ANZAC Day - Tirau 2015

I have mentioned in a previous post that the 25th April is ANZAC day in New Zealand (and Australia).

I just thought I would post some pics of how we in Tirau have commemorated this special day.

A service is held in the Town Hall and had a lot of people from our church participating in it. I have been going to them most years since arriving in Tirau, 30 years ago and was saddened to note that there was only one RSA member left from those first days.

The service started with Mrs Nora Martelletti, a long standing member of the Tirau Community Board welcoming and introducing our new minister Rev John Rush.

A message from the Governor-General of New Zealand Lt.Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae GNZM, GSO, was read out by a local RSA member, Clive Collingwood.

Like most services throughout New Zealand we all then stood while the bringing in and presentation of colours (the New Zealand and British flags) by members of local RSA War Veterans takes place and are stood next to the Roll of Honour.

We all then sung God Save the Queen.

Then members of organisations are invited to bring in their wreaths which are placed at the foot of the Roll of Honour.

Prayers were then said and a reading from Psalm 100 with a response per line by the congregation.

Amazing Grace was sung and the Lord ’s Prayer said.




Then two members of our Churches youth group read lessons from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and John 15:9-13, with all people saying Psalm 23 a Psalm said by many a soldier in his final hours.







A member of our Parish, Mary Tidbury, told the story of her family connection to Melville Mirfin. who was one of the first men to volunteer for World War 1 in 1914. He is featured on a special stamp issued to commemorate King and Empire. He served from 1914 through to the occupation of Germany in 1919 and became one of the longest serving soldiers of WW1.




We listened to a recording of “Sons of Gallipoli" composed and sung by Fr Chris Skinner from the disc entitled “You Raise Me Up.













The message from the Prime Minister of New Zealand Rt John Key was read by Cassandra Robinson, Chairwoman of the Tirau Community Board.

We all stood for the singing of the National Anthem of New Zealand and then a Dedication was said by Rev John Rush.

As we sung a last song Let There Be Peace an offering was taken up for the RSA Welfare Programmes.

Then the bit that always gets me is the playing of the Last Post and the Reveille with the reciting by of us all

They shall not grow old,
As we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them.
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
And in the morning,
We will remember them;
We will remember them.

The service is closed with the Benediction and the retiring of the colours.















All the wreaths are taken to the Tirau Cemetery and placed at the foot of the flag pole in the RSA section and a single poppy is laid on the graves of RSA members buried there.

Community Board Conference 2011

Over the weekend I went with two other members of the Tirau Community Board to a conference in Rotorua.
It was the New Zealand Community Boards' Conference 2011  titled The Changing Face of Community Governance held from Thursday 5th May to Saturday 7th May, 2011 and we travelled daily from Tirau.
Although it seemed to focus a lot on the change in governance for the Auckland boards it still had topics of interest and information totally new for me and at times was full on.
I wont bore you with all the details on governance, politics and other facts but let you see some of the high-lights.

Some of the workshops I attended were

• Mobile Communication and Community Engagement
• Legal Issues Affecting Community Boards
• Aging Population 
• Empowering New Community Board Members

Thursday Night was the opening with a powhiri and dinner

I had a seared Asian style duck breast, Bok Choy and Chinese cabbage salad with a ginger, lime and sweet soy glaze, Entree




My Main (sorry no pic) was baked chicken breast supreme filled with mushroom and ricotta cheese, glazed with spiced plum sauce on potato gnocchi, seved with a roast vegetable tart and micro greens.




Dessert was a zingy lemon tart, mascarpone and creme fraiche, marinated fig stew and orange custard sauce.

Rodney Hide The Minister of Local Government
was a speaker.











Myself, Geoff Poole and Nora Martedlletti (Tirau Community Board Chair Person)






 

For me there was a lot of learning and a greater understanding of not only what we as a board here in Tirau can and can't do, but also hearing and meeting new people from other boards all over New Zealand.

The next conference is in two years time in Wanaka.

ANZAC Day

Anzac Day occurs on 25 April. It commemorates all New Zealanders killed in war and also honours returned servicemen and women.

