Grazing Sheep To Keep Domain Road Cemetery In Order

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 23, 10 August 1949, Page 5

Grazing Sheep To Keep Domain Road Cemetery In Order

Sheep are to be used to keep the Domain Road Cemetery in order. This was decided at this week’s meeting of the Whakatane Borough Council following a discussion of satisfactory means of caring for the cemetery.

The Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, point, ed out that the Beautifying Society had cleaned up the cemetery and it was now the Council’s responsibility to keep' it in order. Sheep grazing on the area would foe a comparatively inexpensive way of keeping the grounds clean. Several schemes were discussed but nearly all of them proved unsatisfactory or too expensive. Weed killer would certainly eradicate weeds, Cr E. R. Hillicar said, but in the process it would probably turn the cemetery into a very barren spot. With no plants growing on it the area would be very prone to dust storms in dry weather. Sheep have been tried in America and proved a great success. In that country they had turned unsightly burial grounds into pleasant park area's, he added. Cr R, T. Morpeth disapproved of the idea and said.he thought there would be many objections to the proposal. There was no other way the Council could keep the place in order Mr Barry said. The scheme could be tried out and if unsuccessful could be stopped after a brief trial. Other councillors agreed with the Mayor and the foreman-engineer was instructed to make the cemetery fences sheep proof, provide t-e necessary wat~" md to put the animals in the are" "s soon as possible.