MAORI BURIAL GROUNDS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17132, 7 September 1926, Page 7

MAORI BURIAL GROUNDS

NON-ANGLICAN SERVICE

RATANAITES ’ OBJECTIONS

(Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day

A decision of considerable importance regarding the use of burial grounds attached to Maori Anglican Churches was given by Mr. F. (). V. Acheson, Judge of the Native Land Court, at Kaikohe. A majority of the Knikohe natives, and formerly adherents of the Anglican Church, have become followers of Katana’, arid claim the right of burying their dead in the Anglican native churchyard with their own burial ser vice. They alleged that the service used by the Maori clergy in connection with the burial of non-Anglicans treated them as outcast. They claimed that tbe land bad never really passed out of Maori ownership into the possession of Hie Church, and that they were entitled to (lie unrestricted use of it lor burials.

In evidence it was shown that while the land had been used lor Anglican Church purposes since 1846. il bad been vested in four Maoris, and their successors as trustees, in 1876 bv Judge Monro, no use tor the land being sped fit'll. In 1884 when tbe present Maori Church was opened by Bishop Cowie, the churchyard was consecrated bv him, and bad been under purely Anglican control.

In Ids judgment, Mr. Aehcson pointed mil, that be was satisfied from tbe evidence that the Anglican f burcli had about 80 years of undisputed occupation. and 'both parties admitted that the land had been sol aseiile for tbe use of the Church, and that as the burial service objected to was that used over all non- Anglicans, the followers of Katana must submit to Anglican control if they desired In bury their dead I here.