NEW CEMETERY?

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19310, 15 May 1928, Page 11

NEW CEMETERY?

40 ACRES AT BROMLEY. COUNCIL CRITICAL OF PROPOSAL. When the City Council last evening reached a clause ia the report of the Reserves Committee, in which it was proposed that an area of 40 acres at Bromley be purchased for a cemetery, it was soon indicated that the Labour majority were not unanimous. The Reserves Committee reported as follows:

Owing to the rapid manner in which burial plots in Bromley Cemetery are being acquired, the Committee is of opinion that steps should be taken to provide an additional cemetery. Several properties under offer have been inspected by members of the Committee, and it has been found that the most suitable for the purposes of a cemetery is a block of approximately 40 acres owned by Mr G. D. Gowie and situated in Raymond's road, Bromley, which is in close proximity to the existing cemetery. The amount required for the block is £3250. There are two wells on the property, giving an excellent supply of water, and also a large number of trees which are estimated by the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens to be ■worth about £IOOO. The soil is of a sandy nature and would be admirably suited for the purposes of a cemetery. The Medical Officer of Health has advised that the Minister for Health will approve of the establishment of a cemetery in the locality referred to. It is therefore recommended that the necessary steps be taken to acquire, the property, the question of terms for payment to be decided upon by the Finance Committee.

An Urgent Need. Cr. Clyde Carr said the option could be extended only to the 21st instant. The need was so urgent that he hoped the clause would be adopted without opposition. Cr. E. H. Andrews (to the Mayor): "I believe we are on the same aide for once." He was against the purchase. Soon Bromley would be one big cemetery, and it was very unfair to property owners. The Council should go further afield. The area must be in the City within a few years. He did not* regard the block as cheap or the best place for a cemetery. Every tree stump must be grubbed out. He had a vision of the City extending to the sea and including New Brighton before long. A. 40-acre block was not really big enough, and the question of a crematorium must be considered. Cr. D. G. Sullivan: Tor once in his life Cr. Andrews is right. I hope the clause will be delayed. Tho people of Bromley are against tho extension of the cemetery area. He would be sorry to see a Labour Council following the previous bad example. In reply to Cr. M. E. Lyons be said, he was intelligent enough to anticipate the residents' wishes. (Laughter.) They should at least have an opportunity to be heard on the question. He did not know why the cemeteries and sewage farms were all put in his district. There were other constituencies which might be improved by these amenities, Cr. E. H. Andrews: Christchurch East J • Cr. H. T. Armstrong: They are all live ones there. Approval of Site. Cr. Q. B. Hunter, a member of the sub-committee set up to inspect cemetery expressed his-approval of the site, and said that it had the support of IJr. Telford, Medical Officer for Health. None of the other sites looked at was more suitable for the purpose. He hoped that in the future the dead would be disposed of by means of a crematorium, but meanwhile it was necessary to secure another cemetery. The Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) expressed surprise that Cr. Sullivan's constituents hacl not thought fit to make known their opposition to the proposal. He thought that some of those who had sections to sell were a little annoyed to think that another landowner was likely to get a price for his property. The suggested eemetery' was only separated by a single, narrow road from the present cemetery. Cr. P. W. Sharpe thought that as Christchurch was increasing at such a rate and as transport was so rapid it i should be possible, to secure more suit- , able land further afield at a lower fig- j ure than that quoted. An amendment w!is carried that the clause be referred back.