OUR IMPORTED BONEDUST

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12929, 27 July 1905, Page 5

OUR IMPORTED BONEDUST

AN EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT

ALLEGED USE OF HUMAN BONES.

[BY ««a*W.-OTOUr I C onRES,OXI,KXT.]

DiTHTvn ii W,,U,N ™'- Wednesday. Jo*ofbonedu.t a statement was made by • %g. Masterton, as to an »>plea Sa „ t nunour which he s,id was cur- «*. « he city of Auckl-uul, regarding the Ww* imported from India. The report H ( SaKl ' VM -to-. the effect ; that, The bone! Jlust was the product of human bones col.cc led from the plague-stricken districts of India.

The statement was received by members with a burst of incredulous laughter.' Mr. Hogg a, id that members' might I'ugb. bub the question was a serious one. He had it on good authority that the report was public property in Auckland, and that It was as commonly talked about as the fruit tiom the islands. He did not know whether 1 ™ , true > but it was a, matter which should be inquired into. • Hon Members: Hear, hear. : ;:.'■•- : Mr. Hogg said that this was one of the first questions which the expert that the Government had sent to India - should inquire into. If the statement was true they should at once put a stop to such an unclean and disgusting business Mr. Lawry: I never heard of the report, Mr. Hogg-. Then the lion, gentleman cannot take much interest in what goes on in bis constituency. The Government should make full inquiry as to whether this disgusting trade was being carried on or not On speaking to the Minister for Lands this evening, on the subject of Mr. Hogg's statement, Mr. Duncan said 'that this was the first that he had heard of the report as to the use of human bones. Of course, he said, he could not absolutely say that the statement' was unfounded;/but the expert who had been sent to. India- bad not mentuned the matter V; in '. his : reports. He would, however, communicate with the expert on the matter, with the view of ascertaming whether there was any truth in the statement. . •' s v