TO THE EDITOR.

Patea Mail, 21 December 1880, Page 3

TO THE EDITOR.

fCorrespondents are invited to discuss matters of public interest with fairness and brevity; this journal being an impartial medium of discussion and advocacy for all ffaairs relating to the County of I’atea.]

Slit, —I sec that tenders arc called by tho Cemetery Board for the erection of a mortuary chapel. May I be allowed to ask the reason the funds arc to be disposed of in this manner ? Is it for religion, or. usefulness? If for religious purposes, the Homan Catholics would not use a building which had not been consecrated by their rites. The same holds good with the Anglicans ; whilst tho Presbyterians and Wesleyans would not use a temple dedicated by what they call the “ scarlet woman.” Will it give any pleasure to surviving relatives tiiat they should sit down for a few minutes in such a building ? Wo know bow much pleasure that largo section of us, the “ unorthodox ’’ will take in such a building. As to art, a great deal might be done with this money if it were spent in making the place pleasant with trees and flowers, as in Continental cemeteries ; but no one could pretend that a building of the “ packing-case ’ order of architecture (as all our colonial churches are) could give pleasure to the eye or elevation to the taste of any mortal man. As to usefulness, it would do for the clergyman to retreat into in case of rain whilst he was waiting for the ceremony, but a sentry-box in a corner would do for that purpose well enough. Spend the money usefully ; make God’s aero ’ beautiful. Utilitarian. Patea, 20th Dec.