THE WELLINGTON CREMATORIUM.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10761, 8 May 1911, Page 4

THE WELLINGTON CREMATORIUM.

AFTER TWO YEARS,.:-

(Piat Pbess Association.)

'%. ■ '. '■ -Wellingtott,.Ma-y.7. >"'' Wellington hasfcadjits crematorium for nearly two years now, and it is interesting to note a few particulars in to'the progress: ;.:bj:vcremation here,?' says the Post, as fcomment?;h,as been Ghriston thej iimctvisableriess of jestabhshing; 'a crematorium -;there.'' Wellington's experience' is quoted as ".being strong proof Ithat the scheme "would result in a loss: financially. The ; statement was that the Wellington iri the Karori Cemetery cost "£2OOO. -.- Inquiries made by a.;Pist : jepbiterv.to r day at the Tqwjji Hall .on,.the subject of cremation imoje; :-. interesting .details. jcost in adl £1505. to build. , Towards ytiaa'y '£B62.'-Isic-i4di-.was: ! 'raisebj by spiiblic. through a movement headfed by Miss Studholme, of Canterbury" ; who -herself gave a very, substantial .■amount. Duringiparteof the,"municipal Jyear ended 31st-March, i9ior-the'first* iyear of the crematorium—the receipts ;|?9fl». Sremation were £l9 flast year "the receipts "were £35 "3s'6o*; ;and,the expenditure £lB 12s lOd. The ■cremation fee is £3;,35, including-10s. 6d for doctor's fee, for a medical certificate must. 7obtained:,'be£6"£e' ; cremation can take place. "'■' If it' is" desired -that the ashes .be. placed in dn,e.of the niches provided in the crematorium the charge is £1 Is extra. Should it be ; stipulated that the ashes, are to be committed to the ground it will cost £3 to secure a plot of ground.iri.'Tthe cemetery for this purpose. .The ordinary interment fee charged by r theV'City Council is l'os, but a small of ground sufficient to hold two coffins can be purchased for £3. It will thus be seen that the relative costs.of cremation and ordinary earth burial ai-e much the same. Cremation has made no very great strides in Wellington, but it is considered by authorities on the government of cities that it is desirable to have a crematorium in case of the outbreak of any severe epidemic of infectious disease, such as the plague, if for nothing else. It may bo added, as a basis of comparison of the two methods of burial, that the receipts by the Wellington City Council from ordinary burials in 1909-10 were £2013, and in 1910-11 £lß2l, while the corresponding figures for cremation were £l9 18s and £35 3s 6d.