Would Not Bury His Wife in a Cemetery

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7412, 20 December 1930, Page 7

Would Not Bury His Wife in a Cemetery

RAIONALIST BEFORE COURT. MAGISTRATE TAKES LENIENT VIEW OF CASE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Causing the burial of his wife in a place other thaii a cemetery was the extraordinary charge preferred against John Edward Luekens, a Hobsonvillc farmer who appeared before Mr Woodward, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court. Defendant pleaded guilty. Mr Hubble, who appeared for the Health Department, said that tho difence was unusual and as far as he knew it was the first charge of its kind brought in tho Dominion. The charge was brought under tho Cemeteries Act 190 S and offenders were liable to a fine not exceeding £SO. Defendant’s wife died towards the end of October and was buried on a farm at Hobsonvillc. There were two cemeteries within easy reach, one at Hobsonvillc and the other at Swanson. Neither cemetery was little more than a mile away.

There had been some discussion about setting apart a portion of the farm as a burial ground for the nationalists' Association, said Mr Hubble. When defendant's wife died he interviewed Dr. Chesson of the Health Department who pointed out that a body could not bo buried on the farm. In spite of that instruction the woman was not buried in the cemetery. Defendant's explanation was that ho hid interviewed a man who was prominent in the nationalists’ Association and understood that his action would be all right. Mr Hubble said that in view of safety to public health burials should be controlled and it was a serious matter for a man to bury his wife as he did.

Defendant, in evidence, said that when interviewing Dr Chesson the doctor seemed to treat the whole thing as a joke. Mr Hubble: “I think that you should stick to the facts of the ease and not attack an officer who is not here."

“I think that a breach has been com mitted in ignorance," said Mr Woodward.

Defendant was convicted and ili charged.