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Poverty Bay Independent, Volume I, Issue 28, 28 July 1885, Page 2

At the last meeting of the County Council a long discussion took place on the application of Sergeant Bullen asking the Council to pay certain expenses in connection with the burial of a poor man who was lately found dead on the Ormond road. The amount claimed was but Z 5, and yet the subject engrossed the earnest attention of the Council for some time, and resulted in a resolution not to pay the money until it was clearly shown that the County was liable for the expenses incurred in connection with “ paupers funerals.” We think that in the first place, there is no possible room to doubt but what the County County is morally if not legally responsible for the decent interment of any destitute person who has the misfortune to die, either from disease or misadventure, within the Counties jurisdiction, and it certainly would redound largely to their credit had the Council passed the account in silence, providing it was satisfied that the expense had been fairly incurred. The whole of the circumstances in connection with the death and burial of the unfortunate man who was the subject of this trouble reflects but little credit upon our civilisation or our charity. There are, we feel assured, but few people who would refuse to assist in paying the last decent rites which the usages of civilised society, no less than the dictates of common decency and propriety, has entailed upon all communities for the final disposal of even a “ pauper’s ” remains ; but it will scarcely be credited that those whose profession and calling should make this one of their first and primary obligations, utterly refused to attend the burial and read the funeral service, and the duty was left to those whose rough exterior showed as great a contrast to the smooth frock coat, as their humanity and manly conduct did to the refusal to perform the rite. We hope that the money will be paid in this and in all like instances without any further comment, and that some organised provision be made for future “ pauper ’’ burials, with a view to place it beyond chance that because a man dies without means, he is to be denied the rites of Christian burial, and also to prevent unseemly haggling as to who is responsible for the paltry amount of funeral expenses. ________