MILITARY GRAVES.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 271, 17 January 1929, Page 2

MILITARY GRAVES.

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ENGLAND The care of the graves of New Zealand soldiers who died and are buried in England is in the hands of the Imperial War Graves Commission to the cost of which the Dominion corntributes a 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 by the commission upon the New Zealand graves in France and Belgium, the conditions in regard to those in England are scarcely so good. Recently, he called the attention of the | co(mmission to the New Zealand graves at Brockenhurst, and as a result considerable improvements have been effected. Recently the High Commissioner visited four cemeteries—Brockenhurst, 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 being 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 lie in the open, in the grounds of the military hospital, surrounded by forest, and turf substituted, and stone 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 Codfqrd, 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 gravos 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 been planted and carefully tended, and grass plots are kept trim and neat. The military have charge of the graves 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, and he is suggesting to the War Graves Commission that this should be regarded as a model cemetery. It should be stated thaf! the Wax Graves Commission always welcomes suggestions for the improvement of the New Zealand cemeteries from the H gh Commissioner, and they do what they can to give effect to them.