GRAVES OF SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20152, 12 January 1929, Page 12

GRAVES OF SOLDIERS.

NEWZEALANDERS !N ENGLAND HIGH COMMISSIONER'S TOUR. I'l'llOM our. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON. Nov. 27. The care of the graves of New Zealand soldiers who died and arc buried in England is in the hands of the Imperial War Grave t s Commission, to the cost of which the Dominion contributes a proportionate share. The High Commissioner, Sir James Pari, takes a keen interest in seeing that these graves are properly attended to, and ho is of opinion that l>y comparison with the wonderful care bestowed by tho commission upon the New Zealand graves in France and Belgium, the conditions in regard to those in England are scarcely so good. Recently, he called the attention of the commission to tho New Zealand graves at Brockenhurst, and as a result considerable improvements have been effected. Last week-end tho High Commissioner visited four cemeteries —Brockenhurst, where 93 New Zealand soldiers are buried; Net ley, where there are 11 New Zealand graves; Codford, with 66 graves; and Tidworth, with 100. He found that at Brockcnhursi, as a result of his report after his visit there six months ago, the War Graves Commission lias made important improvements. Tho plot has been properly fenced and wired; the headstones have been cleaned of mildew and moss and look quite fresh; tho rather ragged flower patches have been removed and grass turf substituted, and stone paths are being laid between the graves. On the Stone of Ilcmembranco there has been engraved tho New Zaland fernleaf, giving it, and tho burial plot, a more distinctive appearance. At Netley the graves lie in tho open, in tho grounds of the military hospital, surrounded by forest and with the gravel slopes covered with tho heather which is native to this locality. The High Commissioner thought this a very restful spot, and that its naturalness was rather to be preferred to any special laying out of grass lawns. The sacrou plot at Codford, where the 66 New Zealanders lie, although actually belonging to the Church, is a separato cemetery kepi apart foi war graves. Some Australians are buried in this area -with tho New Zealanders. Sir James has suggested improvements here —the levelling of the ground, tho keeping of ilie graves in better order, and the cleaning of the paths. In Ins report, on tbo Tidworth graves Sir James says he looks upon this cemetery as a model of care and maintenance. Shrubs have been plahtcd and carefully tended and grass plots are kept trim and neat. The military have charge of tho graves here, the responsible officer being the commander of the Royal Engineers at Tidworth. The High Commissioner has written to the authorities to express his appreciation of the way in which the cemetery is kept and he ia suggesting to the War Graves Commission that this should bo regarded as a model cemetery.