The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1875.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 270, 8 May 1875, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1875.

‘ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

The subject to which “ The Foreman of the Jury”—-at the inquest recently held at the Makaraka Hotel—refers in this morning’s issue, will, we trust, be the means, added to all others that have been employed, of removing the lukewarmness—to use a mild term—that exists on the matter of necessary aid being accorded to indigent persons during life, and a decent burial after death. The dog-like interment of the unfortunate man who happened to be without money or scrip in a strange land, can hardly be held to be justifiable, whilst the cold-blooded indifference displayed, as to whether the rites of sepulture were accorded to his remains or not, is a fearful stricture on our boasted Christian superiority’ over the Heathen. Even barbarism enjoins a strict fidelity to funeral obsequies, however revolting they may. be. According to the lights of a people are they supposed to do reverence to their dead, and to pay the last sad tribute, which the living can offer to the dead, with, at any rate that outward and visible sign of respect which distinguishes the remains

of a human being from those of an animal.

The revolting particulars vouched by our correspondent must not happen again—for once is once too often. Then comes the question : Whose duty is it to put matters right ? We call attention to the subject again, although we are not prepared to suggest anything but tentative measures until our Church and Burial management is placed under some recognized authority. At present those things that should claim the very first attention of a community are put off, as being of no moment, to the last. We have already stated our views as to the Burial Reserve, and who should be in the van of action with regard to its conservation. If the Clergy are really our leaders, we must look to them ; for, unless they take the matter actively in hand nothing will be done. Then, again, to prevent a repetition of what has recently occurred, in two or three instances amongst us, the Provincial Government should be moved to place a sum on the estimates for local hospital accommodation, and medical comforts ; and for building a morgue for the reception of the bodies of poor persons who, like the unfortunate man Turner, happen to be poor and friendless.