WAR GRAVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1921, Page 4

WAR GRAVES.

CONTROL OF SOLDIERS’ PLOTS. iOVERNMENT’S POLICY. In a letter received by the New Plymouth Borough Council last night the Under-Secretary of (he Department ox Internal Affairs outlined the policy being adopted in connection with the treatment of military cemeteries in New Zealand. It was stated that the Government had adopted the policy of the Imperial War Graves Commission. Headstones of a similar design to those placed over the graves in France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom were to be erected, the rows kerbed and turfed, and in soldiers’, cemeteries in which there were not less than 50 war graves two memorials (the ‘•Cross of Sacrifice” and the “Altar of Duty”) are to be erected. “War- Graves” were defined as follows: (1) Graves of soldiers who died while still serving; (2) graves of members of the N.Z.E.F. dying within twelve months from the date of discharge and whose deaths were due to disabilities contracted or aggravated by war service; (3) graves of soldiers, who, as the result of disabilities contracted in or aggravated by war service, die later than twelve months after discharge, but who have been continuously under treatment for such disabilities since date of discharge from the N.Z.E.F. to the date of death.

The communication pointed out that if burials of ex-soldiers whose graves were not deemea to be “war graves” were permitted in soldiers’ cemeteries the uniformity to be very much desired would be lost. A meeting of the N.Z.E.F. Graves Committee would J)e held about August 10, when this question would be discussed and information was desirable as to what practice was carried out in the cemetery under the council’s diction, namely, whether burials of ex-soldiers who died from disabilities which were not due to war service were permitted in the soldiers’ portion, or whether such portion was confined to those which came under the definition of “war graves.” The committee also, desired to know whether the council would agree to all future burials in the soldiers’ portion being confined to those coming within the meaning of “war graves,” all applications being referred to the officer in charge of the local defence office for decision.

Regarding the policy followed in New Plymouth, the general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) informed the council that any returned soldier who died could be buried in the plot if desired. The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) said he did not think the council should make any limit as was suggested. It was decided that the information asked for be sent by the general man-