THE WELLINGTON CEMETERY. DEBATE IN THE UPPER HOUSE.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 67, 17 September 1881, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON CEMETERY. DEBATE IN THE UPPER HOUSE.

In the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, the Hon. Mr. Mantell moved, " That thore be laid upon tho table any further correspondence between the Government and the Corporation of Wellington on the closing of the existing cemeteries in the city of Wellington." At the outset he said ho was not aware that any such further correspondence had taken place. If, however, this might happen to be tho case, it was desirable, he remarked, that it ohonld be produced. He dwelt on the objectionablenesa of maintaining cemeteries within the cjty, and strongly advocated the adoption of immediate action on the part of the authorities to close the present burial ground without delay. (Hear, hear.) The motion was seconded by the Hon. Colonel Brett in a characteristic little speech. He said this subject had been discussed by the Council from year to year ever ainoe he had possessed a seat in that chamber. The present cemetery was a disgrace to this grand, great city of Wellington. (Cheers.) It was a disgraceful act on the part of the! Government to permit its existence to this day, and a hundred times more disgraceful on the part of the Corporation. Hon. gentlemen ought to express their extreme indignation at the existence of such a nuisance. (Cheers ) The Hoe. Captain Fraser remarked that the only ohance of getting rid of the nuisance was to remove the Beat of Government. He did not think it was fair to members suffering from delicate health to expose them to tho dangers connected with a cemetery in the heart of the city. (Oh, oh.) In replying, the mover pointed out that when the Commissioners selected from the Australian Colonies visited New Zealand some years ago for the purpose of selecting a cite for the seat of Government their attention was naturally attracted in regard to the claims of Wellington to the existence of a cemetery near the spot where it was proposed to erect a Governor's rosidenoe. To the best of his (Mr. Mantell's) rocolleotion, had those Commissioners not been assured that the existing cemeteries would at once be closed, and other sites more desirable substituted in the event of Wellington being chosen for the seat of Government, it would have weighed heavily in influencing them to bestow the honor elsewhere. He perfectly agreed with what Captain Fraser had said. If these cemeteries were to be maintained in the city for any longer period, members hailing from more civilised places had a reasonable right to claim the removal of the seat of Government to some place where it was not unsafe to trust their lives. (Cheers.) The motion was then agreed to.