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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Personal Volume

Anzacs Honoured. — By Wellington Patriotic Society. — Dinner at the Town Hall. — Stirring Speech by Sir Robert Stout

Anzacs Honoured.

By Wellington Patriotic Society.

Dinner at the Town Hall.

Stirring Speech by Sir Robert Stout.

The second Anzac Day commemoration dinner, held at the Town Hall on Saturday night under the auspices of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Patriotic Society, proved in every way a great success. The great hall had been very tastefully decorated for the occasion with large Hags of the Allies and gay festoons of bunting; the long tables were laden with good things; the orchestra was occupied by the Patriotic Society's Band, which, under the able conductorship of Bandmaster Jupp, briefly rendered a stirring selection of patriotic airs; and by kind permission of Mr Walter Fuller a number of artists from His Majesty's Theatre contributed greatly to the harmony and the hilarity of the evening.

Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P. (chairman of the Patriotic Society) presided over a gathering of sonic 400 returned soldiers, men of the Royal Navy, and civilians, among those present being the Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke), the Hon. Arthur M. Myers (Acting-Finance Minister and Minister for Munitions and Supplies), the Hon. G. W, Rissell (Minister for Public Health, Infernal Affairs, and Marine), His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), His Honour Sir John Denniston, lis Honour Mr Justice Cooper, Colonel Hughes, D.S.O. (of the Canterbury Battalion), Colonel Porter, C.B. (officer commanding National Resservis), Mr J. B. Harcourt (president of he Navy League), Mr L. O. H. Trpp (president of the War Relief Commitee), and Mr A. H. Hindmarsh, M.?.

Apologies for unavoidable abserce were received from the Hon. A. L. Herdman (Attorney-General), the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald (Minister for Agriculture and Commerce), Surgeon-General Henderson (Director-General of Medical Services), and others.

Britain Over All.

The toast of "The King" having been drunk with musical honours, he Hon. G. W. Russell proposed the test of "The Empire." In doing so, he strongly contrasted the culture of Iritain with that of Germany. The Gr- page 4 mans, he said, had placed before them as their national ideal the extension of "Kaltur," their particular brand of culture, throughout the world. But he made bold to say that the truer and higher culture of the British Empire must prevail. (Applause.) British culture had lasted for many generations, for many centuries, and they all hoped and believed that it would last for many centuries to come. The United States, by coming into the war, had recognised the righteousness of the Entente cause, and had brought about a union of the English-speaking races of the world, which he hoped and believed would continue for all time. He believed that ultimately the whole world, all races, would be English-speaking; that the English language would be the universal language, and that British culture and British fair play, with their love of freedom for themselves and for all those with whom they came in contact, would prevail the world over. (Loud applause.) Referring proudly to the great part that Britain and the British Empire had taken and are taking in the war, financially, on the battlefield, and on the seas. Mr Russell said that Now Zealand, as a young country, had borne no ignoble part in the struggle. (Applause.) At Gallipoli, on the Western front, in Egypt, in Mesopotamia, and elsewhere, their sons had fought as only those could fight who belonged to the bulldog breed—(loud applause); and they were met that night to do them honour. (Applause,) The war, he declared, could have only one end. He was not going to prophesy when that end was to be, but that end could only come when Germany was defeated and Great Britain and her Allies were able to dictate the terms of a conclusive and lasting peace. (Loud applause.)

Our Brave Allies.

Sr Robert Stout, in proposing the toast of "The Allies." said that in no war that had ever taken place had there been so many Allies arrayed on one side. There were now no fewer than a dozen nationalities—from the little Republic of San Marino to England, France, Russia. Italy. United States, and the most peacable nationin the world, China—against Germany, Austria, Turkey and Bulgaria. Why should there be such a mighty war? How came it, he asked, that so many Allies, differing in nationality, in language, and ideals, were found on one side, fighting against Germans, Austrians, Bulgarians, and Turks? There were some people who imagined that the world was getting worse. This war should be the answer to those pessimists. The Allies were fighting, not to conquer territory, but for the defence of their own countries and of the civilisation of the world. This war was on a higher plane than any past war. In most of the wars of the past there had been Questions of territory involved and where that was not the case misunderstandings had led to the war. But there was no misunderstanding about this war. The question at issue was, whether the world was to be dominated by a cruel, untruthful, immoral, autocracy, or whether there was be be peace and freedom in the world. Hence it was that the United States had joined the other Allies. Since she became a nation the whole policy of the United States had been that she was to be free from entangling alliances and from interfering in European affairs. She had been forced into her present position, however, in order that the civilisation and the freedom of the world might be maintained. She was, therefore, fighting side by side with the other Allies for a noble ideal—for truth and for righteousness. In their commemoration of Anzac, what could be better or more suitable than to remember their Allies who were engaged with them in that noble struggle. (Applause.) Had the Anzac fight any relation to this fight for civilisation? Let him point out to them what the meaning of the Anzac fight was? He need not go into the details of the struggle on Gallipoli. They knew them well. The men of Anzac—some of whose relatives were present at that gathering—were told even when they commenced the fight that it was almost impossible. There they were on the open beach to attack what were termed impregnable fortresses, and with not such a large body of troops behind that they could hope to overwhelm the defences. But they went on and on, fighting as they were page 5 told, fighting for their country, fighting for freedom, and fighting for civilisation.

