OLD SOLDIERS' GRAVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 160, 23 November 1912, Page 5

OLD SOLDIERS' GRAVES.

REFERENCES AT THE COUNCIL. The question of old soldiers' graves which has been the subject of some correspondent hi the local papers lately was raised at the Borough Council meeting yesterday. The Mayor said the matter was brought under the notice of the Council in 1908 by the Reserves Committer, Cr. Collis being at that time chairman. The committee asked in February of 1908 that the Government be asked to place a sufficient sum on the Estimates for erecting two memorials, these memorials to contain the names of old .soldiers buried m and about the cemetery. The committee also asked that application be made to the Minister of Internal Affairs tor permission to remove the remains of old soldiers to two spots—one Catholic and one Protestant. On July 0, 1008 the Minister replied that he was giving the matter early attention, and asking the probable cost. Oil July 17, 1908, the Minister wrote that the matter was being dealt with by the Land and Survey Department, who had obtained thQ necessary consent to removal. The chairman of the Reserves Committee, Mr. Collis, explained at that time that the Land and Survey Department was spending about £5 per annum. It was found that with this amount the graves could not be kept in decent order. On January 2, 1900, Mr. W. H , §kinner wrotf} stating that an estimate had been sent on, to the Defence Department of the cost of removal and reinterring the remains in the cemetery, and also suggesting to the Minister to let the remains lie undisturbed, and that if anything was done it should take the shape of a general cleaning up and preservation of the actual burial .place. As he (the Mayor) understood the position at that tune, this was where the difficulty arose. The exact spot of burial in many cases was not known. Some of the graves had been lost sight of for many years, but the extensive cleaning up that was taking place at the cemetery had brought to light many grayes that had been allowed in the past to got beyond recognition. On May 13, 1912, the Reserves 'Committee again asked for a Government grant to enable them to carry out the work of perpetuating the names of the old soldiers.

Cr. Buttimore, chairman of the Reserves Committee, said that it never was the intention of the Council to go and make a big pit, as suggested, and put the remains of the old soldiers in. The idea was to fetch in the remains of soldiers buried in outside districts and have them reinterred in the Catholic and Protestant portions of the cemetery. The Council during the last two months had cleared up eighty of these graves in the cemetery, but if some of the busybodies would like to still further improve them the Council would be glad to' provide shrubs for planting 'on the grounds.