MOUNT ROSKILL CEMETERY

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 13, 15 January 1916, Page 6

MOUNT ROSKILL CEMETERY

FOB ONEHUNGA BOROUGH. " ' ii i) PROTEST BY RESIDENTS. v • . ■~..•... v .. 0 v A number of residents met in the office s }f the Mount Roskill Road Board last I night to discuss the proposed establish- t nent of a public cemetery in the district * i)y the Onehunga Borough Council. Mr * M. C. Ryan prjasided." It soon became ' apparent that nearly all present were j apposed to the scheme. A letter was re- J ceiyed from Rev. J. H. Simmonds, prin- j cipal of ,the Wesley College, apologising . for his absence, afld. also protesting igainst the proposal. I The chairman remarked that he di_ ( not know whether they ought to be for ( or against the proposal. Personally he ] was opposed to it, although he was prae- ] tically a stranger in the district. He . supposed they must have a cemetery, in the district aome, time, hut he. thought it. i ought to be in a .more remote position i and away from the main rpid. He fur- ; tber expressed the opinion that; ike i Mount Roskill Boad Board might be pof-> ■ suaded to reconsider its decision, to sup- < port the scheme, which, he understood, had already been approved by a sm_l majority. A gentleman present asked; ■ for particulars of the proposal. These ■were supplied by Mr J. Parr, a member of the Mount Roskill Road Board, to the extent of showing what negotiations had passed between the Road Board and the Onehunga Borough Council. Mr Parr said he had opposed the Board's sanction to the proposal to establish a cemetery at Mount Roskill, as in his opinion it was obtained too hurriedly. More time should have been given to the Board to consider the question, and, if possible, to obtain information as to the wishes of the ratepayers before taking action. Mr Herd, sen., asked if any enticement had been given to their Road Board for its sanction. The question was not: answered. 7 Mr Parr said he did not think it wise : to say how many members of the Board were present when the sanction was given, but it was carried on' the casting vote of the chairman. Mr J. Lockie considered that the landwas too valuable for a cemetery. A more suitable site could be obtained a little further away. He thought the Road Board had acted hastily in giving its consent to the proposal. He asked, the Hon. F. VV. Lang, M.P., to speak -on the question. Mr Lang Baid he was present by invita- i tion as the member for the district. He would like_to hear the views of those who had promoted the meeting. No doubt, wherever a cemetery was established it would naturally be opposed by the residents in the vicinity. The Borough' of Onehunga had a great difficulty in security a site for, a' cemetery. It might be advisable for those objecting in.the present case to interview the Road Board, and this eoiild be followed by a protest to the Minister of Internal AfJaire7, As tlie representative of Onehunga and Mount Roskill, *c would do his'-l*ssi towards arriving at a settlement that would be satisfactory to all parties concerned, (Hear, hear.) Mr.-Bayers- expressed his sympathy with the Road Board. No doubt, he said, the Onehunga Borough Council had acted promptly. He thought a cemetery, on the Coleman estate would militate against the attractions .Of the "yVai- ' kowhai Park. If the cemetery were es- j tablished it would be sold out in small sections and would prove a good raoneymakihg concern for Onehunga. He protested strongly against the action of Onehunga in the name of the residents of Mt. Roskill, and also in the name of 'the people of Auckland. (Loud applause.) '.'■ Mr. G. G. Da*is, who is a member of the Onehunga Borough Council, said he would like to speak on the other .side as a Ratepayer of " ML" Roskill, where he resided; A cemetery could not bo' opened for one district alone. It-must be available to-the adjacent districts. Scores of Mt. Roskill people had been buried in I the-.-Onehunga cemetery, which was a !public: cemetery. The Onehunga Borough' Council might have acted without consulting the Mt. Roskill Road Board in the present case, but it did not do so. The Council said at the $ujtset that if the Road Board' objected to' the movement it would not proceed further with it. The Council met the Board several times, and finally obtained. its. consent under tne official seal.' "Vv__.i/he asked, coiild Onehunga do but proceed in the matter after that? He denied the statement that a cemetery would tend to decrease the value of land in the vicinity, and in proof of his contention he cited a chse where a property had been purchased near the Waikaraka Cemetery a few years ago for £700 and sold since tor £3,6tj<)i ''-"The"proposal "cemetery, if established on'the Coleman" estate, would not-injure the Waikowhai Park, as there was a ridge between the two ..places, and "7was not* visible frojh the park. -■-Mr. J. Parr contended that the Onehunga Council had not treated the Board fairly, having forced its hand by stating that the Council must have an answer within £4. hours... „ .C.ertainly: the. Road Jioardl hjid .the option of taking half the •iarmV-for'a 'cemetery'for' Jltf Roskill, but where was the money to come from ? It frOuHtebst 4he $ny>yhcre between lIAW-JJWJ. £2,000. "" Would' the ratepayers sanction a loan for the purpose? He did not think so. ' " J^-J. ;A^>hy'thought the had been caught on the hop. .'''■'. ,"7 Mr. Moffat agreed; and Said that if the cemetery was opened at ML Roskill ■ there would be another off to, America. flAOfhter.;) 7i J some further remarks oh the same littles the following resolutions - were adopted, except the first;.one, when Mr;"C. 'C'.'Davis voted'"against iti— £1) fl_at this meeting of Mount Roskill ratepayers protests against the hasty actio ot the Road Board hi giving. Its consent to -the Oneinunga Borough Council to place a ce—eteßy'''within 'ths' district, _d re(rua*s the Bonrd. to immedd&tely consider fhe question at rescinding the resolution. ~J2) fT*bit a 'telegram be at onbe sent' to ae:*__ster of internal Affairs' requesting him to wtthirold his oonßent'.fSr the cemetery on the Coieirtaii Estate until the ratepayers ha*« had.aji - ojs6rtnuljty 'to place their ,vlews..;before hfrn, 4. , '{3)That Should th« Road Board fall to in'ote at-' oqce in the matter, or should it refuafc to xeectad the resoluttou, the ratepayers be again called together wttE a view to taking some action to' ffreyeat a ..cemetery peistj "in tlie Colerilan ;'• W—it _'petition he'printed'to _c UlihtotEr jof lifteroal Alfalfa protesting ■-.-. A committee -Of' seven was appointed to obtain signatures to the petition, and a deputation, consisting of -three persons, was .appointed to yait on Board to ask that the resolution already referred to 1 j^ffegc™^^- 11 '* 'fc3f*j*fS#» " I Mr.' J: -Palrr consented to give Trtotiee of motion at a meeting of the' Board 'T_it the resolution sanctioning the cemetery be rescinded."

