CARE OF WAR GRAVES

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 19, 22 January 1921, Page 9

CARE OF WAR GRAVES

IMPUTATION AGAINST PLYMOUTH

"AN -UNFOUNDED ALLEGATION,"

UROM OCR OWN COR!tEBK)tjDENT.) .. LONDON, 2nd December. A statement made in the New Zealand Houne o£ Representatives by Mr. W. S. Glenn to the effect that a correspondent had reported unfavourably on'the New Zealand soldiers' grave 3 at Plymouth, has called forth a. protest from the Western Morning News. A paragraph is quoted from the Evaning. Post reporting Mr. Glenn's statement and also the reply made /by :3ir R. H. Rhodes (Minister of .Defence). ''The natural inference," says the Westerr^ Morning News, "is that the graves of the New Zealand soldiers at the Plymouth cemeteries are in a bad condition," and to ascertain the true state of affairs a repreeenUtivo of.the paper visited the Municipal Cemetery at, Egg Buckland, where there are about a score of ■'. these graves. The result is a complete refutation of any suggestion that the graves are not well cared ior. Apparently there has been some misunderstanding. The superintendent of this cemetery recalls the visit' of the correspondent, whose grievance, was not that the Plymouth Corporation had not done its duty, but that the New Zealand Government had not handled the mattor in. the same way as the Australian Government. •■ A MISUNDERSTANDING.. ."The Commonwealth Government has purchased the grave plots where- Australian soldiers are buried,- and has made special arrangements with the Plymouth Corporation for tho graves to be kept in order. The Now Zealand Government'has not acted in a similar manner. To say, however, that the New Zealand graves are neglected is not correct. As a matter of fact, it was only six weeks since that a New Zealand official visited the cemetery and expressed satisfaction to the superintendent with the condition of the graves. Ho did suggest that the tops might be returfed, and this was *t once done. ' "The graves are somewhat scatteredl by reason of the fact that the men died at various dates and belonged to different denominations, but with the manner in which 'the graves themselves are kept our representative found no reason to complain; In many instances relatives and friends have erected. tombstones and kerbs, v Where this has not been done the graves are, marked by the official oross, which' is much longer and more conspicuous than the crosses \vhioh mark the resting places of soldiers from -Australia and Canada or our own men. The graves in every instance are neat and orderly, and quite in keeping with the rest of tho cemetery." ■ ■ TORQUAY CEMETERY. At Torquay Cometery the large grave of six New Zealand soldiers was also visited, and! was found to be in very good condition, the grass being well cut and five bunohes of, flowers around the cross. On the opposite side of the pathway, however, where there are a score or so of graves of other soldiers, while most of them are in good oondition, there are a fow, that present a rather neglected appearance, and would look all the better if the grass was cut. This visitor photographed sevoral of tho graves, and tho prints are reproduced under the heading of "An Unfounded Allegation," with the appreciatory comment: "The graves are oared for admirably. The Mother Country appreciates too highly the sacrifices of her sons from overseas to neglect their last resting-places." On two of the photographed crosses may bo read tho names "Private H. King" and 'Private J.. Warden."-and there seems to be no room for finding fault with the conditioH nf iui,r, of thffl graves a» ahawuuj the iUuitratiou*..