MILITARY GRAVES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5375, 16 January 1929, Page 2

MILITARY GRAVES.

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ENGLAND.

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S CARE.

The care of the graves of New Zealand soldiers who die|l and are buried in England is in the hands of the Imperial War Graves Commission, to the cost of. which the Dominion contriba proportionate share. The High Commissioner, sir James Parr, takes a keen, interest in Seeing that these graves are properly attended to, and he; is of opinion (says a London correspondent) that by comparison with the wonderful care bestowed bv the commission upon the New Zealand graves in France and Belgium the conditions in regard to, those in England arq scarcely so good. Recently lie called the attention of the commission to the New Zealand graves at Brockenhurst, and as a result considerable improvements have bqen effected-

Recently the High Commissioner visited four cemeteries —Brokenhurst, where; 93 New Zealand soldiers are buried; Netley, where there are 11 New Zealand graves; Codford, with 66 graves ; and Tidworth, with 100. Sir James was pleased to find that at Brockenhurst, as a result of his report after his visit there six months ago,, the War Graves, Commission has made important improvements. The plot has been properly fenced and wired; the, headstones have been cleaned of mildew and moss and look quite fresh; the rather ragged' flower patches have been removed and grass laid between the graves. On, the Stone of Remembrance there has been engraved the New Zealand fern leaf, giving it, and the burial plot, a more distinctive; appearance. At Netley .the graves He in the open, in the grounds of the military hospital, surrounded by forest, and turf substituted, and s ( tone paths are with the gravel slopes covered with the heather which, is native to this locality. The High Commissioner, thought this a very restful spot, and that its’naturalness was rather to be preferred to any special laying out of grass lawns. The sacred plot at Codiord, where 66 New Zealanders, lie, although actually belonging to. the church, is a separate cemetery kept apart for war graves. Some Australians are buried in this area with the New Zealanders. Mr James has suggested improvements here—the levelling of the ground, the keeping of ,the graves in better order, and the cleaning of the paths.

In his report on the Tidworth graves Sir James says he looks upon this cemetery as. a model of care and maintenance. Shrubs have beejn planted ant) carefully tended!, and grass plots are kept trim and neat. The military have charge of. the grave? here, the responsible officer being the commander of the Royal Engineers at Tidworth. The High Commissioner has written to the authorities to express his appreciation of the .way in which the cemetery is looked after, andi he is suggesting to the War Graves Commission that this should be regarded as a mo.dej cemetery. It should be stated that the War Graves Commission always welcomes suggestions for the improvement of the New Zealand cemeteries from the High Commissioner, and'they do what they c.an to give effect to. them.