MAORI BURIALS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 276, 18 May 1912, Page 5

MAORI BURIALS

GRAVE ALLEGATIONS. SHOCKING HABIT 6. By Telegraph—Press Association. Gisborne, Last Night. A terrible state of affairs is revealed by a report that Inspector York has forwarded to the Cook Hospital and Charitable Aid Board with regard to the insanitary surrounding's of the natives. I The report states that on Friday, April 19, the corpse of a native, who had died from typhoid fever in the public hospital, was remov«d to Muriwai. A tangi was held, at which the coffin lid was removed. This corpse was kept unburled for three days. "During the following fortnight," continues the Inspector, "I had four cases of typhoid fever from Muriwai, one of which I am fairly sure was caused through the tangi. I respectfully ask the board to take such steps as will stop the bodies of persons being removed from any 'hospital in the board's district, who have died from infectious diseases, except for direct burial. During my inspection at Wainui, on May 13, my attention was called to the state of a natiVe burial ground. I visited tho burial ground, and there found a coffin quite intact with the following inscription upon the lid:—'l mate Ite, 15 0 nga ra, 0 maehe, 15)11, On a tau 10' (which translated is, 'Died 15th day of March, 1011, aged 1!) years'). This coffin stands unprotected on the surface of the ground. On making inquiries, I am told that the coffin contains the corpse of a native who died in the public hospital twelve months ago from typhoid fever. There were also a great number of bones strewn about this burial greund, but I cannot say whether these are human remains or not. The state of affairs here is a great menace to public health. I would strongly recommend that this coffin be removed and buried in more solid ground; also that the bones he collected and buried. This should be done forthwith. T have wired to the Distrkt Health Officer for instructions, but have had no reply. I had a wire from the Minister for Internal Affairs asking for the names of the secretary or trustees of these burial grounds. On making inquiries for information on this point, T am told that no responsible officer is at present living. Whilst making these inspections I notified the dead carcase of a horse. This lay about a couple of chains from the burial ground. The carcase was in a very advanced state of decomposition, and the stench from it was terrible. Three dogs were feeding off it, but on mv approach they left for their home at the pa. On making inquiries as to who had owned the htfrse, I was told that it belonged to a native who had left the district. T communicated with the county officials, and asked them to allow their inspector to bury it forthwith, and they promised that this should be done. I called the board's attention to these difficulties, to ' show that, although there have been three deaths at this pa during the last three months (two from suspected typhoid and one from tuberculosis), the inhabitants will allow such offensive matter to lie upon the surface of the earth, sooner than trv to protect their health by burying it."

The board was to have considered the matter at a meeting to-night, but there was no quorum.