THE OLD BURIAL GROUND.

Otago Witness, Issue 479, 2 February 1861, Page 9

THE OLD BURIAL GROUND.

To the Editor of the Otago Witness.

JSiB, — I never pass our old Burial Ground without a feeling, that, to allow it to remain as it is, is discreditable to the living, as it is disrespectful to the dead.

The deserted Grave Yard is the Mausoleum of our early settlers, and a sacred spot,— one that (though we neglect it, to our shame if we do) it is to he expected will, in future times, be regarded with veneration, and guarded and preserved with scrupulous and pious care. Our posterity, coming to the inheritance of the-life-rent estate, in a further stage of advancement, with difficulties fewer to encounter, and resources larger and better than we enjoy, borne to them in a great measure as the ripened fruit of our planting, will, it is to be hoped, in this, as in . other ways, manifest a patriotic and deferential respect to the virtues of perseverance, energy, and .principle which distinguished the founders of Otago — characteristics which they really bore in it' degree that contrasts : favourably with the ' - generality of the -emigrant originators of young { settlements. . We. are warranted in concluding this from what, is. taking place in Europe. Civilization is advancing, — and as it. advances, not only is the evidence ■" of purer- and more refined sentiments and feelings becomings more common, but the genius of Christianity, is developing it self in fairer aspects, and pervading our evervrday acts, and adopting, as modes of teaching and impressing the heart, not so much the horrors of death and punishment, as the graces and rewards which; the pleasant paths of religion and virtue present. And in nothing, and nowhere: is it more evident than, "in the depositories of the dead, — in the Cemeteries and Necropolises that abound. In these the death-heads and cross-bones of a ruder age are fast disappearing, and the finest genius of this land is engaged upon sculptured monuments, erected over the graves of departed friends, .hearing epitaphs at once suggestive, affectionate, and instructive ; tending to soothe the bleeding hearts of monmers, and awaken to reflection the thoughtless many ; while tasteful arrangements are being givento the grounds, walks kept in repair, flowerbeds, attended to, and the wholeyen4ored spots which aye frequently and freely resorted to' under hallowed .iundjjacred influehefes. 2x'o doubt this* cpirifc will, if. not vow, in time, reach here; -and our ancestry will preserve the old cemetery 'with (pare; and .attention, and in a numncfr graceful and appropriate, r ■ But why should we fectvfi the work to them ? We knew personally that' Ijttle 'band, so' many, of , whont 4 thjgfe^epose.' " They were* our relations andj; ?jn£inrates— they -are" enshrined in ■ our . njemories,—^and it is rartainly our special busi-" .td'Vta&e in chafge^the beautifying of their ~|ut <<e»t»g-^lace. i'MaA-ne would hear to the generation following a "belter character if we do

so : if we give it in descent to them, such as it ought to be, rather than as it is,r~ a mess of weeds and broken down mementos.

It would neither be difficult nor expensive to do all that is required ; although expense should not, in such a case, be a matter of serious consideration. Let walks be formed, gravelled, and kept in repair ; let flower-beds be planted, and a few trees, — weeping willows and Norfo'k Island pines if they could be successfully grown ; or, failing them, blue gums and kios. Private parties would surely also attend to the repairing of the several repositories of the ashes of their friends. The Town Board might very appropriately vote a sum for such a purpose. Indeed I should say if they do not, they will be making it clear that they ai*e not keeping pace with the refined and civilizing tendencies of .the age, and giving additional cause for its being said, as it has often been, that the tendency of colonization is rather to retrogression than advancement.

It is very clear, from the revelations of history and the observation of travellers, that where there is little respect paid to the memory of the departed, there is a deficiency in the practice of the higher virtues bearing on the intercourse of the living, — little of the devotion of love, — and but a scanty display of even the amenities of friendship. I trust no excursionist in Otago will erer have to jot such a remark in his note-book, founded on what he has observed.

A Dunedinite.

To the Editor of the Or ago Witness.

Sir, — You would much oblige me by inserting the following in your valuable paper, tor the inform.ttion of the community at large, and to expose the gross injustice toi which I have been subjected : — A short time ago, I had the^ misfortune to be put in gaol for a small debt which I was unable to pay. For the first 13 da)s of my confinement, 1 was locked up either in a cell 6 feet by 2, or in a passage 21 leelby 3|, along with the unconvicted prisoneis, and during that time I was let out only 2 hours in the forenoon and 2 in the afternoon, and 1 believe J should have been kept thc-ie for the whole of my term, but for another unfortunate like inj self being in the same perdicament, who, being a good scholar, was employed by the Gaoler to keep his books and write his letters, and as it was rather too glaring an absurdity to set him free and keep me confined, I was accordingly liberated also ; and, during the time that he was in the place, I had the privilege of rambling about the building from 6 in the morning till 7 at night. But, unfortunately for me, his lime too soon came to an end. And now comes -the joke; — how was the Gaoler to get me back to my old bondage ? Hut " where there's a will there's a way;" and the Gaoler soon found the way, though I daresay had he given it more thought he would not have tried such an expensive mode, in la - ing himself open to the law, by exceeding his duty towdtds debtors. The way it happened was this, — the butcher sent down two days' allowance of meat as usual ; the meat was so bad (in fact, crawling with maggots), that the hard labour men knocked off work, and refused lo eat it, — of course I also refused to eat it, — in consequence of which the hard labour men wee all locked up in their cells for 48 hours on bread and water, and I myself sinned the same fate with them, all because I refused to swallow meat which was unfit tor human food. I should like to he informed by what law a man is compelled tomcat thai which he does not like, or by -what law it is held a crime to refuse to do so ? I presume it to be the Gaoler's duty to inspect all provisions, and to send back to the contiHclois such as are unfit for use. The quesiion is, has the Gaoler acted as his office demands ? and are the authoiities justified in retaining an officer who fails in his duty, and who, by ihc abovementioned piece of petty tyranny, has cost the Government 14 full days of labour, which might have been avoided had he done his duty by sending back the had meat, and obtaining good merft in its place 1 Indeed, did I not know -the Gaoler lo be an honest man, I should ceitainly suspect that theie'wasan understanding between him and ihe butcher.

Is it not a wonder that such things are allowed to exist in a Christian community like Otago?

I hope, Sir, that this will meet the eyes of those who hnv,p the power to lemedy the evil, and the will to see justice done to the oppressed.

" Fiat justitia ruat coelum." Youis, &c, A LATE Dr.BTOR,

[We have to inform our correspondent, and others who like him have complaints to make against (he gaoler or other official, that there are certain Justices of the Pence who are appointed to visit the gaol, and hear any such complaints ns that now made. Had a debtor made known his complaint to thes.e gentlemen, we have no doubt that any injustice or jmpiopiiety on the part o( the official would have beeu at once remedied. — Ed.]