FUNERAL REFORM.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15167, 4 January 1915, Page 5

FUNERAL REFORM.

PUBLIC CREMATORIUM WANTED.

THE TAX OF RESPECTABILITY. The tax of respectability, is more potent than many people realise or acknowledge. Those who aro brought into close touch with poor people, however, very speedily realiso that "keeping up appearances" very often imposes a burden which is utterly disproportionate to the ability of those concerned to bear it. The fear of losing caste with neighbours and of appearing poor often induces an expenditure made only at tho cost of the necessaries of life. Ono particular expenditure which is often severely felt by poor homes is that of a funeral, and here those whoso sympathy is aroused feel that there id great room for reform. In the courts from time to time cases crop up of people who have incurred heavy debts which are really beyond their power to meet, simply by reason of the expense of a funeral. For sentimental reasons even the poorest home endeavours to give a departed member what is called "a worthy funeral" even though 111 the effort the resources of thoso remaining; are strained more than is warrantable. Arising out of a recent inquest in which the near relatives of an old man were a little reluctant—not from lack of affection but from sheer dread of tho expense—to undertake the cost of hiß burial, the Coroner, Mr H. W. Bishop. S.M., has expressed tho view that :i reform of the practice of funerals is urgently needed. The average funeral U a somewhat expensive affair, and its standard is maintained by the habit of the rich and middle-class of giving unnecessarily extravagant and expensive burials. In such a sensitive matter as a funeral the poorer people do not wish to appear lacking, and so endeavour to rise to a standard set by those better able to afford it. The outcome of this effort to maintain their respectability in the eyes of their neighbours is that they incur debt from which they would be saved if the habit of a simpler funeral were in vogue. To remedy the existing state of affairs two courses of action could be pursued. Tlie first would be an appeal to the richer classes of the community to introduce and adopt a plainer typo of funeral. The second course would be more radical and would go to the root of the trouble. It would consist of the establishment of a municipal crematorium w here the last offices for the dead could be performed at a minimum of expense. Of course full safeguards against abuse would have to be afforded by a provision for post-mortem examinations, but that could easily ba done. "I feel very strongly uoon this point of funeral reform,*' said Mr Bishop, "bec-itise my experience has shown mc that it is urgently needed. In the interests of the coinmunitv as a whole, but particularly of that section which is unable to bear the heavy expense of the average funeral, a municipal crematorium is a necessity. Perhaps some day in the future Chriaichurch will be provided with one "