Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, APRIL 8, 1918. CEMETERY SYMMETRY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 9263, 8 April 1918, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, APRIL 8, 1918. CEMETERY SYMMETRY.

It would, \ve suppose, be unreasonable to expect' a Cemetery Board to be a live body, and it is not: surprising ; to find that: the reports of the proceeding's of the Ashburton Cemetery Board do not require much space. There seems little for the members to do, apart from passing- a few accounts for payment. If the agenda paper for the Board's meeting, this evening, is not unusually full, we suggest that the Board should discuss a motion somewhat to this effect:—That as the notice-board erected at the. gate of the old cemetery, gives^ ample warning that the police have received instructions to, arrest any person, or persons, found desecrating these grounds, the police are hereby requested to arrest those who have desecrated thesacred spot by allowing the ground to have reached its deplor-1 able condition. We hope the motion will be agreed to unanimously, even although the culprits may be the members of the Board themselves. It is the custom in many parts of the Motherland to visit churchyards and cemeteries specially at Eastertide, if at no other season, and it.is to be regretted that this custom was not one of those adhered to in these new lands. It would .prevent such a scandal as now exists at Ashburton, which 'would deserve any penalty awarded for the most neglected cemetery in the Dominion. The wooden barriers aroiind some of the graves when not actually fallen are broken and decayed, some of the memorial stones are equally shattered, the whole place is carpeted with rank grass and many weeds,, often more than knee-high, and altogether, consideringl that the area is well within the borough, and not in a place out of sight and therefore out of mind, those whose duty it is to keep the place orderly, have reason to be heartily ashamed of themselves. The fact of there being; a new cemetery at the other end of the town is no reason for neglecting the last resting-place" of earlier residents, and we trust that the cause for complaint will be removed as early as possible. The Board might well consider some comprehensive reforms, if dealing at all with the old cemetery. A casual visitor cannot tell, owingl to the profuse vegetation, if there are many graves, but if there have only been a few interments there, legislation should be secured to authorise the re-interment of. the dead in the new; cemetery, the old area then behig 1 used as a public garden or reserve. There may be adequate reasons or difficulties to prevent this suggestion being carried out, but. there should be nothing to prevent the ground being given some attention. There is scope for Reform in cemetery procedure in various directions, and fortunately, public opinion in this respect is advancing. The galvanised: iron fencing- around the 7iew cemetery was not_Jhe happiest of inspirations; a live hedge'would, be a great .improvement. These "gardens of .sleep." offer many opportunities for beautifying, and the memory of the loved dead would be better maintained if their- resting-place were more attractive to the living.