DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT AT THE FUNERAL OF A CHINESE.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10175, 24 October 1898, Page 2

DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT AT THE FUNERAL OF A CHINESE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —I wish to draw your attention to the most disgraceful conduct ever seen by mc at a funeral service.' As I was strolling to the cemetery on Thursday afternoon I-noticed a funeral cortege wending its way there, and was much struck with,the conduct of those who were following; even some of the cabmen were discussing business in loud tones from oab to cab in. the most out-of-place fashion. What was the meaning of this ? Ah ! "It was only a Chinaman." When the coffin was being home( to the grave, very few even took off their ..hats in respect. Even while the service was .being carried on they were laughing and jeering at the Chinamen. The awful and unchristian re-

marks passed by many against the China- , men were enough to shock anyone, let alone a Christianised community. , Sir, I think this ought to rouse as as Christian^in a so-called Christian land to endeavour to lift these poor fellow men uj>,, instead of always doing our leVel _ curse tlrem. Oh ! the hollowness of many'" ot our Christchurch citizens, who capnot command., their., .eejf-respeiib even at a funeral, and these are the onea who are agitating to have the Chinamen kicked out of the colony ;. and yet at the same time trying to make their lives as miserable as they possibly can. The Chinamen cannot understand this behaviour, and who can? If this is a sample of our Cluistchurch people, they must be the most depraved, ignorant and uncultured people of our colony. I will, only repeat what the minister said at the grave—"lt is appointed unto man once to , die, bat after this the Judgment.*— Yours, &c, • DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY.