Human Remains Found.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1924, Page 1

Human Remains Found.

AN OLD CEMETERY. WANGANUI, March 3. •Some time ago the old Anglican t'liureh in the business portion of tho Avenue was removed and a substantial block of business promises is now being erected thereon. At the time of tile removal of the •’ church it was known that bodies had been buried there and a search was made of a somewhat haphazard nature to locate these, and some two or tine* "ere found, presumably the remains j uf Souliers, as the Stockade was situuttd in the ea.ily days on Queen’s Park, immediately above this site. The I site was used as a burial ground for soldiers and a few early citizens. As tile new buildings advanced it was lomul necessary to make further excavations at the hack alongside the sand bank, where more human remains were found. Something in the nature uf a sensation was caused in Wanganui oil Sat-I inctay when Councillor Reardon took a reporter to see the way tho bones and skulls had been handled, The human remains have been bundled into a kerosene box with a sack thrown ove.i the top and the six skulls were I deposited in a tub and left for days. One of these skulls appears to be that ol Miss Xiclioll.s, who died at tho age m 13 and was the daughter of the first Anglican minister in Wanganui. An old identity states she was buried in this locality, and that she remembers the funeral. Tho other remains ' are obviously tHosc of the soldiers. 1 Business people who were made ae- 1 quainter! with these facts, are very - indignant to think that the mortal re- • mains of these young men. who saeri- ( tiled their lives in the interests of 1 Wanganui, should lie tossed about in ' this manner. f

There is likely to he a warm debate over the matter at the next mooting of the Borough Council. WANGANUI, .March 3.

The publicity regarding Ihe (ind o| human remains caused a good deal of puhlio comment anil some angry expressions hy church members against i a-, pressman who ventilated the. nu.lter, lie being told that it would have been better bad lie first eoiiiiiuuiieated u;l !i the church trustees. The excavate.n.s have been going on for some time and men on the job state that. 11 icv did take steps to notify the find of the first skeletons. This morning the hones in a kerosene ease and the skulls in a tub were placed in another steii, which was locked pending proper l e-lnp ini. This afternoon. however, human hones were noticed still hleaelii'i ; in part of the section. These were tin same hones tlial were noticed there on Siitiinhiv.

In reply Lo questions the town clerk slides that the Borough Council had no control over the burial ground, which

was r.ot a public cemetery. However, on learning that an old grave had been discovered during the excavations* at the rear of the buildings he had inlornicd llu* con tractors that when it

W.I . certain that all the graves which '••'ere likely to he disturbed had been L end the. council would have the remains removed to the general cemetery, ’.'he town clerk was informed that, partii ular care would be taken of tlie remains as they were removed. A icurcseiil at ive of (lie Anglican roiiiniunity also stated that before building operations were commenced t'*, : acre •••ns dug over much nr, p*.Mible under the supervision of borough officials. It was guile possible mimic remains were missed. As soon as nr.y were found the Archdeacon should have been notified and immediate arrangements would have been made to re-inter them. It was suggested that the remains might In* those of live Maoris who wore hanged at the stockade for the Gilfilian massacre many years ago. An old identity state- that those veie not buried in this plot-, but on another part of Queen's Bark, behind ihe library. The bodies remained there for some time. Later members of tho tribe a*’ i’ll permission to remove them, which was granted.