Granite for plaques

Press, 14 December 1982, Page 6

Granite for plaques

The Waimairi District Council last evening reaffirmed its 1975 decision that dark granite be used for memorial plaques at the Waimairi Cemetery. The council also agreed to express its concern to the Canterbury and District Association of Monumental Masons that some members were not adhering to specifications. The matter came before the council several weeks ago after a Christchurch couple, Mr and Mrs C. B. Rennie, had been told that the white marble headstone on their son’s grave contravened council requirements. The couple want the council to change its specification, to allow white marble headstones. Mr and Mrs Rennie had also found damage to the headstone, although police investigations did not lead to a prosecution. In a report to the council, the reserves superintendent, Mr G. P. Nind, said marble weathered poorly, and was easily marked, scratched, and vandalised. Marble was not in general use as it was a soft material, said Mr Nind. The council chairman, Mr D. B. Rich, said the couple must have a good case to go back to their stonemason and have the stone replaced with a durable material. The council had been the butt of publicity on the matter, said Mr Rich. It had not deserved this. The deputy district engineer, Mr G. W. Main, said a few of the headstones in the cemetery contravened the by-law. The council agreed to adhere to its 1975 specifica-

tion for granite headstones. It also agreed that the Rennies' memorial headstone should be repaired, but that ■if the plaque had to be replaced, dark granite should be used. Contribution The Waimairi Coastal Protection Committee, a residents' group, will not get a further contribution from the council towards its costs, in the Waimairi Beach landfill hearings. Members were told the council had already given $lOOO. A further $5OO was sought for an expert witness. Cr A. A. Adcock said the $lOOO given by the council over two years’ was small in relation to the total spent by the residents’ group, about $20,000. The community was young, with heavy commitments on such things as mortgages, and community halls. “I am told that the area has virtually been bled financially to finance what they have,” said Cr Adcock. Cr Margaret Murray said $5OO would be “a drop in the bucket” towards $20,000. Ratepayers would have to

pick up the $5OO next year. Councillors, after a long debate, voted by seven votes to five not to make a contribution. Students Seven university students will be employed by the council. Their w’ages will be paid with money saved from the wage-price freeze. The students will run children’s holiday programmes, do survey and design work in Rothesay Road and Prestons Road, and work at its waterworks station. Cr Murray.’said there was no reason why the jobs could not be filled from the Project Employment Programme scheme. For several years, jobs had been created for students with Government help. Now that responsibility was being “quietly pushed” back to the ratepayers, she said. Cr P. M. Carter said the Government was passing the buck to local authorities willing to take up the employment problem. Cr I. G. Clark said the council would get a good return for the money it paid the students.