CEMETERY CONFERENCE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1381, 19 July 1878, Page 2

CEMETERY CONFERENCE.

A meeting of the members of the Central Cemetery Conference was held this morning at the Provincial Council Buildings. Present —lion. J. Hall (chairman), the Revs. C. Dallaston, 11. 0. M. Watson, and 0. Fraser, Sir Cracroft Wilson, and Messrs Booth (Mayor of Sydenham), Caro, and Jameson. The report of the sab-committee appointed to select a suitable site for the proposed cemetery was read as follows :

The sub-committee appointed to make enquiries for a suitable site for a central cemetery in the neighborhood of Christchurch, beg leave to report as follows :

The sub-committee regret that so much delay has taken place in the presentation of their report. This lias not arisen from any neglect upon their part, but from the difficulty they have experienced in meeting with offers of land suitable from position and quality, and upon terms which they could recommend the occupation of. I hoy have examined upwards of twelve properties, which were offered them, but in most instances either the price was excessive, the position unsuitab e, or it was found upon examination that water or shingle was so close to the surface as to render the land wholly unfit for the purposes of a burial ground. Of the various offers which they have received, the most eligible is that of about 134 acres of land, more or less, of a somewhat sandy character, situated near the Bottle bake road, about four miles from bristeburch, and which is under offer to the sub-committee at £6 per acre. Although not in every respect what they could desire for the purpose, it is the best which is likely to he obtained with the means now available, and the sub-com-mittee accordingly recommend that the land be bought. As its price is within the amount which the c ounty Council, has at its disposal, it will bo unnecessary to go into the question, remitted to the sub-committee, of the means by which other funds could he obtained. The fencing aud laying out of the ground will no doubt involve a considerable expenditure, but an inquiry into the accounts of the existing Cemetery Boards will show that the receipts likely to accrue from the now cemetery itself, will provide ample funds for the above purpose. Ibe gross receipts from sales of burial plots, and from interments at the present time amount to about JllilOO per annum, aud, assuming that the existing cemeteries are closed, and their receipts transferred to the new cemetery, the sub-committee believe that, after providing for current expenses, there will remain a balance of about it6o9 available for the improvement and extension of the cem< tery ground, which the sub-committee recommend should bo increased to about 200 acres iu all. It may possibly be urged that the site suggested iu this report will be an inconvenient one for the residents iu the western suburbs of Christ church, and for this reason your suh-committee would have been glad if they could have suggested a position further to the westward, hut, as they have found this to he impossible, the requirements of the case may perhaps best be met by the establishment of a second public cemetery, of smaller size, in that direction, when a suitable piece of land can he obt fined.

By order of the sub-committee, John Hall, Chairman. Sir Cracroft Wilson moved the adoption of the report, and “ that a copy of it be sent to the County Council with a request that they would carry out the suggestions contained therein.”

Mr Booth seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Rev. C. Fraser moved—“ That in the opinion of this committee at least one-half of the ground secured, should be reserved for an absolutely public cemetery, and a limited portion be divided among the religious denominations or sects.”

Mr Booth seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Rev. C. Fraser promised to obtain a full report from the man who examined the sections which had been secured, and also from Mr Armstrong of the domain. A vo:ie of thanks to the chairman and subcommittee brought the proceedings to a close.