ASHES TO ASHES

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1929, Page 5

ASHES TO ASHES

CREMATIONS IN SYDNEY. AVERAGE MORE THAN ONE A DAY. SYDNEY, May 15. That cremation is becoming increasingly popular in New South Wales —if that term is permissible and not irreverential—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 conventions from .which many people find it hard to depart. Many others, however, of all classes in the community favour cremation, like tlie Aryans of old. Sydney’s" crematorium, now only in its (fourth year, already has to be provided with additional facilties to meet the increasing demands upon it. The fact that many people elect to sond abroad the ashes of those cremated invests .>with r grim interest a case not long ago in which a firstclass steamship fare was asked for the carriage of a person’s asnes- from Sydney to England. Perhaps this high rate . was asked because oif a prejudice against the form of freight, , and in order to discourage it, hut when the fact was recalled that the; same line hadibaiViocT jmfitlfer 1 j\son ’i| % asnes to .the Old fqf; two « guineas, that rate was tlnY; other case also. Only iv'day qb two j ago 1 five-, parsons were cremated ii|| Sydney in-, the ' .brief space two i hours, it ,was a mixed compSj||(|yhosqj immortal souls \were freed the j bonds, of the .fleslt by the ...qleansufg fir >‘j —a schoolboy, Wo women, twdj men, including an\elderjy f ’fiaij|ii!i&t. ( | 'Cremations, jn f Sydney; ,• i n j averaging more than one a day. The I disposal of the ashes, in many • cases 1 " in accordance With the wishes of those cremated, often takes curious forms.. Only recently the ashes of a Japanese ’ resident were buried, in part, in one - , of the cemeteries; the remainder was sent to Japan. There was a case’ only a few days ago in which a man asked that his ashes should be mixed with those of a woman who had predeceased him, and who. had been h’S ■ children’s nurse,/and should then be -, enclosed, in, a, suitable .casket and sent’j to England. ( Many people elect to j scatter the.ashes' of tiieir'relaliv.es'ovei’'| the rose'gardehs fit -the'’cremardi'iunisj e in many cases,'ashes enclosed in nrny? are placed in ;niches •in the chapel; there. ! lii'some’cases they are takeijj to sea ‘and scattered to ! the four winds* of heaven, tn ‘the majority of however, the ! ashes are left in tliej. family keeping. •> 1