PAEROA CEMETERY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32408, 17 March 1944, Page 5

PAEROA CEMETERY

MAINTENANCE QUESTION OFFER FROM THE BOROUGH SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION A decision to offer a substantial annual contribution to the Ohinemuri County Council for the maintenance and improvement of the Pukerimu Cemetery, Paeroa, was reached at Thursday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council. At the February meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council a special committee was appointed to discuss the position of the cemetery with a committee from the Ohinemuri County Council. At Thursday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council this committee tabled the following report of the conference held. “Your committee begs to report having met representatives of the Ohinemuri County Council on the evening on Saturday, March 4, when the matter of the control and maintenance of the Pukerimu Cemetery, Paeroa, was discussed. Leave Control With County “Your committee recommends that the control of the cemetery be not taken over by this council, but that an increase be made in the share of the ’cost of maintenance payable by this council. “It was agreed at the meeting of representatives of the two local bodies to recommend that a man be employed full time on maintenance in the cemetery. After allowing for purchase of materials and credits from burials and plots sold during the year the estimated expenditure would be £250; It is recommended that this council agrees to find threefifths of this net expenditure each year commencing from April ;I', 1944, but the contribution not to exceed £lso* in any one year; the 'Ohinemuri County Council to stand the cost of administration, supervision and survey work. It was agreed that neither the expenditure nor revenue from the cemetery house 'be included in this arrangement. Burials From Borough

The Mayor, Mr Edwin Edwards, speaking to the report, stated that over 50i per cent, of the burials during the past 12 months had been from the borough and therefore he had agreed that it was only fair that the Paeroa Borough Council should assist in maintaining the cemetery. Actually only a small section of the Ohinemuri County used the cemetery and therefore the Ohinemuri County Council was not prepared to pay a very large sum for the maintenance of the area.

Actually the proposed arrangement would cost the borough approximately £l5O per year, added the Mayor, pointing out that in the past the cemetery had been rather a “blot in the district.” He felt all would appreciate that the borough had a moral obligation to assist in the maintenance of the cemetery.’

Members, all expressed- pleasure at ’the arrangement agreed upon so that improvements would be effected at the cemetery. Such improvements would be welcomed by all. The report was adopted and the action of the committee in making the arrangements was approved. DECISION OF COUNTY LEFT IN HANDS OF COMMITTEE When the question of the Pukerimu Cemetery came before the March meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the sub-com-mittee to finalise the agreement.