher things. His own hope was that the spirit of those men and women would survive through all the ages making for the .betterment of the Empire and the world and bringing the nations nearer to the ideals and the practice of Christianity. ,

Mr. Harper and Colonel Hughes spoke on behalf of the returned soldiers and the soldiers still at tho front, and asked for them the consideration their services had fairly won.

The proceedings were interspersed with cheers for the King and Queen, the mothers of soldiers. Field Marshal Foch, Sir Douglas 'Haig ; Sir Alexander Godley, General Guy Eussell, the boys at the front, the British Navy, and for many other distinguished figures and institutions connected with the war. At 3 o'clock another gathering of the same character took place at the Basin Reserve, and the remainder of the afternoon and evening was devoted to jubilating with unabated vigor.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19181114.2.9

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1918, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
3,782

ARMISTICE CELEBRATIONS. Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1918, Page 3

ARMISTICE CELEBRATIONS. Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1918, Page 3

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert