NEW ZEALAND'S DEAD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 634, 11 October 1909, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND'S DEAD.

SOLDIERS WHO FELL IN SOOTH AFRICA. Sir,—ln your issuo of tho September 29 I notice a letter signed .by Mortyn. Jones, captain and adjutant of the 6th Contingent, urging the public of .'Now Zealand to subscribe funds .towards keeping the graves of our New Zealand 1 dead, in a stato of repair. In addition to his own letter,'.he gives us a loi>b letter from a lady who is now president of the Women's Guild rit Johannesburg, and wants money. I happen to know a good deal in connection with tKo guild, and it would astonish the people of tho Dominion to know the enormous amount that was collected in England and sent out to South Africa for these graves. I know how. soma of it was spent, but I would like to see'a; balance-sheet. It would,'l am sure, throw a little light on the matter. Mrs. Seddon and a commi.tteo of our Dominion ladies havo this matter in hand, and as I look upon Mrs. Seddon as a thoroughly practical woman ! t; am convinced that sho must havo good reasonß for not sending any money that may bo in'hand. ; New Zealand has always been most willing to assist any fund connected with South Africa. Sho contributed some .£35,01)0 towards the funds for the wpmon ■ and children ; who , had lost their husbands and fathers in tho war. The New.Zealanders themselves wyre always willing to give a most liberal subscription towards a headstone'for .a dead comrade. I know of two eases' where our men subscribed 1 for and erected headstones to New Zealand boys who had been serving in another colonial force. The president of the Ladies' Guild tells us that out of 80 New Zealand graves in South Africa they (the guild) have "marked 30; " Surely she has made some mistake! At. Klerksdorp we havo -fifteen, and at Bothasberg twenty-three, that is thirty-eight in two places, accessible by railway. -I send you a print of 1 the monument erected by the New Zealpnd boya at IClerksdorp to their comrades'who wore killed in tho train 1 accident, and on coming .away they 'left these graves in a good state,' and so far as Ivlorkralorp and Bothasberg graves are concerned,. there can be but little' difficuTty," or cost, in keeping them in order. We want more information on' this matter and until that is forthcoming we should, be very careful as to the collection of funds. . ; ". i I am, etc., . , . ... JOB REGINALD.SOMMERVILLE, Col.j ; Late ;Commander 4th .Contingent.