Manawatu Herald. [Established (Aug. 27, 1878.] SATURDAY, SEPT., 10, 1904. The Old Cemetery.

Manawatu Herald, 10 September 1904, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. [Established (Aug. 27, 1878. ] SATURDAY, SEPT., 10, 1904. The Old Cemetery.

It is about time that steps were taken towards improving and beautifying the old cemetery at the North end of the town. The place is fast becoming an eyesore and a disgrace to Foxton, apd the community should in their own interests combine together and urge the responsible parties to have the reserve put into proper order. Negotiations have been proceeding for some time between the native owners and the Borough Council for the tra.isfer to the Council of the interest of flip natives in the land for the purpose of putting up a new fence, cuttingdown the big pines at present standing, p’anting shrubs, and generally improving the place. The natives at first refused to agree to this, being somewhat suspicious as to the motives of the Council, and perhaps having some hesitation resulting from their hereditary scruples in regard to the observance of respect for the graves of the : r dead; but eventually they decided to convey the land to the Council provided the latter used it for the purposes mentioned, and did not in any way desecrate the graves. The natives were particularly anxious about this last condition, since Many of their forefathers are buried in the cemetery. The land, being a cemetery reserve, would require to be transferred by Act of Parliament, and to do this it was necessary that the natives should sign a petition consenting to the proposed transfer, and that the petition should be presented to the Native Minister, who, if he thought fit, would draft a Bill, and pilot it through the House. The Borough Council, which had hitherto shown great patience And determination in dealing with the owners of the cemetery, has now allowed the matter to drop, owing presumably to a quibble as to who should bear the cost of drawing up the petition and sending it round the country for the signature of the natives. In one sense the natives are the parties who should do this, but if they neglect to do so, it is incumbent on the Council to prepare the necessary document and obtain the signatures of the owners. The expense would only be trifling and in a case like this it would be, to say the least, most irreverent for the Council to allow the transaction to lapse at this juncture We feel safe in saying that the people of Foxton are desirous of having the cemetery properly attended to, at .whatever cost-and this should not be very great It is to be hoped that the Council will take into consideration the wishes of the ratepapers, and leave no stone unturned to have the matter put through. The cemetery in its present state is a reflection on the renutation of the townspeople, and it is the duty of the Council, as their representatives, to see that the indecent condition of the cemetery is altered without delay.