The date itself marks the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers – the Anzacs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. The aim was to capture the Dardanelles, the gateway to the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. At the end of the campaign, Gallipoli was still held by its Turkish defenders. Thousands lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign: 87,000 Turks, 44,000 men from France and the British Empire, including 8500 Australians. Among the dead were 2721 New Zealanders, almost one in four of those who served on Gallipoli.

It may have led to a military defeat, but for many New Zealanders then and since, the Gallipoli landings meant the beginning of something else – a feeling that New Zealand had a role as a distinct nation, even as it fought on the other side of the world in the name of the British Empire.
Anzac Day was first marked in 1916.

The day has gone through many changes since then. The ceremonies that are held at war memorials up and down New Zealand, or in places overseas where New Zealanders gather, remain rich in tradition and ritual befitting a military funeral. 

This year being part of the Tirau Community Board, I was involved in the planning of the service at our Memorial Hall.

Katrina, being the Youth Representative for Tirau on the Council, was also playing a part.

She did a reading from Matthew 5:1-11 and I lay a wreath on behalf of the Tirau Community Board.

As with every year I am touch at the end of the service with the playing of the Last Post.

Neither my father or grandfathers were in a war as their ages at these times were either too old or too young. However, Harry's Father was in the Dutch army and fought in Indonesia in WW2.

Edited to add.
I have since found out that my fathers father served in WW1
Edgar Weston Purdie

War World War I, 1914-1918
Serial No. 28290
First Known Rank Private
Occupation before Enlistment Motor mechanic
Next of Kin James L. Purdie (father), Waikanae, New Zealand
Body on Embarkation New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Embarkation Unit 19th Reinforcements Specialist Machine-Gun Section
Embarkation Date 15 November 1916
Place of Embarkation Wellington, New Zealand
Transport HMNZT 68
Vessel Maunganui or Tahiti
Destination Plymouth, England
Nominal Roll Number 45
Page on Nominal Roll 20

• EMBARKATION DETAILS
  WW1 AWMM
  15 November 1916 AWMM
  Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
  15 Nov 1916-30 January 1917 AWMM
  HMNZT 68 AWMM
  Wellington, New Zealand, Plymouth, Devon, England, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Province, Republic of South Africa AWMM
  Port of Call, Depart - 15 Nov 1916, Arrival - 30 Jan 1917 AWMM
• EMBARKATION BODY
  WW1 AWMM
  15 November 1916 AWMM
  New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
  19th Reinforcements Specialist Machine-Gun Section AWMM
  

Matthew 5:1-11

The Beatitudes

1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 

(All Scripture is from New International Version 1984, ©1984)

Tirau Community Board

I can now officially say that I am a member of the Tirau Community Board.
Back in August I was asked if I would stand for one of the four positions as most of the last board were leaving. After some consideration and talk with hubby I decided to stand. Little did I know that only four people stood for the four seats so we were all duly appointed.

Tirau Community Board (four positions) ALL ELECTED - no voting was required
MARTELLETTI Nora
POOLE Geoffrey
SPINLEY Heather
VAN LENT Fiona

The Tirau Community Board is part of the South Waikato District Council and elections for local body councils were this October in New Zealand for the next three year term.
Last night we attended the inaugural Council meeting where, along with the Mayor and council members, we were sworn in to the new positions for the next three years.

Opening address and prayer by Peter Hall

The meeting started at:

7pm                       Kaumatua Jack Simmonds said a mihi/welcome

                              The Waiata Group – one song

      Kaumatua Jack Simmonds will say a karakia/blessing

      Waiata Group – one song

                              Mayor Neil Sinclair - 

                                           Reply to group from Raukawa inc Kaumatua

                              Waiata Group – one song

                              David Hall                            Swearing in Mayor

                              Mayor                                  Swearing in Councillors

                              Mayor                                  Swearing in TCB

Reading the Tirau Community Board Declaration

Signing the Declaration

There were two brief meetings to elect the deputy mayor and a vice Chairperson for the board (Me!!) and the meetings closed with a karakia/blessing and a light supper so as to chat with each other.

Closing blessing by the Raukawa Group

All in all a good night, with the start of something new and exciting in my life.