CREMATIONS IN SYDNEY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6919, 27 May 1929, Page 5

CREMATIONS IN SYDNEY

AVERAGE MORE THAN ONE A DAY That cremation is becoming increas iugly popular in New South Wales if that term is permissible and not irreyerential—is beyond question, even if, in some quarters,' there is a strong prejudice against it, in some cases because of religious beliefs, and in others because of the convention from which many people find it hard to depart.

Many others, however, of all classes in the community, favour cremation like the Aryans of old. [Sydney's, eieinatorium'now only in its fourth year,, already has to be provided with addition al facilities to meet the increasing demands upon it. The fact that many people elect to lend abroad the ashes of those cremated invests with grim interest a case not long ago in which a tirst-class steamship fare was asked for the carriage of a person's ashes from . s c.ney to England. Perhaps this high into was asked because of a prejudice

acain-t this form of It i. and in older to discourage ii . bn; ' 'm. ll the fact was recalled that ! i:e -vo • bin? had carried another perron - : ■ the Old Count rv for two g.iin.derate was charged in the other ca-c also. Only a day or two ago live personswere cremated in Sydney in the brief space of about two hours. It was a mixed company whose immortal souis were freed from the bonds of the tlesli by the demising fire —a schoolboy, two women and two men. including an elderly baronet. Cremations in Sydney are now avor-

aging more than one a day. t he disposal of the ashes, in many cases in accordance with the wishes of those cremated, often takes curious forms, lode recently the ashes of a Japanese Adciit were buried, in part, in one ~i t | jo i i he remainder was ~.]]! io ,i a pa a. There was a case only a few decs ago ill which a 111:111 ask-'d that, his ashes should be mixed with those 0!' a woman who had predeceased him. an I who had been his children's r ,,„.-o. and should then be enclosed in a suitable casket and sent to England. Manv people elect to scatter the ashes

of their relatives over ilie ru.-e garden; at the crematorium; in many cases enclosed in urns are placed in niches in vhe chapel there. In some cases they arc taken to sea and scattered to the four winds id' imn.rn. In ih" n'.ajcriu Ihe family keeping.