4 MAY 1878, Page 14

THE CONTROL OF CHURCHYARDS.

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]

Sut,—Mr. Kitson's reference to the ownership and maintenance of Scottish Churchyards, is no answer to those who point to Scotland for proof of the fact that the absence of the English restrictions does not lead to objectionable occurrences at funerals. It is simply a red-herring drawn across the track.

But this passage in Mr. Kitson's letter supplies a hint too valuable to be lost. "Who," he asks, "provide and maintain them [the churchyards] in Scotland ? The Heritors ; they are not ecclesiastical property, or under ecclesiastical control.' Who' alone give permission for any service? The Heritors."

If these be the required conditions, it will be easy to adopt them in England, by providing that the churchyards shall no longer be "ecclesiastical property, or under ecclesiastical control."' That is a change which was hinted at in the debate on Mr. Osborne Morgan's motion, and no doubt that gentleman would be glad to