CEMETERY FOR ONEHUNGA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 157, 6 July 1896, Page 3

CEMETERY FOR ONEHUNGA.

A meeting of burgesses was held in the Onehunga Public Hall on Saturday evening, for the purpose of considering a pro. posal to purchase a piece of land at Hillsborough for a public cemetery.

The Mayor (Mr D. A. Sutherland) provided, and there were on the platform several of the Borough Councillors and the Town Clerk.

The Chairman, in introducing the business of the meeting, stated that it was called in conformity with a resolution passed by the Borough Council on the 18th May last), viz. : " That the Committee approves of the site proposed at Hillsborough for a cemetery for the borough of Onehunga, and recommends that steps bo taken under the loan clauses of the Municipal Corporations Act to borrow tha required amount in £50 debentures, nob to exceed £1,500 in al), bearing interest at the rate of five per cent per annum, secured on the fees derived from interments and the rent of tha cemetery reserve, the debentures to be redeemable by lob whenever sufficient funds have accrued for the purpose." All the necessary formalities had been complied with, and the Council were desirous of obtaining the1 views of the ratepayers before taking a poll. Mr J. D. Jackson said that the Council must provide a cemetery as the burial grounds attached to the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches were about to be closed. The Bank of New Zealand Assets Realisation Board had offered to cell 50 acres of land at Hillsborough for £25 per acre, which was a low price, while the suitability of the ground for tho purpose was well known. There would be no difficulty in borrowing the money, as one person had already offered to lend the whole amount, but the Council could do nothing without consulting the burgesses, and ib would be necessary to take a poll of the ratepayers. He moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr J3. Burden :— '* That a meeting of burgesses having considered the proposal to purchase 50 acres of land at Hilleborough for the purpose of establishing a public cemetery for the uso of the bureresaea and the general public, approves of the said proposal, and authorises the Council to proceed promptly and complete the matter."

Mrs Yatea opposed the proposal and moved the following amendment,which wae seconded by Mr Joseph Has tie, " That thii meeting declines to authorise the borrowing of £1,500 to purchase land for a cemefcery.and respectfully requests Sir G. M. O'Rorke to impress upon the Government the desirability of granting us power to use the Waikaraka Cemetery."

Mr Nixon expressed the opinion that) ib would coßb £1,500 to make a road to Hillsborough, and thab tbe«prico asked for the property was excessive. Mr Leking defended the acbiou of the Council in spending money on advertising the proposal, although he could not support the latter. He said ib waa for the bur* gesaes to decide tho question for them* selves, and to do this the Aeb declared bbab the proposal muet be advertised in the daily press.

Messrs Kemp, McKenzie, Shftldrick, Hasfcie, and others opposed the motion, and Mr C. C. Fleming strongly nupported fehe amendment. Mr B. C. Roberts sxxggested that the latter portioa of the amendment, asking the Government to grant power to uee the Waikaraka Cemetery, should be struck out.

Mr J. D. Jackson having replied, the Chairman pub the amendment, which waa carried by 26 bo 4. The Mayor then stated thab a poll of the ratepayers would be taken on Wednesday, the 15th insb.

Mr Hastie and others objected strongly to the taking of a poll, aa they considered it would only be a waste of ratepayers' money to proceed farther after the opposition manifested toward the proposal daring the meeting.