THE EASTERN CEMETERY.

Southland Times, Issue 22729, 4 November 1935, Page 3

THE EASTERN CEMETERY.

To the Editor. Sir, —At a recent council meeting reference was made of the interference to some of the graves by persons at the Eastern C netery. If space in your columns will permit, may I be favoured to make a few remarks, seeing that the subject has been broached. I would like to ask why it is that some persons are allowed to interfere with some of the plots, such as removing vases, digding up shrubs and bulb roots, cutting off flower blooms, removing and breaking expensive glass wreaths, and are allowed to get away with it? Four plots are in my special care to keep in an orderly condition, especially that of my late mother’s, which is covered with white pebbles. Going out one day as usual to do the usual tidying up, 1 was dismayed at the disgraceful state it was in. The pebbles had been scooped up in little heaps, all the vases were missing, a glass wreath had been wilfully broken, the large piece of metal that had been used for the purpose to smash the glass shade was embedded in the inside wreath of flowers, thus leaving no doubt as to what had caused the mishap. A man’s empty tobacco tin and match-box had been carelessly thrown on to the grave, also a heap of weeds and rubbish from a grave near by, although receptacles are provided for the purpose, with a notice that all waste material is to be placed in them for removal. The second plot I visited for some years had two large glass wreaths on it. One of these, the larger of the two, had been removed, and although losing a lot of time searching about in all directions, I was unable to find any trace of it. This particular wreath had been donated by outside friends of the deceased person, and had cost several pounds. The third plot, under my care to be weeded, was principally all flowers, four young rose trees, some shrubs and choice flower bulbs. All of these had been dug out and taken away. What remained was all trampled down and completely spoiled. Last year one of our kindest neighbours died. Just prior to the anniversary of the death, the late lady’s husband approached me with reference to the making of a wreath to put on the grave. The order of this tribute was to be made on similar lines to that of the “Anzac Cross” that was made by me and donated to the R.S.A. The flowers had to be all hand-made. The main body of the wreath contained close on two hundred roses when finished, with other flowers of a relieving colour, eight yards of ribbon, ten sprays of maiden hair fern. It measured nearly one yard across. Sir, this being all hand-made, of various materials and crepe paper, it took me many hours of work to construct. When finished it was placed in a box specially made out of dressed timber, with an adjustable glass lid that could be opened to permit of its being cleaned when required. An expert in the “floral trade” who chanced to come to the house, just as it was finished, valued it at £5; in fact wanted to buy it from me, but as I was supplied with the materials to construct it, it was not my property. Eventually it was taken out to the cemetery and placed on the grave. A few weeks later the husband called back at the house in great distress, to inform me of what had happened to him. He had visited his wife’s grave and, to his great sorrow and dismay, found that he also had been a victim o fa most cruel act of wanton destruction. The wreath had been taken out of the pretty varnished box, which was nowhere to be seen. The glass lid lay on the grave smashed into fragments. The large wreath ribbons were all pulled to pieces and scattered everywhere in the vicinity. This emblem was such that would have lasted in good condition for many years, being perfectly weather proof.

When told, about it, I made it my business to go to the Eastern Cemetery to see for myself. I could scarcely credit it; but it was only too true. On many occasions the question has been asked of me, and by others who have been similarly treated, did I think children were to blame for it. It is the work of adults principally. On one occasion when I was out at the cemetery I saw a car pull up at the side gate, and a well dressed woman in a fur coat got out of the car and entered the enclosure. (The grave that I was working at had some large trees growing in each corner and a lot of ivy. Perhaps as I was stooping down weeding it would help to a certain extent to conceal me from view.) As the car was standing waiting, the lady may have been more hurried, possibly this may have been the reason that more care was not taken to notice if anyone else was in sight, and might be able to see what ibok place. As she entered the cemetery she had no flowers. A grave was quickly approached, the vases were fixed, some of the graves handiest were visited, a selection of the best flowers, with deft swiftness, were taken; the expert manner and quickness in which it .was done would at once impress on any onlooker that this person was no amateur at business of this kind. Next a small pair of scissors was brought into use. One of my plots chanced to be the next to be visited, it having some very choice rose blooms, which were cut off and added to the other flowers that had been unlawfully taken. Seeing it was my plot that was being interfered with I decided to go over to her and speak about matters. She had her back to me, till I came along side of her, and greatly to my surprise she turned out to be a woman well-known, one of the last anyone would suspect of such a mean act. When I remostrated with her, she turned on me a shower of bad language and abuse that many a working person of the poorer class would have been ashamed to utter. It is only those who have had the misfortune to face , a bereavement that can fully realize to the utmost what a cemetery really is; that it is a very sacred place, the very last chosen by persons who evidently take a pleasure and delight in indulging in this kind of working havoc and wanton destruction ■with other people’s property. Great credit is due to those who own the different sections in the Eastern Cemetery for the tidy condition the nlots are kept in, also for the many artistic designs that have been carried out, which tends, to a certain extent, to lessen the sad depressing effect that such a place naturally has to the bereaved mourners; to such as these people who have spent'both time and money in taking out love offerings, to make each alloiment look as presentable as possible and also to show that our dear loved ones (who we owe so much to fc what they have done for us) are ever remembered and always will be, it is very distressing to have had this wanton theft and destruction meted out, and for no just cause. In this time of education and progress surely a different state of affairs ought to exist among respectable citizens as they call themselves. —I am, etc.

SUSANNAH HODGKINSON LOCKERBIE.