EPIDEMIC FUNERALS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 222, 13 June 1919, Page 5

EPIDEMIC FUNERALS

COMMENT iN' "PUBLIC HEALTH .JOURNAL." - Tho latest issue of the "Public Health . Journal", has tho following comment on the vexed question .of epidemic fun- . erals:— ' "Funerals.—This was a matter the settlement of which presented 'considerable difficulties which should not have existed if Hospital Board contracts for funerals had been always 6incoro undertakings on tha part of the contractor. As a matter of fact, many undertakers contracting for hospital funerals had a price which resulted in an actual loss on each funeral, but whicTi they anticipated re-' gaining by other business resulting out* of their contracts. It would bo. as well for boards to come, to some clear understanding that claini9 from .-.undertakers will not /be, recognised if there is any estate or any person able to pay, neither -will claims be recognised at moro than the-contract price paid for the funerals. ,In numerous cases the Department.was presented with claims for funerals running from i! 10 upwards which the undertaker was unable to collect from relatives of the deceased. In such cases ■ the undertakers should, before.' accepting, the funeral, have followed . tlieia usual procedure and ascertained whether their account could be paid; if not, then they should have given no moro than the plain and decent funeral covered by. the Hospital Board's oontract. If 1 the undertaker happened not to be the Hospital Board's contractor he should - have referred. the funeral' to vsuch contractor if there' were one in the samo town, and failing such -he should liavo provided a plain funeral as above statedl and have sent' in the claim to the board for th'e actual cost thereof,; plus, say, 10 per cent, chargesfor himself, As ques< tions such" as these must frequently arise in the course of a board's work, it 'is as well; apart from the question :of epidemics, to have a clear policy laid- dov.-n in the matter of funerals of destitute persons."

In connection with the'above it should bo made clear that the Hospital' andCharitable Aid Board.had-nothing whatever to do with the epidemic funerals, or the commitments made in connection ■with them at any time, and. has repudiated all responsibility in the matter by returning the accounts to the Department.' .