CEMETERY CHARGES.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 652, 22 July 1921, Page 5

CEMETERY CHARGES.

AN UNSATISFACTORY METHOD. REVISION TO BE MADE. The Cemetery charges of the Pukekohe Borough Council were a short time ago revised, and it was decided to charge a fee of five per cent, on the value of work,, done im lieu of the then charge of' v:2 for each section. The alteration has evidently not met with the approval of the Auckland monumental. masons, as at last night’s meeting off the Borough Council, on behalf of the monumental masons, Mesrs W. Parkinson and Co. protested against the charge of five per cent, on the value of work done in the Cemetery, made by the Council They pointed out that it was an impossible way of collecting fees, adding that no other local body in New Zealand made such a charge, the invariable system being to make a definite charge for each section. They asked how the Counpil was going to get the information as to value, because monumental masons could not be expected to publicly disclose the private business of customers : also another point was that it was 'bound to react on business, as no one was going to have good work done when they knew by doing so the Council was going to penalise them. They believed it be an error of judgment on the part-of the Cemetery Committee to impose such conditions.

The cie> k said that it was very difficult to collect fees on the five per cent, of cost basis. It was not a satisfactory way or raising money -—n fixed charge was far more satisfactory.

The Mayor moved and Cr Brownlee seconded that the question of cemetery charges be referred to the Cemetery Committee. for consideration. — Carried.