SOLDIERS’ GRAVES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 2608, 10 April 1926, Page 5

SOLDIERS’ GRAVES

AT LEAMINGTON CEMETERY.

TO BE SUITABLY RECOGNISED

In reference to soldiers’ graves at the Leamington cemetery a letter was received by the Leamington Town Board at its monthly meeting* on Thursday last from Mr J. Hislop (Un-der-Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs), stating that lie observed as reported in the Independent, discussion on the question of war graves and of the graves of veterans. He felt that the department’s position should be made known. As far as the Great War is concerned the graves of J. Chambers, R. B. Stevens, J. McFarlane and F. L. Stokes are known to the department. It would appear from remarks of board members that • the board ■were unaware of the fact that the only graves of the N.Z. Expeditionary Force which come under the Government’s schemo are those of men whoso deaths arc considered to have been due to disabilities arising from their war service. Under the definition of a war grave the Government “adopted” the graves of Chambers and Stevens, i and the former has been marked with a military headstone. As the w r ork on the latter grave had been carried out privately on the grave of Stevens would not permit of the military stone being erected and no action could be taken. McFarlane and Stokes died of disabilities which arc not considered to have arisen from their war service. With respect to the old soldiers’ graves, the writer gathered from a report made by the department ’s inspector that about eleven men of the Armed Constabulary Force, whose names arc unknown, are buried in the cemetery. If these men, saw service in the Maori War, the (government will “adopt” the graves, carry out all necessary . work and provide for their future maintenance. The Under-Secre-,tary requested to be informed as to whether the old soldiers’ graves were of men who served in the Maori War and the estimated cost of surrounding the plot with concrete kerbing, 6in by Bin, the supplying of good black soil and sowing the best lawn grass. In the event of the plot being by the Government a suitable memorial will be erected on. the plot.

The above was supported by a letter from Miss Edith M. Statham; inspector of/the War Graves Division of the Deparment. The writer stated that she had talked' the whole matter over with Mr W. Baucke, the board’s gardener, in Auckland recently, and lie had suggested to the department that the whole plot be korbed and grassed with flower beds at each end and in the centre a small monument.

Miss Statham promised her co-opera-tion in having the old soldiers’ graves suitably recognised.

The board members were pleased with the tone of the correspondence, and the secretary was ins traded to interview the department when in Wellington next week with a view to definite action being taken.