THE CEMETERY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5502, 18 November 1929, Page 2

THE CEMETERY.

BOROUGH SUPPORTS tOUNTY. STATEMENT BY THE MAYOR. * The question of the local cemetery came up before the Paeroa Borough Council on Thursday, when Cr. F. E. Flatt asked the Mayor, Mr W. Marshall, to make a statement :is to the borough’s connection with it. Cr. Flatt said there was a feeling in the town that the borough was in the responsible position. He considered that certainly some explanation should be made of what had been done, and to make the people understand that it was the Ohinemuri County Council’s business, and not the borough’s. In reply the Mayor stated that early in the year the then chairman of the Ohinemuri County Council, Mr H. M. Corbett, had called upon him with reference to the subject. The idea was that a committee should, be formed. Continuing, the Mayor said he had absolutely declined to comment on the proposal, as it was made just prior to the election at which he did not knowjwhether he was standing again or not. He had declined to accept the responsibility of forming a committee or acting on one. The Ohinemuri County Council was the trustee for the cemetery. Moral Obligation. There was a moral obligation on the borough, however, said the Mayor, and whatever was done by the Ohinemuri County ■ Council would have the borough’s support. At present the Ohinemuri County Council’s cemetery funds were totally inadequate. The council spent all the money it received directly on the cemetery, deducting nothing for office or other expenses. He had also conferred with the present chairman of the County Council a couple of times.

It was not an easy matter, continued the Mayor. In order to do anything worth while a good deal of money was required. The council knew his principle—that it was no use doing anything unless it was done well. A sum of £2O or so would go nowhere. He had promised to collaborate with the chairman of the County Council. As a matter of fact, they were to have met again during the present reek, but owing to the flood the conversation had to be postponed. At anyrate it was not the funeral of the borough. “No one in Paeroa can put the scheme on my shoulders,” declared His Worship. “An attempt has been made, and I am not going to accept it”.

The borough would do its fair share, said Mr Marshall, adding that the cemetery wanted doing up, as it was in a terrible state.

Cr. Flatt though it was due time a scheme was evolved and something done.

Cr. H. J. Hare pointed out that there were also people from the Hauraki Plains interred at the local cemetery, as there was no proper place in that district.

The Mayor said the actual care of the graves was a responsibility for the relatives concerned, and by no stretch of imagination could it be placed on local bodies. If that were attempted it would simply mean that propertyowners would have to pay the bill. There was a lot to be done, but the chairman of the Ohinemuri County Council had the matter in hand. Blackberry was everywhere, and the dead in many of the graves had no relatives in the county, which made the position more difficult, and made it somebody’s job. Cr. E. Edwards : The borough wants to help, and is anxious to when a scheme is formulated. The Mayor : Yes : to act in conjunction with the Ohinemuri County Council.