CEMETERY DESECRATED.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 31384, 13 February 1923, Page 3

CEMETERY DESECRATED.

I DESPICABLE VANDALISM

A despicable act of vandalism, the desecration of the old cemetery at Stratford, has been brought to the notice of the police. Tombstones have been overturned and broken, glass wreaths ruthlessly smashed, and disgusting sketches and inscriptions blazoned on the monumental stones. Even the graves of little children have not escaped. • The cemetery is looked upon as sacred to the memory of many of Stratford’s oldest and most worthy citizens, and has for some years been practically closed’. The desecration of the place which holds so many hallowed memories was reported by a gentleman who visited his father’s grave, and found a valuuable and beautiful erirved marble wreath smashed to atoms. Another respected resident visited his father’s last resting place and founo tire memorial stone made hideous with a shocking inscription. Many other stones were similarly treated. Scarcely a wreath in the whole cemetery remains whole. Numbers of stones were thrown down, and one large cross was shattered. The deplorable act is apparently that of boys of not v< rv mature years, judging by the hand writing on the stones. The police have the matter' m hand, and the indignant public, many of whom visited the cemetery recently, arc anxious that the perpetrators should be brought to book. The cemetery is in a neglected state, being overgrown with grass and weeds, but the Borough Cbu mil is. taking the matter up and intends to have the place attended to immediately.