H— 22.

War Geaves. Great War Graves in New Zealand. —The Department received notifications of the death in New Zealand of 432 returned soldiers, of which 126 were accepted as war graves — i.e., that death was due to disabilities sustained on or aggravated by war service. This brings the total number of war graves in New Zealand to 2,582. The total number of headstones ordered was 139, and temporary crosses were placed on 181 graves. The following additional work in soldiers' cemeteries was undertaken during the year : Wellington : Further permanent work on the lay-out of the extension to the Soldiers' Block at Karori Cemetery was proceeded with and concrete beams to take the headstones were laid down at the head of the first four rows of grave-plots, providing for an additional eighty burials. A commencement was made with the erection of a memorial arch connecting the extension with the original Soldiers' Block. On this arch will be recorded the names of those members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force belonging to the Wellington District who died and were buried at sea between New Zealand and the overseas bases. The arch is being erected jointly by the Government and the Wellington City Corporation. Palmerston North : The Borough Council, having set aside a special block in Kelvin Grove Cemetery for the burial of returned soldiers, permanent work on a portion of this block sufficient to suffice for some years to come was carried out. Blenheim : Further work was carried out in the soldiers' portion of Omaka Cemeterv in the way of kerbing, levelling, grassing, &c, and arrangements made for the future upkeep of the block. Permanent work was also undertaken in soldiers' cemeteries at Dunedin, Taumaranui, Featherston, Timaru, Masterton, and Christchurch. Veterans' and Historical Graves.— Wark in respect of these graves was carried out as follows :— Te Henui, New Plymouth : Memorials were erected to the victims of the Pukearuke (Whitecliffs) massacre of 1869 ; and the other Maori War veterans' graves in the cemetery were renovated. Buakiture : Permanent work was carried out on the graves of the Imperial and colonial troops who fell there in August, 1868. The cemetery has been fenced. Mahoetahi (near Waitara) : The graves of the Maoris who fell in the engagement there with the British troops in November, 1860, were cleaned up and the surrounding fence repaired. Tararua Cemetery, Southland : In conjunction with the Southland County Council the graves of those who lost their lives in the wreck of the s.s. " Tararua " in April, 1881, were attended to and arrangements made for their maintenance. Work was also carried out at the following cemeteries where veterans of the Maori wars are buried : Rangiriri; All Saints Churchyard, Howick ; St. John's Churchyard, Waimate North ; Ngaruawahia ; Tuakau ; Oamaru ; and Tuamarina. War Graves abroad.— All constructional work on war graves and memorials overseas has practically been completed, leaving only the matter of maintenance tobe attended to. Permanent maintenance of these war graves and memorials has been assured by the establishment of an endowment fund of £5,000,000 to which the Imperial Government and the Dominions contributed in proportion to their dead. 3,281 sets of photographs of graves of New-Zealanders in cemeteries in various theatres of war were distributed free of charge to next-of-kin, and 675 cemetery registers, containing regimental and personal particulars of those buried in such cemeteries, were sold. National Aet Gallery and Dominion Museum Act. This Act makes provision for the erection of a National Art Gallery, a Dominion Museum, and a War Memorial Carillon and Hall of Memories in Wellington City on part of the Mount Cook Reserve, which area has been vested by the Government in the Trustees constituted under the Act. The Board of Trustees comprises the Prime Minister, the Minister of Internal Affairs ; the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs ; the Director, Dominion Museum ; the President and Vice-president of the New Zealand Institute ; the Mayor of Wellington ; the Chairman, Wellington Harbour Board • the President of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts ; the Chairman, Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects ; the Chairman of the Wellington Carillon Society ; and three persons appointed by the Government. The latter are Sir Harold Beauchamp, Mr. G. A. Troup, and Mr. G. Shirtcliffe. It is estimated that the cost of erection of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum will not exceed £200,000, which amount will be met by public subscriptions, subsidized by the Government on a pound-for-pound basis up to £100,000. Towards the cost of construction of the cardlon, for which a contract has been let, the Government has agreed to contribute £15,000. Rotoeua Acclimatization District and Inland Fisheries. Acclimatization Activities,— A notable feature has been the taking-over of the administration of the Rotorua Acclimatization District and the Rotorua Fishing District which were formerly controlled by the Tourist Department. Liberation of Pheasants.— Since July, 1930, when the administration of the Animals Protection and Game Act in the Rotorua Acclimatization District was transferred to this Department, 509 pheasants have been liberated throughout the district. Opossums.— Eighty-two licenses and three permits were issued to trappers, the results showing that most of the trapping was carried out in the Waikaremoana area. Royalty was paid on 5 294 skins.

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