CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1609, 14 July 1887, Page 3

CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.

.The following details of a matter referred to In oar telegrams a day or two ago are given by the " Wellington Post": —No small amount of surprise was occasioned this morning when it was ascertained that the dead body of a Chinaman, who died oyer two years ago, had been lying on'tbe' premises of Messrs Morris and Son, undertaker's, Tar anak i street, for several days past. Information was given to Inspector Browne, of tho police, and Mr A. G. Johnson, luspoctor of Nu.Banceß for the oity, that the body of a person who had expired a considerable time ago was in Messrs Morris and Son's possession, and the officers in question lost no time In proceeding to the firm's establishment, and ascertaining whether the report whioh they bad heard was correct. The inspectors questioned Mr Morris, sen., as to the contents of a peoullarlookiog case in his back premises, and e'iolted from bim the fact that it enclosed the remains of a Chinaman whioh had been exhumed in order that they might be forwarded to friends in Canton. From Mr Morris the officers learned that the coffin was taken from the grave in the publio cemetery between 9 and 10 o'clook on the evening of Friday week and placed In a zlno case, which was soldered up on the firm's premises the tame night. Subsequently the case was placed In a wooden box fastened round with hoop iron, and bearing the words " This side up " In large black letters, Mr Morris admitted to Messrs Browne and Johnson that the body had been exhumed without the permission of the Colonial Secretary, as provided by the Cemeteries Act, but stated that tho sexton was aware that it had been removed. Mr Morris added that ho had applied to the Boston for permission, and was informed that he could not givo a pormit, but was poworloea to prevent tho body' from boing taken up. Messrs Browne and Job d 6 ton ' visited several of tho Chinese quarters in quest of further information respecting the deceased, and ' aftor a considerable amount of troublo they ascertained tho followiog particulars : — The corpßo is that of Ah Tong, who died in Wellington about tho middle of February, IQB/5, aged 4(|. The deceased was a native of Canton, and loft a daughter living in that city. His friends in China wore anxious that his remains should be aont to them, and instructions wore giveri to Mesßrs Morris nnd Son to exhume them, bo that they might be forwarded to Canton by the steamer Woosung, whioh leaves Wellington on the 30th inst. after discharging her cargo of tea, Messrs Browne and Johnson were unable to find any smell from the box in whioh tho body is lying, but as it is not desirable that tho corpse should be allowed to remain on tho premises any longer, they recommended Mr Morris to interview the Town Clerk ua to whether it should not be removed to the Morgue until the Woosung arrives from China. Mr Morris took this advice, and on tbe recommendation , of tho Town Clerk, hp had the body removed to the Morgue. Proceedings undor i the Cometeries Act are to be taken against Messrs Morris and Son,