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there were Christians buried in the portion designated for non-Christians, as, in the opinion of the questioner, “It is rather rough on the relatives to be buried in the non-Christian burial ground". His Excellency, The Governor, replied, "They won't be any worse off than they were before". (Hong Kong Hansard 1909, p. 79, 85-86, 142, 168)
The questioner reminded the Governor that he had said relatives, not bodies. With the introduction of the Ordinance the Hong Kong Telegraph again spoke out: "Here in Hong Kong there are a few persons who while still in the prime of life are prepared to work themselves into a miniature passion about the conditions under which they may finally return to that whence they came. Not only so, but they are determined to carry out their class prejudices beyond the tomb. Is it possible that there will be choice selections of land, and Ordinances, similar to that known as the Peak Reservation Ordinance, in heaven? Are the Chinese and Japanese to be relegated to the slums of paradise, while the "hupper suckles" [upper circles] loll and lounge on the grassy swards of the golden river, secure against intrusion by the vulgar rabble!"
The editor noted that Mr. Hewett in objecting to a distinction being made between residents of seven years' and of twenty years' residence had said, “We are all equal". Indeed, wrote the editor, "That is exactly what we have been contending, but we have a suspicion that Mr. Hewett really meant we are all equal where we are Europeans and that his remark did not apply to people of the Asiatic race. But he struck the root of the matter when he declared that all mortals are equal in the grave, for it is incredible to believe that all this pushing for precedence and squabbling for place will follow us to the next world". (Hong Kong Telegraph, 10 November 1909)
A dedication ceremony was held at the cemetery on 30 March 1910 by the Anglican Bishop assisted by clergy of other denominations. In his remarks before the act of consecration the Bishop set forth the reason for the ceremony. “A portion of this most beautiful cemetery has been for upwards of sixty years the burial place of the bodies of brave men and noble women and innocer!