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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7896, 15 March 1887, Page 4

In an advertisement in one of the local journals Messrs. Hill and Mahony, solicitors for the promoters of the Auckland Roman Catholic Cemetery Leasing Act, 1887, give notice that at the next session of the' General Assembly of New Zealand, application will be made for leave to bring in a Bill, the object of which will be to empower the Roman Catholic bishop of the diocese of Auckland for the time being, or his representative, to grant leases, for any term not exceeding 66 years in possession, of Symonds-streot frontage of the Roman Catholic cemetery, the property intended to be so leased being the unused portion extending back 133 links. Power is also to be claimed in the Bill for authority to lay out streets, paths, and drains through the property, and the granting of any portion or portions of tb> eaid property for public purposes. tr* B stated that a plan of the property is/ deposited at the Resident Magis/ates Courthouse. The proposals abo/ mentioned are of great importance the public, as foreshadowing an /tempt to seize and deal with the certify block for other purposes than tho* for wnicn the trust was created, andA w fortunate that the attention of th/ity authorities has already been drawr/to, **»» remark able application and^ uall y remarkable Bill. The land w /g rauted for cemetery purposes, and yt> other, and when these have c*» ed » then it should revert to >"> donor, the Crown, as a public Reserve. Considerations of public hea ,fl preclude the idea of leasing out the aausec * frontage to Symondsstreet i*' little section", and crowding the livin* under insanitary conditions, hard U /< 1 the dead. It is equally indecent ikit before the cemetery is actually dosed against interments, it should be contemplated, through greed of gain, to let the surface drainage of these back tenements percolate down the slope upon the graves of the dead. Behind all, however, lies the larger question of the right of any denomination to so deal with any cemetery trust in the above fashion, and we question very much - whether public opinion, or the Colonial Legislature, will ever suffer a Bill containing such astounding provisions as those quoted above to obtain the force of law. What will be the result if such an application were granted ? The matter will not end there, as our Hebrew fellowcitizens will be equally entitled to lease the unused frontages of their cemetery, and the Presbyterians, not to be outdone in the new land boom, and with visions of accruing lease rents before their eyes, may be expected to make application for permission to remove their dead down the gully, so as to obtain the requisite

" 133 links " for leasing purposes. The matter will not bear consideration for a moment, and is a frightful travesty upon all the sacred associations with which men are accustomed to invest " God's acre."