HEADSTONES FOR SOLDIERS' GRAVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1918, Page 8

HEADSTONES FOR SOLDIERS' GRAVES.

UNNECESSARY DELAY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Duncdin, July 27/ Irt replying to a deputation representing the Returned Soldiers' Association, in regard to the question of providing suitable headstones for' returned soldiers' graves and having a general mcImorial in each cemetery, Hon. G. W. Russell said a design had b?en prepared for a uniform headstone made of reinforced concrete with ''NX E.P." in raised letters and a cross dividing the four letters, and towards the bottom a marble slab of about loin, by lSin'., on which the names would be engraved.- Three or four of these had been made by the Public Works Department and submitted to (he Defence Department for approval, but the Defence Department seemed to have different ideas. and there iiad not yet been an agreement, though it must be nearly a year sines the stones were made. lie would endeavor to have the matter brought to a conclusion, though he was not sure it could be till Mr. Massey and Sir .Joseph Ward returned. Twenty or thir'y soldiers had been buried in Wellington, but he had authorised disinterment so as- to have all in soldiers' sections, and lie was prepared to give the same authority here, provided the relatives would eonsent. He approved of the suggestion to have one large monument in the centre of each soldiers' plot in each cemetery so used, and he thought there would be no difficulty in securing money for such monuments. Tho Government would pay for tho headstones, the total cost of which might come to anything from £70,000 to £IOO,OOO. The headstone designed by the Public Works Department would cost about £3. It was generous of the Dunedin City Council" to offer to pay for maintenance, but tho Women's National Reserve in Willington had promised to do this, and he felt sure the Women's National Reserve in Dunedin would be equally willing.