THE PAUPER FUNERAL AT PORT CHALMERS.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2678, 16 September 1871, Page 2

THE PAUPER FUNERAL AT PORT CHALMERS.

To the Editor, Sir,—Just a few remarks on tfie recent burial of the French sailor at Port Chalmers. That the public may not be misled by the acrimonious effusions of those who lay hold of any pretext for manifesting their ill-will to the Protestant seamen’s Missions, let me state the simple facts. On Friday an inquest was held ever the corpse ; on Saturday morning the remains were carried on a dray to the cemetery. No persons followed the dray, nor was any s rvice for the dead conducted over the grave. The public was not informed by the flag half-mast nigh on the Shun Lee, nor by any other means, of the time the funeral would take place. No minister was requested to conduct the usual ceremony. The Missionary made inquiries on board the previous day as to when or how the funeral would be arranged, but could get no information. Until the whole thing was done, no one who did not happen to be in the streets at the time (excepting those in

charge of the body) knew anything about it. With thee facts the public will know where to put the blame. I may repeat, “ that had any intimation of the interment been given, my services would have been gladly rendered, though the man had been ‘ that heathen Chinee. ’ ” I am, &c., J. Smoult Smalley. Port Chalmers, Sept. 16. [ln defence of those who condemn the unseemly indecency of the funeral, we may inform our correspondent that, so far from being “ acrimonious ” opposers of Protestant Seamen’s Missions, they are equally Protestant and tolerant with himself. We know not who is to blame for the affair, but whoever it may he, our informants deserve praise rather than censure for taking the only means to prevent a recurrcnc : of what is disgraceful to a community by publishing it to the world. —Ed. E. S. ]