SOLDIERS’ GRAVES

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1921, Page 4

SOLDIERS’ GRAVES

NEW ZEALAND COMMITTEE AT WORK. NO EXHUMATIONS WITHIN DOMINION. WELLINGTON, February 8. The Minister of Defence (Sir Heaton Rhodes) made a statement yesterday rewarding the work of the War Graves Committee, which has control of the ar-

rangements for the care of the graves of soldiers who died in New Zealand. He said that the work was making good progress. ’Hie committee was quite os anxious as the relatives of soldiers to see tho cemeteries properly formed, with suitable stones erected. It was the. intention as far as possible to have the cemeteries laid out on the uniform plan adopted for war cemeteries in England and other places where British soldiers are buried, 'the committee had decided > that the memorial stones to be erected J on each soldier’s grave should be in Coromandel granite, a. light grey stone of great durability, and suitable in every way for the purpose. It bad been suggested that small crosses should be erected in place of the stones, but the committee has decided that it is better to have the stones on the model adopted in other war cemeteries. Theso stones will lie erected by the Government in place of private memorials where (be relatives desire. The graves will also be cared for by the Government but. relatives who wish to pay this little attention themselves will he at- liberty to do so. For the Altar of Remembrance that is to be erected in the cemeteries the committee favours- white marble, and it has been decided to obtain an estimate of the cost. There were 14G New Zealand soldiers who died and were buried at sea during (he war. They came from each . Titarv district, and the committee has decided to erect a memorial to them >n each centre. The Government Architect, will prepare a design for a memorial which will contain the names of IHe soldiers who are buried at sea. While it would bo an advantage to have all tb» soldiers’ graves collected ni one place the committee has decided, added the Minister, that exhumations are undesirable from the health point of view, and they would not, therefore, bo permitted.