Anzac and Thermopylae.

"Will not, then, this Anzac fight he tor ever renowned?" asked Sir Robert Scout amid loud applause. "Let me direct your minds to a battle that was fought nearly 2400 years ago not very far from Gallipoli. The Persian horde attacked Greece, and in those days, as there are now, there were traitors in Greece. The Persians, through treachery, passed through Thermopylae. They were opposed by Leonidas. He had only 300 Spartans, about 700 Thespians, and a considerable number of Thebians. But the Thebians, in the language of to-day, were shirkers and pacifists; instead of fighting alongside the warlike Spartans, they laid down their arms and took no part in the battle, and the thousand left to fight the enormous Persian army were every one of them slain. And the fight at Thermopylae passed into history and became an inspiration not only unto the Greek nations, hut to the whole world. But the name "Thebians' became a by-word and a reproach. They were 'shirkers' they were 'pacifists; they gave no help in the fight for liberty and for right. Even to-day every schoolboy who reads the history of Greece is inflamed by the story of Leonidas's brave fight. The battle of the Pass of Thermopylae was but the fight of 1000 men. But they made the supreme sacrifice; and as a Greek poet wrote:—

In dark Thermopylae they lie,
Oh, death of glory, there to die!
Their tomb our altar is, their name
A mighty heritage of fame.

"There have been great battles in the world in which our race and ancestors were engaged. We have in our history such names as Waterloo, Balaclava, Bannockburn, Cressy, Lucknow, and many more.

A Great Battle Nobly Fought.

"But this battle—this fight at Gallipoli—is of peculiar interest to us in these southern lands, for our brave boys took part in its glory. Let us realise what a great battle becomes. A great battle, nobly fought, becomes an inheritance and an everlasting inspiration to the people of the nation whose heroes fought therein. (Applause.) The story of the battle is not the mere record of an historical fact. It is not alone that the Australians, the New Zealanders, and the 29th Division found undying glory.

The Soul of a Nation.

"A heroic act is incorporated into the soul of a nation. It becomes to that nation a heritage more precious than gold. It gives the nation an ideal of courage, of self-sacrifice, of nobility. And poor, indeed, is that nation which has no soul, which has no past history that can vivify and inspire its citizens. The Anzacs have given us this inspiration, have laid up for Us this crown of glory, just as Leonidas das and his small army have inspired all the world. And as long as the English language endures this story will go ringing down the ages and inspiring the future generations of our race. This is what the Anzac have done for us. Browning says in his great poem, 'The Ring and the Book,' The moral sense grows best by exercise.' We have seen is exercised.

"For what, then, are Britain and her Allies fighting? May I quote a few lines of the poem of an American who was anxious to enlist, but was barred on account of his age? He addresses England, and tells us her mission, and her mission is also that of her Allies:

Mother of Freedom pledged to Right,
From honour's path, she would not stray,
But sternly faithful used her night
To lead mankind the nobler way.
My England, patient, valiant, true,
Not foes without, nor frauds within
Will shake her purpose to sublue
The cohorts of embattled sin

This eloquent peroration was greeted with loud and long-continued applause.

His Honour, Sir John Demiston, briefly, but heartily, supporter the toast, as also did the Hon. Arthur M. Myers.

page 6

Greatest Estate of Freedom.

