SHOCKING.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1797, 18 May 1912, Page 2

SHOCKING.

A CHAPTER OF HORRORS,

TERRIBLE- CONDITION IN

MAORI LIFE,

A MENACE TO HEALTH,

PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION,

Gisborne, May 17. A terrible state of affairs revealed !by a report or Inspector York has been forwarded to tno Cook Hospital i and Charitable Aid Board in regard fto "tho insanitary surroundings of the .Natives, 'ihe report states: — "On Friday, April 19, the corpse of' a Native who had died from typnoid fever in the public hospital was removed to Munwai. A tangi was held, at which the coffin lid was removed. This corpse was kept unburied for three days. During, the following fortnight 1 had four cases .of typhoid from Muriwai, one of I which" 1 am fairly sure was caused | through the tangi. 1 respectfully ask the Board to take such' steps as , will stop the bodies of persons being removed from any hospital in the Board's district who have died from infectious diseases, except for direct burial, "During my inspection at Wainui on May 13, my attention was called to the state of a native burial ground. 'I .visited the burial ground and then found a coffin, quite intact, with an inscription upon the lid, which ,translated, is: ■ Died 15th day of Alarch, 1911; aged 19 years.' This coffin stands unprotected on the surface of the ground. On making enquiries, I am told the coffin contains, the corpse of a native who died in the public hospital 13 months ago from typhoid fever. There were also a great number of bones strewn about this burial ground, but I. cannot say whether, these are human remains or not. "The state of affairs' here is a great menace to public health. I would strongly recommend that this coffin be removed and buried in more solid ground, also that the bones bo collected and buried, and this should be done forthwith. I have wired to tne District Health Officer for inycructions, but have had no reply, l had a wire from the Minister "for Internal Affaiis- asking for the names of the secretary or trustees of these burial grounds. On making enquiries i'or information on this point I am told that no responsible officer is -?t present living. "Whilst making these inspections 1 noticed tho elead carcase of a horse, and this lay about a couple of chains from the burial ground. The carcase was in a very advanced state of decomposition," and the stench from it was terrible. Three dogs were feeding off it, but on my approach they left for their home at the pa. On making enquiries as to who had owned the horse, I was told it belonged to a native who had left the district. I communicated

with the county officials, and asked, them to allow their inspector to bury ! .it forthwith. They promised this " should bo done. ' j "I call the Board's attention to- ( these difficulties to show that although there have been three deaths at this pa during the last three months (two from suspended typhoid and one from tuberculosis), the inhabitants will allow such offensive matter to lay upon the surface of tho earth sooner than try to protect their health by burying it." , The Board would have considered the matter at a meeting to-night, but there was no quorum present.