CARE OF WAR GRAVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18157, 31 January 1921, Page 6

CARE OF WAR GRAVES

“UNFOUNDED STORY FROM NEW ZEALAND.”

The following statement appeared some time ago in the Evening Post, Wellington, and is reproduced in tihe Western Morning News, a paper published in Plymouth, England:— It was mentioned in the House of Representatives by Mr W. S. Glenn that a correspondent who ha 4 recently visited Plymouth, England, had reported unfavourably on the condition of the graves of New Zealand soldiers buried there. He believed the number of graves in that locality was 22. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. Sir R. H. Rhodes) said that he had referred to the file dealing with this subject, and had read Sir Thomas Mackenzie’s report on soldiers’ graves in England and France. He had not been able, however, to discover any allusion to graves at Plymouth. He had cabled to Sir James Allen on the matter, and expected to have a report in a few days.

The Western Morning News says:—“The natural inference 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 represen tative of the Western Morning News 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 for. Apparently there has been some misunderstanding. The superintendent of this cemetery recalls the visit of the correspondent, whoso grievance was not that the Plymouth Corporation had not done its duty, but that the New Zealand Government had not handled the matter in the same way as the Australian Government. The commonwealth Government has purchased the grave plots where Australian soldiers are buried, and have made special arrangements with the Plymouth Corporation for the graves to be kept in order. The New Zealand Government has not acted in a similar manner. To say, however, that the New Zealand graves nrdi 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 condi tion of the graves. He did suggest that the tops might bo re-turfed, and this was at once done.

The graves are somewhat, scattered 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. Where this has not been done the graves are marked by the official cross, which is much larger and more conspicuous than the crosses which mark the resting places of soldiers from Australia and Canada, or our own men. The graves in every instance arc neat and orderly, and quite in keeping with the rest of the cemetery.

At Torquay Cemetery the largo grave of six New Zealand soldiers was visited by

one of our representatives, who found it in very good condition, the grass being well cut and five bunches 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, whilst most of them are in good condition, there are a few that present a rather neglected appearance, and would look all the better if the grass was cut.