FAMILIES DIG OWN GRAVES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29608, 2 September 1961, Page 14

FAMILIES DIG OWN GRAVES

Position At Karamea Cemetery (From Our Own Reporter) WESTPORT. Sept. 1. Karamea, the farming township at the far northern end of the Buller county, has the doubtful distinction of a family gravedigging service because no regular men is employed to do this work. At the monthly meeting of the Buller County Council, a letter received from the Karamea branch of Federated Farmers asked who was responsible for the maintenance of the local cemetery, and also for the digging and filling in of graves.

It was ■ stated that the Cemetery Board had complete control, and the council agreed to take both matters up with that body. Meanwhile, the county engi-neer-clerk (Mr C. F. Sen add ck) is to assist in providing someone to dig such graves.

Cr. N. Christiansen said that with no-one to do the work, relatives bad to prepare the graves. He added that Constable W. Hill had assisted very generously when grave digging bad to be done, but he bad now left the district. Messrs M. ■ Johnston and G. Richardson bad also done valuable work in keeping the cemetery in order, said Cr. Christiansen,! but he suggested that a< working bee with council j assistance would do a Jot to dear up the area.