BARBADOES STREET CEMETERY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25305, 3 October 1947, Page 5

BARBADOES STREET CEMETERY

Sir,—Regarding the City Council taking over the Addington and Barbadoes street cemeteries, if a purchaser has bought and received receipts for plots, are they the property of the purchaser or the City Council? Admittedly the Barbadoes street cemetery has been neglected, but who is at fault there? In past years there was a sexton to look after those places, or a caretaker. They were at one time beautiful spots.—Yours, etc., 75 YEARS. October 1, 1947.

Sir, —In reply to the somewhat hysterical outbursts of some writers on the above subject, I understand our City Council is not so very anxious to take over these worn-out and almost bankrupt cemeteries. Barbadoes street has been persistently wished on to the council by a very impoverished Cemetery Board and will be an increasing monetary responsibility on the ratepayers of Christchurch. If I could boast of ancestors buried in Barbadoes street I would not expect the ratepayers’ of Christchurch to be responsible for the upkeep of their graves. (That is what it amounts to.) My advice is to give a little more care to ancestors’ graves, and a little less newspaper column hysteria.—Yours, etc., GRAVE UNKNOWN. October 2, 1947.

Sir,—l coipmend Mary Wigley, “Anglican,” and/‘Nine Tombstones.” What do we Protestants lack—courage, push, or pull? My parents and a sister lie in Addington Cemetery. My sister and I paid a sum which we were assured would ensure the plots being permanently kept trim. Expecting to be laid there ourselves, we thought we had provided against being a burden on those left. The money is unimportant; but the proposed transfer of control is a breach of contract—morally, if not legally. Over our parents their family erected a Celtic cross in grey granite, reminiscent of their beloved Cornwall. Shall this ageless symbol be removed to some other corner and thereby rendered meaningless? We will fight such desecration with all our power.—Yours, etc., R.R.M. October 1, 1947.

Sir,—l heartily agree with Miss Wigley and other writers. Does our City Council realise the cemeteries are consecrated ground? Those stones, lots, etc., have been bought at a high cost by friends or relatives and to them are sacred. Surely there are enough parks, playgrounds, etc., for the children without our council countenancing such sacrilege. Why should one side of Barbadoes street be exempt from such outrageous insult? Something must be done to stop such unwarranted desecration. Our children should be taught to reverence such sacred places, not to regard them as places of boisterous amusement.— Yours, etc., . INDIGNANT. October 2, 1947.