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Press, Volume LII, Issue 9238, 16 October 1895, Page 3

TO TUB EDITOR OF TUS TBESS.

Sir, —If your correspondent "Common Sense" would take the trouble to read my letters before attempting to reply to them it would better justify his assumption of that title, and it might save him from combatiug "men of straw" of his own raising, and, perhaps, from misquotation. 1 admit that the temptation to take a text from my letter for his little sermon to the Rom in Catholic authorities must have been very strong, but it can scarcely justify his taking that text incorrectly. The charge of illegality made by mc does not depend upon any determination, zeal or discretion on my part, but on the simple and plain words of the section of the Act quoted in my first letter, which declare that certain portions oi our public cemeteries shall be used only for certain burials. The Mayor has taken upon himself to override this section and to give permission for other burials (or rather another burial) to take place in one of such portions. If be has power to do this in one case, it follows that he may do it in another, or others, and the protection accorded by the Act will depend on the discretion of the Mayor for the time being, and not upon the words of the Aot. It is the assumption of this power to which I object, and for which I ask authority ; and the only justification attempted by your correspondent is to impute blame to the Roman Catholic authorities and their regulations. Now, he may be right or wrong in his contention ou this point, but he does not touch the real point at issue. Whether the Roman Catholics be right or wrong, their conduct cannot give the Mayor any greater power or discretion than he possesses independently of that conduct, and it certainly cannoc justify his directing a burial to take place where the Act says it shall not take place. If your correspondent can show that the Mayor possesses supreme authority with regard to the Cemetery, and a discretion superior to the directions contained in the Act, then be will have met my objection, bub not otherwise, and no amount of blame placed rightly or wrongly upon other shoulders, can meet it except to those who are prepared to admit that two wrongs make a right.— Yours, &c, Cemetery, I Christchurch, 15th October, 1895.