Tīnui still second to none on Anzac Day

local schoolchildren from Tīnui and Whareama Schools.

Until recently we had locals who served in World War II attending. There are veterans from Korea, Vietnam, Timor and Afghanistan that I’m aware of. In addition we have the local Scouts plus serving soldiers from Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles.

It is everyone’s day and long may it continue.

It was the same in Central Hawke’s Bay at Elsthorpe, where 180 turned up. As we all know, Hawke’s Bay was devastated by the cyclones but the local country folk still made the time to come to the service.

THERE was a great crowd at the small Wairarapa rural village of Tīnui for Anzac Day. It was the first place in the world to have an Anzac Day service, back in 1916, so it was the 107th anniversary of the event.

What was really pleasing is that despite the ravages of Cyclone Gabrielle the locals took some time off from clearing slips and fixing fences to come to the village to remember the fallen.

Tīnui was hit hard, isolated and without power for a period subsequent to Gabrielle. Driving around you can see munted fences, damaged paddocks and slips for Africa. A mate close to the village believes one in five of his paddocks is stock-proof.

Despite the ravages of Cyclone Gabrielle the locals took some time off from clearing slips and fixing fences to come to the village to remember the fallen.

The weather since Gabrielle has been rubbish for most of the time, so taking a fine day off to celebrate Anzac was hugely significant.

In addition there was 2m of water through the school, craft shop and tea rooms and nearer 3m at the hotel.

Tīnui suffered greatly, which was why it was humbling to see so many locals at the service.

In addition to the locals there were those who came from Masterton and the Greater Wairarapa region and visitors that I was aware of from Wellington, Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay.

There were an estimated 400 at the event to hear Brigadier Anne Campbell give a superb address.

I was, therefore, a little surprised to hear that the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RSA) wanted a separate Veterans Day to Anzac Day. I’m a proud member of that organisation, but I disagree with its position. Anzac Day is for everyone.

At Tīnui the names of the fallen of both world wars are read out by officiating

What did disturb me was the attitude of various councils and central government agencies to the celebration of Anzac Day.

Under instructions from Auckland mayor Wayne Brown to cut budgets, the Franklin Local Board decided to cut the Pukekohe Anzac Parade. The parade had been going on for over 100 years.

The parade would have started at 10am, a time families could come along and honour the fallen.

It would have cost a piddling $7741, which would be less than the depreciation of a mayoral limo. The biggest cost was for traffic management at $3184.

Closer to home, the South Wairarapa District Council decided to stop the traditional Anzac Day march at Featherston.

Mayor Martin Connelly claimed the council couldn’t afford to pay for traffic management, which I find ridiculous. Connolly added that “future funding is unlikely”. So in South Wairarapa it would seem that any event is more important than Anzac Day.

Both areas have been critical of the costs of traffic control charged by Land Transport NZ or Waka Kotahi.

Surely good sense could prevail for a day of such significance.

After all, Waka Kotahi has the money. It has wasted $62 million promoting the ridiculous Road to Zero and if it got rid of just one of its 100 or so spin doctors that would save over $100,000 annually and that’s a lot of traffic control.

If I was the RSA hierarchy I would be doing what I could to preserve the current Anzac Day and not to try for a second Veterans Day.

I find the entire saga ridiculous in the extreme.

Getting back to Tīnui, however, we’re fine now and will be into the future.

The Masterton District Council is both generous and helpful and it was good to see the mayor and councillors at Tīnui.

We had a march-past, which was led by master piper Zavier Boyles. This year he composed a special song for his bagpipes, entitled “The Anzacs March to Tīnui”. It was a poignant composition and much appreciated by the locals. The march included the local Air Scouts, veterans and soldiers from Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles.

At the conclusion of the service he reminded everyone of a forthcoming meeting of the Rural Support Trust in which he is heavily involved. He urged people to attend. Such is Anzac Day at Tīnui.