Mr Myers, who appeared in his uniform as colonel of the New Zealand Motor Reserve, said that the foremost civilised nations of the world were Britain's Allies, and they were fighting for the greatest estate of freedom that the world had ever known. They were the trustees of that State, and they were determined to hand it down to their children and their children's children untarnished and undiminished, (Applause,) They were living in important times, and every man and woman in New Zealand would join with them in honouring the returned soldiers that night. (Applause.) The marvellous unanimity that existed between the Allies was a notable thing. The Allies had practically pledged their word, and their word was sucred—not as amongst their enemies—that they would not conclude a peace until they were all agreed upon the terms of that peace. (Applause.) There would be no inconclusive peace. (Applause.) Germany had wanted to fight, and she was going to get all the fight she wanted, and more. (Applause.) The Allies were going to see the war through to the bitter end, to a conclusive peace, until the nations of the world were able to live in perfect freedom. (Applause.) It was great matter for congratulation that America had decided to throw in her lot with the Allies; and he ventured to say that her doing so had laid the foundation for the future federation of all the English-speaking peoples. (Applause.) And, just as the result of their fighting side by side was that they were going to have closer political federation of the Empire, so also they were going to lay down an Empire economic policy, which would be to trade first with their own kith and kin—(applause)—not finding the money for Germany to fight t them with, but finding it first for their own country and for the Empire to pay the gigantic debt which had accrued, and afterwards to trade with their Allies. (Applause.) It was a matter for regret that the great Empire-builder, Joseph Chamberlain, had not lived to read what they had road only in that day's paper, that the House of Commons had practically endorsed the result of the Paris Conference, which meant that the [unclear: feish] of Free Trade was now to be a thing of the past, and that they recognised the necessity for carrying out not only a joint foreign policy, but also a joint economic policy. In conclusion, he expressed the hope that, thanks to their gallant soldiers, in good time, probably in a very short time, peace would be concluded on the Allies' terms. (Applause.)

The toast was honoured with great enthusiasm.

Giving the toast of the evening—"Our Guests, the Anzaes"—Mr Wilford declared that there was no way in which he or any man could show sufficiently the appreciation in which they held the Anzaes. "They are men who have done brave deeds," he said. "At times their minds must wander back to the fateful landing at Gallipoli, when against almost overwhelming odds they fought such a fight as made the world wonder." In eloquent and stirring words, Mr Wilford pictured that fight, adding that whenever they spoke of the great work and the marvellous deeds of the Anzacs, they must never forget the noble work, the splendid work, of the magnificent 29th Division. It was one of their great regrets that they had no complete record of that struggle, or of the war as a whole. Even on the Western front there were at the beginning no war correspondents, and it had been left to Lord Ernest Hamilton, in his wonderful book, "The First Seven Divisions, to chronicle the great retreats, the retreats which our soldiers now sing of, and use as a marching lilt—

We beat them on the Marne,
We beat them on the Aisne,
We gave them hell at Neuve Chapelle,
And here we are again!

It had been said by Granville Forsescue, remarked Mr Wilford, and he supposed that, next to Masefield's book, his was the finest on Gallipoli, that if the Navy, when it first attacked the Turks at Gallipoli, had been supported by troops, they could have page 7 readily captured the place, as the enemy was unprepared. But when the Anzacs landed the Turks were very fully prepared. A landing in face of their superior forces, superior munitions, and superior guns was considered by German instructors and masters absolutely impossible; but the Anzacs had forced a landing, thereby demonstrating that they, were brave sons of the parent stock, that the old fighting spirit was not dead, and that the inherent qualities which made the greatness of the British Empire were only sleeping, and required only the occasion to blossom forth to show a greatness which was for all time. (Loud applause.) He could not put into words what he felt about those brave boys. The Patriotic Society wished to do honour to them by the gathering. The interest in them was world-wide. They had a reputation that they must never lose. There would be no prouder bar to wear, no prouder medal to display than that of Gallipoli; and as time rolled on and history was written, the great-great-grandsons of those who did such noble deeds would love to read of them. The history of the great enterprise would not be dimmed by time, but would grow brighter and would shine refulgent for centuries and centuries yet to come. (Loud applause.)

The toast was drunk with musical honours. Colonel Hughes, Private Douglas Seymour (secretary to the Returned Soldiers' Association), and Sapper J. T. Fox (manager of the Returned Soldiers' Club suitably responded.

Mr J. B. Harcourt gave the toast, of "The Navy," which was responded to by Lieutenant-Commander C J Keily, R.N.R.

"Our Boys at the Front."

The Mayor, proposing the health of "Our Boys at the Front," said that the whole of the people of New Zealand had absolute confidence in the boys at the front. Whatever sacrifices might be necessary would be made by those now at the front and by those who would yet go to the front to help them in their great fight. (Applause.) They owed everything to the boys who had made all the sacrifices, and to their parents. They honoured the boys, and not only the boys but their parents, too. (Loud applause.)

The toast was enthusiastically hon oured. Then on the call of the Hon. G. W. Russell, the health of the chairman was drunk to the strain, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," and with a verse of the National Anthem the proceedings were brought to a close.