PURE W A CEMETERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 243, 13 October 1936, Page 6

PURE W A CEMETERY.

The necessity for so much controversy in the daily Press re Purewa Cemetery is rather sad. Naturally, people are amazed at the proposition of St. John's Trust Board to graze sheep in the cemetery. The plan the board has in mind to protect unfenced graves is absolutely impossible of achievement. I hope the board will reconsider its decision and thereby ease the minds of a large number of citizens. To the casual visitor it is obvious that the staff at present is totally inadequate to cope with the work. There are many different methods of eradicating noxious weeds other than running sheep over the area. Perhaps the owners of plots, vacant or otherwise, would, if asked by circular letter, take an interest and keep each individual plot in order. In my time I have seen cemeteries in a much rougher state made beautiful in a few years, through the energy of owners of plots vieing with each other in caring for their plots. I am convinced that if this system were adopted at Purewa it could be transformed into a beauty spot. The system suggested need not in any way interfere with the permanent staff. " S. F. BAKER. May I add my protest to those already publisher! re the proposed desecration of Purewa Cemetery? All who have seen their loved ones laid to rest there look upon it as hallowed ground. Surely the Anglican Church can afford to pay men to mow the grass, especially when there are so many unemployed in our midst. The fees for opening the ground are, I am told, higher than those of the other cemeteries around Auckland, which is all the niore reason why the Church should look upon it as its duty to keep the place tidy and» decent, without resorting to measures calculated to hurt the feelings of the bereaved.