The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 164, 12 February 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12.

Last session the sum of £15,000 was appropriated out of the Land Fund of the Provincial District of Canterbury for Domains and Cemeteries ; £5000 of this grant is for that portion of the district south of the Rangitata, and £10,000 for the Northern district. The distribution of this money is, by the Appropriation Act, to be made by the Chairmen of the County Councils. Wo understand that the Chairman of the four Counties — Ashburton, Akaroa, Ashley, and Selwyn, met at Christchurch on -Saturday last,, and decided on the amount to be apportioned to each County. We presume the Chairman of each County will take the opinion of his Council respecting the sub-division of the money, and therefore we may expect the Akaroa County Council will shortly have under consideration the question of how the money allotted to it should be divided. The people in some of the

Bays on the Northern side of tho Peninsula will, no doubt, expect to receive a portion of this grant ; and, indeed, it is a matter of regret that provision was not made long ago to provide Cemeteries- in localities shut in by steep hills, where there are no roads for vehicles. We understand that the residents in Pigeon Bay and Okain's Bay have already taken some action in this matter, and that the Trustees of the Little River Cemetery have, through the action of the representative of the district, received some assistance from the Government. It may be well to call attention to the provisions of the Cemetery Management Act of last sesbion. Clause 2 enacts—" The Governor may from time to time appoint so many Trustees, not fewer than three in number, as he may think fit, to provide for the maintenance and care of any public cemetery, and every such Trustee so appointed may exercise all the powers granted to them under this Act, notwithstanding that the legal estate in any public Cemetery may not be vested in them." Clause 3 empowers the Trustees to hold lands for the purpose of a public Cemetery. Clause 9 empowers Trustees to make rules and regulations subject to the approval of the Governor. Clause 11 gives the Trustees power, with consent of the Governor, to make and publish scale of fees. Clause 23 gives Trustees power to enclose the land comprised in such Cemetery with sufficient fences " to lay out and ornament such Cemetery in such manner as maj be most convenient and suitable for the burial of the dead," and generally to maintain and keep the Cemetery in good order and condition. Altogether there are -15 clauses in the Act. When Trustees are appointed, they will no doubt obtain a copy of the Act, and ascertain exactly their powers and duties. Meantime we haye given some particulars for the information of residents, in any locality, who may wish to have Trustees appointed. In order to select the men who would be most acceptable to the residents in any district, a public meeting might be held, and Trustees nominated. The Governor would, no doubt, confirm the choice of the people.

There is a considerable sum, we believej allotted to this County for " Domains.' This term would include grounds for recreation, and we hope the grant will be apportioned with due regard to the wants of the various localities. It must be destributed fairly—not all appropriated to two or three places. At the same time it must be borne in mind if the grant be minutely sub-divided, there will be a number of attempts at providing places of recreation which in some cases would be only failures. It is evident that to purchase land for a " Domain," to lay out the ground, and plant, and fence it, would require a large sum of money—far more than any locality will receive from the grant ; but land might be acquired in various places for cricket grounds, be fenced, levelled, and laid down in grass, and perhaps some planting clone to give shade to spectators at some future day. We believe the amount available will not do more than give substantial assistance to localities in which the residents are disposed themselves to subscribe some portion of the expense, but that the grant will be of of great value there can be no doubt.

Perhaj>s the Council may decide that the grant shall only be given in aid of local effort, and thus stimulate the people to exertion ; but whatever may be the mode of distribution determined on, we hope the claims of the various localities will be duly considered and justice done to all.