IN THE NEAR EAST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 November 1939, Page 7

IN THE NEAR EAST

■ WORK OF WAR GRAVES COMMISSION. SIR H. HART'S ADDRESS TO ROTARY CLUB. The Masterton Rotary Club celebrated its fifteenth birthday yesterday, there being a number of foundation members present as guests, at the luncheon. The speaker for the day was the club’s first president. Sir Herbert Hart, who congratulated the club upon the way it had maintained its standard during the trying times experienced in the last 10 years. , Referring to his work in the Near East, Sir .Herbert said that when he first left New Zealand there was a minor war raging in Palestine, and his headquarters were in Cairo. Explaining the origin of the War Graves Commission. he said that shortly after the Great War all the countries of the British Empire had contributed a sum of £5.000.000 to set up a perpetual trust. The income from this sum was used to carry out the work of maintaining the war graves. The headquarters of the Commission were in London, the committee consisting of a member of the Royal family, Mr Stanley Baldwin representing Great Britain and every High Commissioner, together with a very senior officer from each, of the Services —the Air Arm, the Navy, and the Army. The chief executive officer was Major-General Sir Fabian Ware, to whose initiative and energy the commission owed its existence. Sir Herbert covered Palestine. Egypt, the Sudan, Irak, Iran. Turkey, Greece, Rumania, and the Aegean Isles. in the course of his remarks. In each separate country there jvas a superintendent, who was picked from the different nations—Britain, Canada, Australia, India, etc. Sir Herbert's main work was supervision and finance —the work of supervision entailing keeping touch with the ConsulGeneral or Ambassador in each country. who in turn worked through local committees on which the Services were represented. The climate of Jerusalem, which was 2500 feet above sea level, proved congenial to most New Zealanders and the dry and wet weathers were kept in separate compartments! The Dead Sea which was well below sea level, was very much warmer. Sir Herbert mentioned that the quantity of oxygen in the air at that level was seven per cent greater than at sea level. Travel was almost entirely confined to the air. which was both fast and comfortable. The temperature in Jerusalem was much higher than in Palestine, temperatures of 100 degrees being regarded as not the really hot season. Basra was probably the hottest area visited, the work being done between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. Curiously enough the water system was entirely reversed. The hot waler was obtained from the cold water tank on the roof, and the cold water from the hot water cistern inside. It was usual to have breakfast and luncheon in the basement. and dinner in the coo! of the evening, on the, roof. Returning to his experiences in Jerusalem. Sir Herbert gave an interest resume of the relations between the Arabs and the Jews. Both races had realised, he said, that though they might quarrel amongst themselves they were much better off under the British flag. Matters were very muck more peaceable now. In conclusion Si) Herbert stated that New Zealand could ' rest assured that England was not muddling through. She had had twe . years of serious and strenuous preparation, and she was now well pre- , pared for the grim test.