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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 12, 19 December 1862, Page 2

There is but little doubt that any inau of ordinary capacity can, ii" he makes tlio attempt, import into the simplest affair he takes iv hand, a very large amount of blundering. He can, we say, do so foolish a thing, but such a course is neither usual or politic. The late proceedings of the Town Board furnish evidence of a serious mistake, either on the part of a member of the Board, or of one of the reporters who attended the meeting on behalf of the press. We publish in another column a letter dated " Superintendent's Office, Southland, I.oth December," addressed to the Clerk of the Town Board, by which it appears that a Southland newspaper gives Mr. M'lvor the credit of having used the following words in reference to the Cemetery, namely, that " three graves protruded right across the roadway, simply because the Government officials refused to change the road-line pegs a few feet to one side ; and that the coffins required to be deposited in craves araon ff some few feet of water. He denounced the whole as a burning scandal to the Government.' 1 The letter is brought to a conclusion by three pithy questions, the answers to which were embodied in a resolution calling in question the correctness of I the above-mentioned report, and stating that the " Board is not accountable for the remarks of members, except in so far as they endorse the same by passing any resolution regarding which these remarks may be made." So far, then, we may consider that the use of the words which gave rise to the letter is denied, and, us our own reporter's account of what Mr. M'lvor said is widely different, and as, likewise, Mr. M'lvor himself says the expressions never fell from his lips, we must believe that our contemporary is in error. What Mr. M'lvor actually did

say was, that " he wished, through the Press, to call the attention of the Government to the present disgraceful state of the Cemetery. There were at present several graves abutting on the public road. He was very sorry indeed that the Board had no control over the Cemetery, and he hoped the Government would take some action in the matter."

The road, or more correctly speaking, the projected road in question, will divide the Cemetery into two equal portions, but as it is not yet made, and the Town Board have never applied to the Government to have its iutended position changed, and, by consequence, were never refused, it appears hard that Government officials should be abused in a case in which no blame attaches to them. Worse still is it for a newspaper reporter to attend a meeting, and put words into a speaker's mouth which he never uttered. We should be but too happy, however, if we could say that the state of the Cemetery was creditable. It certainly is not, but its faults are owing chiefly to its situation. The ground is very wet, and measures should, if possible, xt once be taken for draining it thoroughly. The fencing is already completed, and without question the Government are willing to do all in their power to render, at all events respectable, a place which in older countries )ften blooms as a garden.