13

H.-22

Cemetery Registers.—Schedules of all war graves in New Zealand to date, giving particulars of each individual deceased soldier, were forwarded to the High Commissioner, London, for transmission to the Imperial War Graves Commission to permit of the relative cemetery registers being printed. Veterans' Graves, —Work in respect of veterans' graves was carried out as follows : — St. Mary's Churchyard, New Plymouth : A monument, in the form of a granite slab, was erected over the graves in this churchyard of Wetine Taiporutu and other Maori chiefs who fell in the action against the British troops at Mahoetahi, near Waitara, on the 6th March, 1860. Omahu Cemetery, Hastings : A memorial was placed in the Omahu Cemetery to commemorate Renata Kawepo and other loyal Maoris who fought alongside the British troops in quelling the Hauhau rising of 1868-69. Ngaruawahia Cemetery : Maori War veterans' graves in this cemetery were attended to, concrete kerbing and headstones being provided. Howick All Saints (Anglican) Cemetery : In this cemetery are buried sixty-five veterans of the Maori Wars of 1845-65, and arrangements have been made, in conjunction with the Cemetery Trustees, for the erection of a lych gate in which will be placed a tablet bearing the names of those buried there. A contract for the work has been let, and it is now being proceeded with. Sydney Street Cemetery, Wellington : The Wakefield graves were renovated and the inscriptions on the memorial stones releaded. Permanent work was also carried out on veterans' graves in Omata Churchyard, near New Plymouth ; Omaka Cemetery, Blenheim ; and Leamington Cemetery, Canterbury. Great War Graves Abroad.—The Imperial War Graves Commission hopes to complete all constructional work in cemeteries overseas during the year ending 31st March next, leaving thereafter only the matter of maintenance to be attended to. To ensure that the war cemeteries and memorials overseas shall be properly maintained for all time, an endowment fund of £5,000,000 is being established, to which the Imperial and Dominion Governments are all contributing in proportion to their dead. New Zealand's contribution to the Imperial War Graves Commission to cover capital expenditure and proportionate payment to the endowment fund is on the basis of £30,750 per annum for a period of six years and a half from the Ist April, 1925. As the marble in the steps and surrounds of the New Zealand Battle Exploit Memorial at Longueval, in Prance, appeared to be weathering badly, developing cracks and flaking, it was decided to replace the marble with a local stone considered more suitable for the purpose, and the Imperial War. Graves Commission arranged during the year to have this work carried out on behalf of the New Zealand Government. The report on the memorial itself shows that it is essentially sound, as are also the New Zealand Battle Exploit Memorials at Gravenstafel, Le Quesnoy, and Messines, although the surrounds of the latter may require attention later. 2,749 sets of photographs of graves of New-Zealanders in cemeteries in various theatres of war were distributed gratis to next-of-kin,- and 104 cemetery registers containing regimental and personal particulars of those buried in the various cemeteries were sold. Dominion Archives. Steady progress has been made with the sorting and indexing of the balance of the papers of the New Zealand Company and other records, chiefly provincial. All of the volumes of Governors' despatches, 1840 to 1855, have been indexed, and also the company's papers as far as they have been bound. The rest of the company's papers are now ready for binding, and during the present financial year it is hoped to have this interesting body of records bound and indexed. Meanwhile the Public Record Office in London has completed its list of papers of the New Zealand Company, a copy of which has been received here. Bulletin No. 1, " The Historical Sources and Archives of New Zealand," has been published. It gives an introductory sketch of the public records of the colony and Dominion in so far as they have been printed. Bulletin No. 2, which is now being prepared, will give the history and composition of the New Zealand Company's records both in Great Britain and in New Zealand. The relatives of Captain Hobson, R.N., the first Governor of New Zealand, have presented to the Dominion, through the High Commissioner, some more of Governor Hobson's letters and papers, as well as the manuscript of the life of Captain Hobson written by Dr. Scholefield some years ago and never published. These form a valuable addition to the Hobson papers now in possession of the Government. Explosives and Dangerous Goods. Explosives Licenses.—lmportation licenses for the following explosives were issued during the license year ending the 30th June, 1930 : Gelignite, 1,505,050 lb. ; blasting-gelatine, 45,000 lb. ; gelatine-dynamite, 25,0001b.; A 2 Monobel, 319,5501b.; quarry Monobel, 22,5001b.; Samsonite, 270,3001b.; blasting-powder, 161,2501b.; blasting-pellets, 151,250; detonators, 2,050,000; E.D. fuses, 885,000 ; fireworks, 2,290. Other licenses were issued during the same period as follows (corresponding figures for the previous year being given in parentheses) : Conveyance, 256 (272) ; sale, 641 (646) ; storage, 374 (388). Examination of Explosives. —As usual, all shipments of explosives were examined on arrival, and were found to be in good condition. A lajge number of samples of cordite were submitted to the silvered-vessel test for the Defence and Navy Departments. Dangerous Goods. —Legislation : No new legislation has been passed during the year. As a result of experience gained from fires in large petrol-stores during recent years an amendment of the Dangerous Goods Regulations has been prepared, which it is hoped will come into force during the coming year. The principal alterations proposed are (1) to provide for the escape of water under valvecontroi from the bottom of the well of the store should the fire superintendent consider the use of water advisable during a fire ; (2) a requirement that walls should be of reinforced concrete or adequately supported by piers; (3) the storage of petrol in cases and 40-gallon drums in the same store or compartment to be prohibited.