Conflict and war are not confined to the past — words that echoed around the Gore district during the Anzac Day service. Hundreds gathered to remember and thank service personnel involved in conflicts around the world at nine main Anzac Day services in the district on Saturday. Gore RSA president Bradley Bridgman said numbers at commemorations were ‘‘on par’’ with the past few years. Alongside the dawn parade in Gore, there were services in Mataura, Riversdale, Waikaia, Waikaka, Tapanui, Tuturau, Te Tipua, Pukerau and Wyndham. Marches, speeches and wreath laying at war memorials took place. At the Gore dawn service, dozens marched behind high-school students bearing flags. Behind them was Gore’s veteran community, service personnel including police, fire-fighters and St John Ambulance staff, then the Hokonui Celtic Pipe Band, Gore Mayor Ben Bell and last in line, the public. At the cenotaph in Crewe St a prayer was read by Bruce Cavanagh, the Gore RSA’s padre. The poem in memoriam was read by Tania Lowe.…