THE LESSON OF ANZAC

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 71, 26 April 1929, Page 8

THE LESSON OF ANZAC

COMMEMORATION THROUGHOUT HAWKE'S BAY. IMPRESSIVE SERVICES HELD FOURTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF LANDING. A DAY OF MEMORIES

Yesterday Hawke's Bay, in common witli the rest of Xew Zealand, did hoinage to her glorious dcad and honour 1o the memory of those gallant- sons of the Dominion who gave thcir lives in the eause of freedoni 0^1 tlie shores of Suvla Bav and Anzac Covc, the 14th anniversary of Anzac being commemorated with impressive services in all paris of the provinec.

Yesterday manv Napier people journeyed to "Waipukurau to witness the pre.sentation of eolours to the 1st Battalion 1 huvke's Bay Rogiment in camp, and also to attend the Anzac serviec. Nevertheless yesterday afternoon the Napier Municipal Thcatre was packed witli those anxious to pay tlieir Anzac Day tributes to the l'allen for the special service. At lialf-past two there was not a vacant seat to he seen in the theatre, which had heen specially decorated with flowers and evergreens for the occasion. To the music of the Hastings Citizens' Baud a procession, compnsing a firing party from the Xapier Boys' High ScliooJ, returnel soldiers, a large contingent from tho scliool, cadets, Bo.v Scouts and Girl Guides, marclied from the Marine Parade to the theatre. Mr John Mason presided at the service, supported on tlie stage h.v the Rev. H. B. Hughes, His Worship the Mayor, llr «J. Vigor Brown and Mr AY. K. Barnard, M.P. The proceedings opened with the singing of the. National Antheni, following which Mr Mason, as president of the Xapier Returned Soldiers' Association, gave an address, first thanking, on behalf of the association, tlie Hastings Citizens' Band. who had come to tlieir rescue. the Hawke's Bay Begimental Band. having journeyed to Waipukurau to take part in the eeremonv there. He went on to remind his hearers of the purpose for which tliey were gatliered. The memorahle landing tliat the Xew Zealanders effected 14 yea'rs ago at Gallipoli definitely stamped the Foldiers of tlie Dominion at the timo as being amongst the finest fighting men the war had prodnced. Tlieir standard was maintained in the later vears of the conflict, when the men from tliis Dominion showed tliat the.v were prepared to suffer and die just as courageously as did tlieir brothers j at Anzac. j As the vears wpnt hv. we realised j more and more what we owed to our t gallant dead. There could he 110 doubt ' that victory and our present privilege of living in freedom under the Union Jack Ava.s due in a large manner to tlieir valour and devotion to dutv. "Monuments have been or are lieing ereeted all over the country. in honour of our glorious dead," remarked Mr Afason in conclusion, "but I feel sure that the greatest mentorial and tlie one which the.v would apprec-iate most is the fact that tlieir memories continue to live with us." Mr Mason's address was followed by "the singing of that glorious old hymn, "Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past.'' after which the Bev. H. B. Huglies addressed the gatliering. At tlie conclusion of liis address, Kipling's "Recessional" was sung, followed bv an inipressive rendering of "The Dead March in Raul" by the Hastings Citizens' Band. Tliis concluded the eeremonv in the theatre and the procession formed up again outside and marelied to the Cenotaph. where a square was formed and Mr John Mason, on hehalf of the ■Xapier R.S.A., laid their heautiful wreath on the memorial, the steps oi ■nhich were covered with floral tokens. presenting a sight of singular beauty. The volley of the firing party and the sounding pf the "Last Post" by the bugler ended Napier's Anzac' Day ceremony. the procession marching hac-k to the Parade, where it disbanded.