WELL-KEPT WAR GRAVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1924, Page 7

WELL-KEPT WAR GRAVES.

CEMETERIES IN FRANCE. The splendid lay-out and condition of the New Zealand military cemeteries in various parts of France was favourably commented Upon by Mr. R. G. Cox, of Auckland, who has returned from an extended tour, which included visit® to Northern and Central Fringe The finished cemeteries, said Mr. Cox, looked very fine, each grave having its small headstone and surrounding wall, while 'the areas themselves were well laid out and splendidly kept. Many of these cemeteries . had special conservatories where flowers were raised, so that the graves were always well supplied, and presented an attractive appearance that would gladden the hearts of the relatives of the New Zealand boys who were buried there. A unique sipot visited by Mr. and Mrs. Cox was the Newfoundland Memorial Park near Albert, in the Somme district, an area of 600 acres left just as it was When the Germans were driven out after ter riff.• fighting. iFrom one point of this park it was possible to see 16 war cemeteries.

The controversy over the right of New Zealand people to put additional wording on the headstone® in the war cemeteries was referred to by Mr. 'Cox, whose son, Lieutenant W. J* Cox, was killed in a'ction in March, 1918. While the New Zealand Government had refused to allow the addition of inscriptions, all other Governments had permitted it. He fe.lt that where a cemetery contained only the graves o.f New Zealand soldiers the Government’s attitude was the correct one, as it prevented undue emphasis on the part of wealthy relative®. However, many of the. cemeterie® contained English, Australian anct other graves besides those of New Zealand, and while these other graves generally bore a fully descriptive inscription the New Zealand headstones contained only the name and regiment. He did not think this discrimination was either wise or 'fair to the soldiers.