THE SOLDIERS' GRAVES AT WAITARA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7111, 8 July 1886, Page 4

THE SOLDIERS' GRAVES AT WAITARA.

TO THE EDITOR. SlB, — I thank you kindly for inserting my previous letters re soldiers' graves. I aaw by your issue of the 6th instant that Government hfiß instructed our Town Fathers to go to any reasonable expense in keeping the graves in order. Well, sir, what ia our Town Board going to do ?—? — bave some more wooden head-boards engraved ? I hope not. Let there be something more lasting. If there ia no monument erected now, these subscriptions from Government will very soon die away, and what will young colonial say when he gets to manhood's estate, and ia asked for a subscription ; he will say this : Our fathers •were Englishmen; they didn't think well to erect a monument to their fellowcountrymen, and why should we." What I should propose, sir, is this, tbat there be no action taken by the Board at present, but tbat a petition be drawn up by some competent person, asking for a sufficient sum, or asking that a monument be erected ; and Jet everyone sign it who will, not only in Waitara, but through Taranaki and throughout New Zealand for tbat matter. It is a national work, and not one for a single district to undertake, and sond to Colonel Trimble to bo handed to the Colonial Treasurer ; whoever else it n*ay be, would he be an Englishman who •would not sign it ? Biaoe writing my previous letter I have beard two men talking about these groves. One said, "I suppose it's sorneore who likes to hear themselves gas, and if you were to ask thorn for half-a-crowD, they'd oay they hadn't got it, or couldn't afford it." If he had asked me for a subscription towards a monument, I would have oaid neither one nor tho other, but said, "Yes; here's ten bob towards it; and you give in proportion as your means are to mine, and we needn't ask anyono else" ■■ Hoping the Town Bocrd or some committee of gentlemen will now take tho matter in band to carry it through, they liaving got a start, 1 will now leave it with them. Again thanking you for your space and oiler to receive subscriptions. — I am, &c, MONDMENT. Waitara, July Gtb, 1886.

The Lkgion of Honor. — in addition to the award of the Gold Medal (L' Academic Nationale), and also the Silver Medal, awarded to John Brinsmead &. Sons, of Wigmorc-street, London, for tbe superiority of the Piano exhitited by them last year at the Paris Exhibition, the founder of the firm has been created Chevalier of the Legion of Honor thia dittinction being conferred on no other