GRAVES OF SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1920, Page 4

GRAVES OF SOLDIERS.

CEMETERIES OF NEW ZEALANDERS DETAILS OF THEIR SIZE. '(By Wire.—Parliamentary Report#.*.) Wellington, Last Night. Some information about war graves was given to the members of the House of Representatives to-day by the Minister for Defence (Sir Heaton Rhodes). In reply to a question put by Mr. Mitchell (Wellington South), the Minister read extracts from some communications reecived through the High Commissioner from the War graves Commission, which has been made responsible for the care of the grave* of the Empire's soldiers. The War Graves Commission is now engaged in the formation of cemeteries in the war areas, and the transfer of the bodies of soldiers buried in isolated spots. The number of re-interments in France and Belgium at the time the last report wag made had been 128,575. The CommiMioa il dealing with some 788 cemeteries containing C 55,379 graves. The number of New Zealand grates under the control of the commission is 11,393, being 2.05 per cent, of the total. New Zealand's share of the expendit|ire is calculated on this percentage, and Will amount to over £57,000. The Commission proposes to establish 33 cemeteries, containing 10,000 grftVes, on Gallipoli; 10 cemeteries, with 6474 graves, in Egypt; and 5 cemeteries, #tth 9SOO graves, in Palestine. All the'Nta Zealand graves in Palestine have lMeo dealt with, except those of men wfao died just prior to the armistice. ■