SOUTH AFRICAN GRAVES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13547, 7 October 1909, Page 8

SOUTH AFRICAN GRAVES.

WORK OF THE GUILD OF LOYAL

WOMEN.

(FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, August 27. The seventh annual Federal Conference of the Guild of Loyal Women was held during July at Bloemfontein, when a discussion of considerable interest to New Zealand took place over the Graves Secretary's report. In the course of a lengthy report, which stated that a total of 1966 graves had been permanently marked, the following reference was made to the Dominion: —"New Zealand also sent £100 in the early days, but New Zealand was not at all sure what had been done with the money. There being no separate Federal banking account in those days, it was deposited by Miss Currey in the central account of Cape Colony, and was still there. All tbe New Zealand graves in Cape Colony and the Transvaal had been marked by the Guild at an average cost of 17s per grave. In the Orange River Colony and Natal these graves were marked, as she understood, by the military and Government, without expense to tbe Guild. What was to be done with the £100? It was felt in New Zealand that the Guild had in some way failed in its duty to the graves of New Zealanders, but that feeling was unjust, though it had lost the Guild a sum of £700 collected in New Zealand for the upkeep of New Zealanders' graves in South Africa, but now to be used for putting in order the graves of those who died in New Zeain the Maori wars. The number of New Zealand graves, so far as she could trace, was:—Transvaal 79. many of which were marked by the Second Contingent cross erected without expense to the Guild; Orange River Colony 41 j Cape Colony, 18; Natal, 16. A definite message from the Council with regard to this money must be sent to the Association in New Zealand who sent tho money. Of course they could not keep every separate sum received in a separate 'stocking,' so that the New Zealand money went into the common fund, and the graves of the New Zealand volunteers were marked, as all other graves in their care were, by oGuild cross. No instructions had been received as to how this money should be spent." In connection with the New Zealand graves, Mrs McEwan regretted that it should have got about in New Zealand that the craves of some of that country had been neglected by the Guild, as that was certainly not the case. In the Transvaal alone she knew they had looked after numerous graves, and in one instance they erected a cross which had been sent over from New Zealand by the family \>f one of the men who died in South Africa. 'Mrs Kingsley thought that Mrs McEwan had mistaken the passage in the rerjort in this respect. She quoted from the report, and pointed out to the Council that the question to be considered was what was to 'be done with the £100 lying in the bank for the New Zealand graves. Mrs Crewe suggested that particulars (as to work and expense) of what had been done with regard to the New Zealanders' graves should be sent to New Zealand for the information of those who thought the Guild had not been doing its duty. She thought this should be done, before any steps were taken as to allocating the £100 in question. Some further discussion followed. Mrs McEwan moved that a resolution be sent to New Zealand to the effect that it was quite untrue that New Zealanders 1 graves had Been neglected, and! pointing out that these graves had been .tended without drawing on the } £100 cent from New Zealand. . I Mrs Kingsley suggested that such, a : course would be likely to offend their New Zealand fellow colonists. She thought a letter should be sent statins that the graves of all colonists who fell in the war had been carefully and impartially cared for. The President agreed with what Mrs Kingsley had said, and said they did hot want to do anything that would offend their,.. New Zealand nists. ■•■•'•■. Mrs-Woods (Natal)proposed the following resolution:— "That, in the opinion of the Federal Council of the Guild of Loyal Women of South Africa, the sum-of £100 sent by New Zealand for graves, should be allocated, pro rata, to eaoh colony in South Africa, to cover the cost of monuments erected, and that as full an account *s - possible of the graves' wort done . for New Zealanders he sent to ; tho New. Zealand authorities." Mrs Meredith (Transvaal) seconded, and the motion was agreed to.