THE CEMETERY LOAN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 60, 10 February 1925, Page 7

THE CEMETERY LOAN.

"ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE." POLL TO-MORROW. With tho object of placing before ratepayers information in respect to the proposal to raise a loan of £6500 for tho acquisition of a new cemetery site, the Mayor (Mr F. J. Nathan) last evening addressed a public meeting, at which there was an attendance of upwards of thirty persons. The poll in connection with tho loan is to be held to-morrow. Tho purchaso of a new sito was absolutely necessary, stated tho Mayor, for the present cemetery at the now existing rate of burials would bo used up in about 18 months, and the requirements of the future had to bo looked to. Recent legislation mado it necessary that land used for the purposo of a cemetery should be Outside tho borough area. The present site of 8J acres had been acquired 41 years ago, and the average burials of recent years had been 260 per annum. Tho receipts last year in the cemetery account bad been £916, and the expenditure over tho same period £615, leaving a surplus of £3OO odd. These iigures had an important bearing upon the Ipan proposal, for it would doubtless be asked by many ratepayers as to what effect the" carrying of tho loan would have on tho rates. It was his opinion, and also that of tho town clerk, that the passing of tho loan would not affect the rates in the slightest degree, for the income from the sito was expected to pay interest and sinking fund on the money that would bo raised. In accordance with Government regulation, several sites outside the borough had been reported on, and that which it was proposed to acquire was situated in James's line, being 39 acres in extent. The total area which it was proposed to utilise for burials would provide for 23,400 plots, which at the present rate, and allowing for a natural increase, should last the borough for 50 years—a little longer than the present cemetery had lasted. Of tho proposed loan of £6500, the purchase of tho land would absorb £2500, a sexton's cottage £I4OO, chapel £BOO, lavatories £l5O, water supply and piping £IOO, drainage work £SO, formation of right-of-ways, fencing, etc., £730, and formation of footpaths between the plots £4BO, a total of £6210. It would not bo necessary to expend all the money immediately, a small sum only being required for tho initial formation work. It was, however, necessary to raise tho lot at once, but tho council would only uso it when it was found necessary to "incur some expenditure. Only the area neceseary at first would bo used, tho back portion being leased, and thereby bringing in revenue. The acquisition of a new sito was imperative, said the Mayor in conclusion, this opinion having been formed by other councils as well as the present one. In reply to a question by Mr A. W. Sutton, Mr Nathan stated that tho cemetery account was at present £I2OO in credit, and that £SOO of this had already been earmarked for the present project. It was not thought advisable to allocate a greater amount, as maintenance charges had to be met.