MEETING AT KAIAPOI.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 801, 24 May 1865, Page 3

MEETING AT KAIAPOI.

A meeting of the parishioners and general public of Kaiapoi was held on Monday evening in the Church schoolroom for the purpose of deciding what steps should betaken for providing anew burial ground, and for protecting the present cemetery from the inroads of the river. The meeting was very numerously attended. The Rev. W. W. Willock was called to the chair.

The Chairman, in opening the meeting said that the week before last he had an interview with the Secretary for Public Works, who had promised to do what he could for the protection of the cemetery, and accordingly an engineer, Mr. Moore, was sent up on Friday. last to report ou the state of the river in that locality. As they were all aware, the river had been much swollen by the late heavy freshes and had completely inundated the country, and the work proposed to be done to prevent its being washed away would entail an expenditure of about £100, besides which the bodies out of the first and probably the second line of graves would have to be removed. .He had thought it advisable to select a new burial ground, and had inspected three available sites—one on the North road and two on the Island, of which he had chosen one of the latter. It was a triangular block of nearly five acres between Mr. Powrie's and Mr. Belcher's brickyards, and belonged to the Church Property Trustees, who he was sure would raise no obstacle to the acquisition of the purpose required —in fact, they had offered to render every possible assistance. A portion of the ground had been plotted out with the same magnetic bearing as the old cemetery, and the numbers of plots would be the same, so that persons could remove the bodies of their friends to the same sestions as regarded number and position as in the old burial ground.

J. Birch, Esq., in moving the first resolution, said he sympathised with the people of Kaiapoi, who had for the second time to. remove their cemetery from the encroachments of the river. The piece of land selected, as described by Mr. Willock, for the new burial ground had its advantages and disadvantages, which he would explain to the meeting. It had been proved that the old cemetery must be washed away, and that the works required for its protection would involve an expenditure that the people of Kaiapoi were unable to afford, even for such an object. -The meeting had been told that the owners of the new plot of land were the Church Property Trustees, and that there would be no difficulty in making satisfactory arrangements with them. Mr. J. D. Macpherson had a lease of the land, which he valued at £50, but he had agreed to take £40, and the payment of that sum had been guaranteed. Mr. J. S. White also had a lease, valued at £20, but he had generously given up his claim, and had also promised to give as many green trees as would plant a belt all round, so as to make the spot more sheltered. The Engineer had given it as his opinion that this piece of ground was the highest and least likely to be flooded of any land on the j Island; it was also well fenced in with a post and I rail fence, and laid down to grass. The disadvantages were, first, a creek ran through a portion of the land which the river at onetime flowed down, and possibly therefore it might again be flooded; but the creek might be planted with willows all along the banks, which would prevent the soil washing away. Secondly, the ground was near the public road; but it was large enough to allow a belt of trees to be planted so as to screen it from the road. On the whole he thought it was the best site they could get. The churchwardens had guaranteed the cost of the ground and the survey, but they could not undertake the removal of the bodies from the old cemetery and their reinterment in the new one, the cost of which must be borne by the friends of the deceased. He had much pleasure in moving the following resolution ; «That it is the opinion of this meeting that the plot of land fixed on by the Incumbent and Vestry of this parish is the most desirable for the future cemetery."

Mr. J. G-. ReveH seconded the resolution. j J Beswick, Esq., said, befoie the motion was put, he wished to ask whether in this new cemetery any separate plots would be put aside for the burial of persons of other denominations. Although thie ground belonged to the Church of England, yet it was desirable to have acemeterywhich should be open to all. He was much inclined to think that if !_£. Thornton and Mr. Moore's plan were the old cemetery might still be preserved, and would require the removal of only one grave. The plan was toslope the banks and protect them with a sort of wickeTwork along the bank, which would prevent I the river disturbing the soil, at the same tune it would be advisable to discontinue burying in the old ground. R. Rickman, Esq., stated he had seen the Secretary for Public Works, who had assured him that he would give every assistance in behalf of the Government ; infect, Mr.Hall seemed to think it imperative tint fiie Government ought to take some steps in the matter. Mr. Rich thought it absurd to spend any money on the old cemetery, as it lay below the level of the river, and would always be overflowed. Mr. Weston, wished to see a common cemetery for the use of all denominations, with separate plots allotted to each. Mr. Birch said that the old cemetery belonged to the Church of England, and they wished to have a new one for themselves. They did not, however, wish to prohibit any one from burying in it. Mr. Birch's motion was put, and carried unanimously. J. C. Porter, Esq., moved the second resolution— "That the vestry of this parish having already done ito utmost, it behoves the parish by a committee appointed at this meeting to consider what farther steps

should be taken to secure public decency as regards the old cemetry near Mr. Sneyd's, and, if considered necessary, to initiate plans for the disinterment of remains in the cemetery. The motion was seconded by J. Beswick, Esq., and carried, and the following committee were elected —Bey. W. W. Willock, Messrs. Beswick, Birch, Day, Dudley, Hall, Parnham, Porter, Powrie, Rickman, and WestonA vote of thanks to the CJhairman terminated the proceedings.

The committee met this morning at the cemetery, and have finally decided to order the removal of the bodies to the new site, which is by this time all laid out and prepared for their reception. The ground has been washed away so fast that the outside graves are now only about two yards from the river.