IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16725, 7 January 1920, Page 8

IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES.

» THE PROPOSED OBOS& (mow oun own correspondent.) LONDON. November 20. Tho work of tho Imperial War Graves Commission is being somewhat delayed owing to the desire of the High Chnrch party to have tho proposed cross on eacli grave cruciform in outline. The shapo which had been practically derided upon waa the simple type. The Commission do not consider that the cruciform will bo so suitable or so lasting, hut, in view tho wish expressed by the High Church party, they allowed tho submission of a design. So far as the New Zealand section is concernedj it seems that there is some desiro in tho Dominion for liberty of individual choice, but" if this is afloivcd there will be much delay in gettine on with tho work in the cemcteries. It will probably mean that all the graves except those of the New Zealnndcrs will bo finished first, and that after tho necessary apparatus for tho erection of the tombstones has been taken away it will havo to bo reinstalled to cfirry out New Zealand's scheme which, further, will alter the uniformity >Mat has always been regarded as of first importance. Complaints, let ns hone cxarrccratod. havo been made as to tho ronclTtion of some of the cemeteries in France, as a sequel to visits of parties of siphtseers. It is spid that relies of picnics have been left behind, resulting in untidiness, which, in the ease of the sacredness of a war remetr-rv. is very distressing. The imperial War Graves' Commission lias asked Mr Rudjard Kipling to writo a letter which will be published, drawing the attention of battlefield tourists to tho subject, and hoping that in future nothing will bo dono by them to cause pain to thoso whose relatives are buried in the special war zone cemeteries. "When the Hisrh Commissioner is in Franco next week he hopes to visit somo of flip cemcteries whero New Zonlanri soldiers hive been laid to rest. He has a great d"=?ro to see if any nafive evergreens of New Zealand will grow there, and he has some henlthv little plants of manuka in his office in London, which he started from seed. Thcro will, of eour?o. be much to see to regarding ndcouate drainage, etc.The War Grave*' Commission has decided to spend £400 on the. improvement of' graves of New Zonland .*>"' l .Anst-alian soldiers who died in this country, and wero buried at Brookwood, Surrey. DAILY MEMORANDA—"Wednesday, Jan. 7. AUCTIONS. Jcrace, HrCro-ii« Co., at Scott's Stablei, at 2.30 —Motor-cara. ' Tonka Xorlon ar.d Co., in their Tooms, at 1 —Furniture, etc. and COb. in their rooms.