Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW : 1898 - 1954), Wednesday 19 August 1925, page 2 19 August 1925 f declined with the result that to-day soldiers were on properties which were Lansdowne. hi giil it Upper y overcapitalised and on which was not possible for tbem to make It a success. was pleasing to see- that OPENING MEMORIAL HALL. the Commonwealth Government had come to a realisation of the' position and It is just that thirteen months hgo ted decided that if the States would the" residents of Upper Lansdowne con- . do something similar they would drop the (advisability erecting a sidered . of these valuations by £4,000,000 or hall public memorial and held a meet-1 £5,000,000. If the Slates would do ing which it -decided . at whs to proceed this the soldiers would be on' a better basis, with a chhfrce of making a suc iust., Vincent, M.L.A., the Mr. opened cess of their holdings. If something tell which, from newly completed every drastic were not done to stop the rot hand point of view, is a modern and toe majority of the soldiers would be edifice, fitted ali some up with con forced to leave their holdings and -the electrically lighted veniences and Commonwealth would lose more than that this fine hall throughout. Hie fact it would by taking time by the fore built a short was in ouch . remarkably lock and making a reduction of the for the organising time speaks volumes valuations. Australia was one .of the abilities supervised -the of those who youngest countries but she had, through

undertaking, . the enthusiasm and and the courage of her son's and daughters; generosity in subscribing to the build tradition . gplhered a wealth of which on the of residents. The ing part the would be a source of inspiration to hall was built at the cost of £850,- ihc people for ages to come. Rome, it cost a great deal but would have in all her glory, had no more reason it the fact that a more were pot for to be proud of toe feats of her portion of the work was performed by soldiers than . Australia had, voluntary labor. At the openiug func at Gailipoli, France and Belgium. Our tion the sum of was received £102 soldiers wont to fight for civilisation iu the form of donations, including £43 and the world, not for the Empire or taken at the door, Australia alone. Australians were bom full description of building, A the of. oC- in .an atmosphere freedom and sun which occupies a ate, has debdid shine pnd when the (freedom -.of small ready appeared in our columns. nations was threatened they joined hands There was a large gathering of the to prevent those people from being Lansdowne residents as well as a num trampled underfoot. There were 60,000 ber of visitors from Taree and various Australians lying on foreign soil which parts of the Manning to witness the was sufficient testimony to the high opening function. A first-class pro price they were ieady to pay for their of sports was carried out dur pamine ideals. Sometimes the question was ing the afternoon and at 3.30 p.m., raised as to whether the price paid was the visitors gathered in front of the not too great— but was price too building to hear the addresses or the any great for freedom from the hexstiality speakers, " which javaged France and- Belgium in Mr. W. McLaughlin, "president of the " 1914 ? Every soldier who paid the committee an interesting resume gave supreme sacrifice would do it a thou of tlie history of the movement to sand times to. Safeguard Australia from build the Memorial Hall and thanked tlie treatment which France and Belgium, toe residents for generous response received at the hands of the Germans, Uiev had made to the call for funds. It the -people lived up to the ideals continue take He hoped they would to shown by' the soldiers the price paid in hall, which was a ' an interest the would not have been -in vain. Of those credit to the district. He especially who remained there was a duty of thanked Mr. Vincent for his presence. seeing thgt "Australia was built up as w'te a and one of best He Digger the a fop British ! sanctuary the .races. The battles cm the He hhd fought their people of the various towns throughout other side and was now fighting in the Commonwealth were perpetuating the the interests of Oxley in Parliament. memory of those who fouglht. At Upper Mr. Vincent was then invited to open Lansdowne the people ted erected a hall. the memorial hall wherein they would be hi declaring the hall Mr. Vin opened able to gather to discuss matters for cent said the wet weather bad necessi the - welfare and progress of the dis tated the of the opening postponing trict. They would never forget, he lelt function some months ago. He came certain, toe treason for toe erec to Taree from Melbourne before he tion of the tell. With the pasting found that the event ted -been post of the the building must decay, years . the that had been sent poned, message in keeping with, all filings earthly, but to him notifying of the it" postponement the of those whom corcf- It was memory having to miss him. - managed tnemorafed would eadure for ever. The not his intention to touch political upon residents were to be congratulated on matters that afternoon but he thought the erection of such a fine hall. At that some reference to repatriation would WeBt Wyplong he recently opened a not be out of place. When the soldiers hall which cost £10,000, but there were the Common returned from the war 10,000 residents hi that district With wealth launched a repatriation scheme a population of 300 or 400 Upper settle them on the land. Land values to Lansdowne had erected a hall worth were then at the peak and ted since £1000 at least so that in. comparison declined result that f to-day with the they had done better than the residents

National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article173979011 Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW : 1898 - 1954), Wednesday 19 August 1925, page 2 (2)

they had done better than the residents Mr. Vincent suitably replied. . of Wyalaag. At the conclusion of the meeting after Canon Ritchie expressed the pleasure noon tea was served in the supppr it room. At night a held in gave 'Him to be present. He was concert was ' the hall. . glad to see they were commemorating . . "the memory of the men who fought pan fell in the grept war. No need was . 'tell .there to . of the bravery of the . "valiantly sons of Australia. Right they inarched forth to the field of battle, fqaring not to die in the cause of right. did not think it a Waste of He . whs" inaney to build memorial halls. Millions of pounds had been spent by the Em pire in memorials, so .that the self- ' sacrifice of the soldiers would be re membered. Self sacrifice was the means built by which (he Empire. : could" -be Jttp. He .wsb jproud thai when the call to duty came om. into" did -not tang back. They did ; well and the people should honor tbCUi add remember their spirit of self-tecriGce. The .builders had 'forth put their best. -work in the coo struction of the hall, which he hoped would-- serve its. purpose for -itetty years

to come. -

- Mr. H. Hammond recalled that in "1882 he pitched -Ins camp on a site bear the tall tint had been. opened

boujiiiry ' IteiL ThC thenwas coyered' witoscnib/and when he left Mb tout-: ' he did not go;; too tor as hefeared he migit become lost. He wae ot opinion that ' that pjart of 'the district bad advanced more in the- past years than any other, centre on the , forth Coast. The only drawback was the bad slate of tlie roads. Some parts of the roads over which be had travelled that day were not as good as those' which he traversed' 43 years ago. The roads between (kindle and Lansdowne bridge were very had. In another 80 years, if the district continued to make such progress it would be one of the fines! centres in Australia. It waB explained by Mr, McLaughlin (hat the committee did" not have suffi cient hinds to light the hall when it was completed so Mr. 3a!$. Ritchie (agreed to. instal the electric light and accept repayment at the convenience of tne committee. Tlie district was under a debt of gratitude to Mr. Ritchie tort

action. , his generous The. appearance of the hull, said Mr. ' Framing (treasurer) had been much ad mired by the visitors. Over £200 was subscribed when it was decided to build the ball. People of toe district were very patriotic; This was shown about ten years -ago when certificates were awarded to schools raising the largest .sum - for the War CheSt, in proportion to attendance, one of which was gained- by the Upper Lansdowne school. He hoped that they would make a real

Memorial . Hall of the new building by making (he returned soldiers life mem bers. There wja's a sum of (about £688 remaining on the hall to - be paid off. A vote of thanks was moved to Mr. Viacent for opening the ball, j

Mr. Vincent suitably replied. .

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