pSEHUNGA'S POSITION. \i The position so far as Onehunga i» I soncerned was given to a "Star" repre- j *} sentative by Mr. John Rowe i{ Mayor of Onehunga), who stated that Onehunga is compelled to provide another cemetery ( immediately, owing to the rapidity with which the one at Waikaraka is filling up. The Waikaraka burial ground was opened in 1898 for the County of Eden, which means "the city of Auckland and Buburbs, including Mt. Roskill, the Onehunga Borough Council being appointed trustees. As Mr. Rowe explained, the residents of Mt. Roskill have always had, and still have, the right to bury their dead at Onehunga. But suppose that Auckland and Onehunga had neglected to provide burial places available for Mt. Roskill, then the latter district would have been compelled, .under section 49 Of 1 the Cemetery Act, to procure one on -its , own account. The reason Onehunga is looking for a cemetery outside the bor- , ough is because under claune 60 of the aforementioned Act no cemetery or burial ground of any kind can be established within the limits of a borough or town district. With regard to the land in the Coifman estate,' Mr. Rowe stated that it is situated close to the Manukau Harbour, and has always been regarded as a suitable site for a cemetery. In fact, it.was offered to the Onehunga Borough Council for that purpose 20 years ago, before the Waikaraka Cemetery was opened. The Mt. Roskill Road Board has signified its approval of this proposal, and has assisted the Onehunga Borough Council in its effort to provide a suitable and adequate burial place for the dead of both districts. The negotiations between the two local bodies have been conducted in a neighbourly spirit, and the terms agreed upon deemed satisfactory to both parties. The Borough Council's proposal, which received the seal of the Mt. Roskill Road Board, provides for the right of acquisition of half the land, or a lesser area, by Mt. Roskill for that district's sole use as a cemetery, at the original cost of the ground to Onehunga, plus incidental expenses connected with the.purchase. The Road Board may purchase right out for cash, or leave the w ; hole, or part, of the purchase money, and pay the same rate of interest as Onehunga is paying. The Road Board is further allowed six months to consider the option after the land has been acquired by Onehunga. Should Mt. Roskill take no action towards securing a part of the cemetery for its own exclusive use, the residents will still have the same right te purchase burial plots in the new cemetery as Onehunga and other districts have. In the latter case Onehunga will pay £50 per annum to the Mt. Roskill Road Board towards the upkeep of the roads in that district leading to the cemetery.