GRAVES ABROAD

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1932, Page 8

GRAVES ABROAD

PEOPLE DEFRAUDED

ORDERS FOR WREATHS

A warning was issued by the Minister of Internal Affairs (tho Hon. A. Hamilton) last night that people who had received communications from wreath-sellers abroad should bo very cautious before placing, orders. Complaints have been made by New Zealand residents who have been defrauded by certain overseas firms and persons dealing in the making of wreaths for.graves of soldiers located in foreign cemeteries.

According to the Minister's statement, tho method is to circularise the relatives of soldiers buried in the cemeteriesj.'stating* that-for .a certain sum the firm would place a beautiful wreath on the grave of their son or/-relative and. post a photograph of the grave with the wreath "lying sympathetically and picturesquely" upon it. An. order, with a remittance being received, the wreath is made and placed onthe grave. Then a photograph is taten. of tha grave and scut to the person concerned in .accordance with the arrangement made. But immediately the photograph has been taken the wreath is removed to other graves for which similar orders and remittances have been received, and the same process of fraud is gone through over and over again. The wreath, at the end of its fraudulent movements, would not probably remain for the period of its life on any, particular grave. . . % .

In deference to the complaints made to the Government by those defrauded in this way, the . Minister stated that he would advise nil people who had received communications from, wreathsellers abroad to be wary of placing orders with them. The Minister said that the only certain method of ensuring that money remitted was actually used for the, purposes intended was to send it to the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, with a letter, giving full particulars of- tho grave on which it was , desired the wreath should bo placed.