CONVENIENT CEMETERIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 131, 7 June 1889, Page 3

CONVENIENT CEMETERIES.

The following instructive letter has been forwarded by Dr. Bond, iate House Surgeon at the Hospital, to the Town Clerk, Mr P. A. Philips :—

"Dear Sir, —Your letter containing the Mayor's request- tbafc I shall report on Mr J. Aitken Connell's proposed cemetery scheme is before me, and I beg to reply as follows: — Tb.6 latsst authorities on hygiene are of opinion that the disposal of the dead in or neai" large centres of population, or those which are rapidly growing, is detrimental •to the public health. It is consequently recommended thftb the sites fur burial grounds should be selected at a considerable distance from these centres. It is in consequence of this that the old objectionable practice of interment under and around 1 churches in towns lias been given ■up. The dangers coincident with the vicinity of graveyards to populous towns are :—(aJ Constant contamination of the air around our cemeteries; and (b) tbe possible pollution of drinking water. Eren those authorities who maintain that there is no danger to the population in the -vicinity of a graveyard, make the reserva tion that ib must, be well managed, i.e., that there mu-fc be power to close ifc when • ib is full, and that it must be properly planted with trees and other plants, so that the exhalation from the growing vegetion may counteract the exhalations from the decomposing bodies. But what certainty is there that the exhalations from the graves will remain in the area of the cemetery so that the vegetation may act iipon them ? The least breath of air will carry some at least of the contaminated, air into other parts, and therefore into neighbouring dwellings. Even those anthorities themselves admit that the air over cemeteries is contaminated, but seek to counteract its evil tendencies. But prevention is better than cure, and as the proposed Cemetery Company intend to grant the gift of perpetual right of burial therein, the power of efficient control will be entirely frustrated. That the proposed site at Cox's Creek is unfit for the purpose of a cemetery from what 1 have already said, becomes more evident when it is compared with the old Symonds - street Cemetery. That was opened in 1846, and was then so far out of Auckland that it was not thought ever likely to be closely surrounded by dwellings, yet it was found necessary to close ib in 1886 (so far as it could be closed). Ib is to be regretted from the point of view or public health that interments still take place therein. So in the short space of 40 years a spot which was so far from the mass of population in the beginning as the proposed site of Cox's Creek is at present, has fcecome an integral part of the city; and ib is a source of that contamination of air which is ever found over cemeteries, and will continue to remain so even longer than fresh burials are permitted therein. Judging by the past history of Auckland and of other colonial cities, it is more than likely that the neighbourhood of the proposed site at Cox's Creek will be at leasb as thickly populated in 40 years' time as bhab or Symonds-sbreet Cemetery now is. What then may be expected" in 74 years, which it is calculated that the proposed cemetery will last? Simply this—that ib will be a source of contamination to the air ■Ji a well-populated district. And when ifc v remembered that in the proposed cemetery 'the gifb of perpetual right of burial' is to be granted, ifc becomes very important both from hygieaic and t;conomic standpoints, thab the possi- • bility of perpetual contamination should not be allowed. The more porous the soil of cemeteries, the more quickly are the deleterious exhalations from the dead destroyed oy the oxygen in the air, because there is a freer circulation of air in porous soils. The soil of the proposed cemetery at Cox's Creek is of clay, which is a dense soil. Hence there will be slower, destruction of the deleterious matter in the ground, and

a larger quantity will escape into the air. This, in the case of burial grounds at a distance from population, doe 3 not signify, as the ■ deleterious matter will be° destroyed by dilution in the surrounding atmosphere before entering any dwellings. Whereas, in burial grounds situated near the population it is dangerous. It is also sought by the proposed Company to take power in the Bill to open up other cemeteries suitable for other parts of the °} b Y. and ifc is claimed that there is no possibility of water contamination. Further sites selected and used as burial grounds will act as centres of contamination if in or near the city, as I have explained already. That it is quite possible to have the burial ground at a distance from the centre of population without any inconvenience, is seen at Sydney, in the case of the Rockwood_ Cemetery, which is some eight or nine miles therefrom, and is connected by convenient and cheap traffic. I _ believe that a similar arrangement exists at Melbourne, but I have no particulars thereof. The objection to Waikomiti that it is barren and unbeauteous becomes less day by day. The trees and shrubs are growing well, and there is no reason why it should not be made as attractive in appearance as any other cemetery. " (Signed)} JohnH. R. Bond, / " Medical Officer."