Oakleigh and Caulfield Times Mulgrave and Ferntree Gully Guardian: 3 Aug 1918
AVENUE OF HONOR. SHIRE OF MULGRAVE. CENTRE RIDING.
A public meeting of ratepayers and residents was held on Monday evening at Beveridge's Store, Notting Hill, to make arrangements for planting an avenue of honor in May Road to those men who had left the Centre Riding, Shire of Mulgrave, on "active service" up to 29-7-18
Public meeting notice
Present: Crs Coleman (President) in the Chair, Forster, Cotter, Messrs Patterson, McNally, Flack, Williams, Anderson, West, McKelvie, Mrs Whitbourn, and others.
Resolved on the motion of Crs Forster & Cotter that the trees be planted on Saturday, August 10 Proposed by Mr Williams that action be deferred until another meeting has been called by notice: Ruled out of order by the chairman. Resolved that all present form themselves into a committee to carry out the resolution; that speakers be obtained ; that the tree planting start at 2pm.; that the head teachers of Glen Waverley, Clayton and Mt. Waverley schools be asked to attend; that the ladies present form themselves into a refreshment committee. After other details had been arranged, the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Beveridge for their hospitality
Public notice for Avenue of Honour planting
Oakleigh and Caulfield Times Mulgrave and Ferntree Gully Guardian: 3 Aug 1918
AVENUE OF HONOR. SHIRE OF MULGRAVE. CENTRE RIDING NOTICE
Parents and others interested are requested to attend at MAY ROAD, NottingHill, to take part in Planting Trees on Saturday 10 August, at 2pm sharp.
Messrs F. Groves and E. W. Greenwood, M'sL.A., and Cr W. H. Hunt, Mayor of Oakleigh, have been invited to attend. Friends are particularly requested to take this notice as an invitation, as beyond those mentioned above no individual invitations have been sent. C. H. COLEMAN, President.
Oakleigh and Caulfield Times Mulgrave and Ferntree Gully Guardian: 17 Aug 1918
NOTTING HILL AVENUE OF HONOR. FOR MEN ENLISTED FROM THE CENTRE RIDING, SHIRE OF MULGRAVE. A SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION.
Beautiful sunshiny weather favored the planting on Saturday afternoon last, in May Road, Notting Hill, of an avenue of honor to 70 men who have enlisted from the Centre Riding, Shire of Mulgrave. Eight of the men have made the supreme sacrifice. There was a large attendance of parents and friends interested, including rate-payers from the North and Centre Riding, who were, doubtless, mindful of the fact that the volunteer soldiers, regardless of Ridings or any artificial boundaries, were from the Shire of Mulgrave as a whole in a larger sense, soldiers of Australia.
Proceedings opened with the singing of the National Anthem. Then Cr. C. H. Coleman (President of the Shire), after welcoming the visitors, announced that the trees would be planted forthwith, and read the names of those in charge of the various sections, as follows:
Messrs. McKelvie, S. West, R. Holland, F. Martyr, G. S. Cotter, R. Souter, W. M. Forster, McNally, J. Patterson, Beacom, Beveridge and Simmons.
A contingent of wounded soldiers, on their way to be entertained at Oakleigh, arrived and made a brief stay. The President said he was glad the weather was fine, and the war news heartening to all; it was a matter of deep thankfulness that the Allied arms were prevailing. (Applause.) The trees to be planted were Portugal oak, recommended as living for ever, and being free from disease.
Mr. E. Jowett, M.H.R., after apologising for the unavoidable absence of Capt. Bruce (who was in Sydney), said he would see him next day and tell him of the magnificent gathering at Notting Hill. From what the President had said, he could predict that the trees planted would live for generations and centuries in memory of those brave men who had left Australia to fight for the safeguarding of our liberties. They left their homes to maintain all those privileges and rights - everything we count dear — handed down to us by our forefathers, beneath the protection of the British flag. (Applause.) We have heard of late that a section of the people are getting war weary; but we are on the threshold of a great victory—the tide has turned for the Allies; now, when we are on the verge of victory these people are asking for a peace with Germany. Peace today would mean the loss of all we had gained a peace on Germany's terms—an insult to those soldiers in whose honor the trees were being planted. We ask for no peace until guaranteed that Germany makes reparation for all she has made the world to suffer, and her military power is broken forever. (Applause.) In conclusion, he urged that Australia should see that the men now fighting are adequately reinforced.
Mr. E. W. Greenwood, M.L.A., said he was present for two reasons —firstly, because he was always prepared to go anywhere to pay his tribute to the soldiers fighting for us, and secondly, because he was glad to assist their member (Mr. F. Groves) at any time; so that when the Groves could not come to them the Greenwood could. (Laughter) The point of all our work is the nurturing of patriotism. There are those who would like to sever connection with England, but out of pure gratitude we should remain in loving union, and, personally, he felt proud of being a unit of the British Empire. He thought he could say, without egotism, that the Australian soldiers had proved themselves to be
the greatest fighting men on the face of the earth. They have won as many Victoria Crosses as were altogether bestowed in the past. Three hundred and twenty thousand men have left Australia at their country's call, and for ever made it impossible for Australia to be made the price of peace. (Applause.) Their high spirits and humor stand out conspicuously. A corporal was wounded 20 times, and when restored to health was presented to the King to receive a Victoria Cross. The King said, "You look very well, after what you have gone through," and the Australian replied, "You look very well, too." (Laughter) The Australians always make good. Let us back up these fine men that are fighting for us, and then we shall have a victory that will bring peace to this world. (Applause)
Mr. A. James, Labor member for Logan (Queensland), who appeared in khaki, said it gave him great pleasure to be present. He must apologise for intruding, but it happened that one of the trees was planted in honor of his brother, who had enlisted. (Applause) He had felt it rather extraordinary to go round and make speeches about Lone Pine, etc., in civilian clothes, and, if one has a wife and a few children, that is no reason why he should not enlist. He felt it only right for him, a politician, to enlist. (Applause) He felt sure that the Allies must win, for their resources are greater than those of Germany, and are constantly increasing.
He hoped that his brother and brother-in-law, to whose honor a tree was also planted, would come back, and that he himself would again see Victoria, his native State. (Applause)
Cr. F. W. Vear (Mayor of Camberwell) said he was very pleased to be present. One could not help but feel that all should be behind any movement which has for its object the recognition of the men who have volunteered for the defence of our country. One could not help feeling proud to hold citizenship with the Australian soldiers, possessing courage equal to that of any other nation, associated with a brightness and good cheer that belongs to our Australian climate. The speaker related several incidents of heroism by Australian soldiers, and concluded amidst applause. A hearty vote of thanks to the speakers was carried by acclamation, on the motion of Cr. Forster, seconded by Cr. Jordan. The President thanked the committee for the able manner in which it had carried out the arrangements, and invited all present to remain and partake of afternoon tea, thanking Mr. and Miss Merrifield for giving the use of their house for the purpose.
A hearty vote of thanks to the President, proposed by Mr. James, was carried by acclamation. The secretarial work was well carried out by Mr. E. Knights. At a similar function held on the same day at Smythesdale a tree was planted to E. D. Knights, son of Mr. E. Knights.
The ladies' refreshment committee were Mesdames Whitbourn (chair, W. Foster, Lockens, Patterson, McNally, Flack, Beveridge, Beacom, H. Bunnett, D. Owens, and the Misses McKelvie, Black and K. Owens. They heartily thank Mr and Mrs Beveridge for the use of their room. A surplus of £9 5s 2d has been handed to the Australian Comforts Fund.