WAR GRAVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1920, Page 5

WAR GRAVES.

A UNIFORM HEADSTONE. PROPOSALS OF GREAT BRITAIN. By TeleEraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright, Received May 5, 7.25 p.m. London, May 4. In the House of Commons, on the .Imperial War Graves Commission vote, a discussion took place whether to adopt the Commission's proposal favoring a uniformity of headstones in cemeteries, or relatives being permitted to follow their own designs. The House generally supported Mr. Asquith, who advocated the ■ former, without distinction between officers and men Mr. Winston Churchill (Secretary for War) said the Commission was considering the erection of a memorial in a cemetery nearest the scene of ihe fighting whereon the nalfeies of the missing would be inscribed, or n regimental memorial for a similar purpose. It was estimated the completion of the Commission's scheme would take ten years, whereas independent headstones could not be completed in the present generation. The Commission anticipated the headstones would last a hundred years. Mr. Winston Churchill added that about two thousand stones of remembrance, weighing ten tonß, and inscribed "Thy name liveth for evermore," would be erected in France alone. They would certainly exist for three thousand years, preserving the memory of a common purpose, and would undoubtedly excite the wonder and reverence of posterity. An amendment in favor of independent designs was negatived, and the vote was agreed to.—lmperial Service.

Received May fl, l,g am, London, May 5. The War Graves Commission's expenses for the financial . year total £2,787,000, of which £500,000 falls on the Dominions and India.—Uflited Service. WHAT IS BEING DONE. NEW ZEALAND REGISTER IN ' PREPARATION. London, March 11. At a luncheon in London this week of New Zealanders and Australians, Sir Thomas Mackenzie took occasion to say something in connection with the war graves, mentioning that he would at an early date he going over to France and Brussels, to take part in conferences, and he would make use of the opportunity to go over the battle area. Sir Thomas (whof is New Zealand's representative on the Imperial War Graves Commission) said that complaints had reached him regarding the condition of some of the graves. He had investigated the position, and learned that the graves which needed weeding were in French communal cemeteries, under the control of the French authorites. Communications had been passing between General Fabian Ware, of the Graves Commission, and these authorities, with the result that permission had been obtained to put the graves in order, and the work would be commenced almost immediately. The War Ollice was working very steadily and effectively in transferring, where necessary,, the bodies of our fallen soldiers to cemeteries and in putting the cemeteries in order for handing over to the Imperial War Graves Commission, who. subsequently assumed responsibility for their upkeep, and the commission were working very hard in this connection.

But it must not be imagined that in cemeteries in which the permanent constructional work hail not been put in hand the tidiness would be found which prevailed in cemeteries in or near a town which had not been within the firing line. When the permanent worlt was finished, it would, he was sure, reflect great credit on the- authorities charged with it. Sir Thomas'said he was arranging to have prepared a register of all known graves, so that N»tv Zealand visitors on arrival in London would be able to ascertain whether the graves in which they were interested had been located; and if their situation was known they would receive definite information which would help them in visiting the spot. A small mark was 'being attached to the NewZealand graves which would assist in their identification more easily than at present.

Chaplain Captain Mullineux, M.C., had been appointed to assist visitors on their airival at Calais. Captain Mullineux had served in the war, was a man of capacity, and approached the whole question with a sympathetic desire to help in every possible way those who wished to visit the graves of their lost ones. Two canteens were about to bo built where accommodation eould be obtained by visitors. At present transport charges were high and the means of locomotion uncertain. He thought that in additon something might be doi)e in London for those who visited this country for the purpdse of gang to France to see graves. The Royal Colonial Institute is keeping a register of the names as far as possible of people arriving here, and is going to have prepared a list of places where accommodation "an be obtained. Therefore, those about to eome over ought io semi their names to the secretary of the Royal Colonial Institute, Northumberland Avenue, London, and state the probable date of their arrival, so that accommodation may, if possible, be found for them.