MEMORIAL TO MR J. G. COATES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25248, 29 July 1947, Page 5

MEMORIAL TO MR J. G. COATES

CONSTRUCTION DELAYED •P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 28. Plans for the renovation of the Matakohe cemetery grounds will be discussed at Matakohe on Saturday at a conference of the cemetery committee, the Under-Secretary ol Internal Affairs <Mr J. W. Heenan). Mr H. L. Massey, of Auckland, architect for the proposed interdenominational church to be built there in memory of Mr J G. Coates, and Mr S. W. Smith, M.P. This was announced at a public meeting held at Matakohe when residents were asked their opinion on the form the renovated cemetery should take. “We would like to see the church built, but the housing shortage is an obstacle,” said the secretary of the cemetery committee (Mr J. Sterling). “Contrary to some rumours, the committee is not pressing for that reason tor its construction. The Government has given us to understand that when the church is built the present unseemly surroundings would be quite cut of keeping. It will undertake renovations and we shall have to keep the ground in order.’ Mr Sterling said the Government favoured the lawn type of cemetery, but the choice was left to the Mam* Fohe residents. Questioned about the use to which the present church would be pul w. .n ’•he memorial church was built, the chairman (Mr W. Ball) said this would be decided by the people of Matakohe. Offers had already been received tor it for use as a church, and he would not like to see it put to any other purpose. The funds received from its sale could help in furnishing the new church.

The meeting recommendeo with a number of dissentients, that the cemetery committee should convert the churchyard to the lawn type of c-me-tery and that the present headstones should not be discarded.